by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Oct 15, 2024 | CFFC News
Over $50,000 in cash prizes will be awarded to charities throughout Fayette Gives on November 7, 2024 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. During this 12-hour fundraising marathon, the public is encouraged to donate to a selection of 96 participating charities. As an extra incentive, cash prizes will be awarded hourly during the “day of giving”.
This is the fifth year that the Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) is hosting Fayette Gives. The event supports Fayette County charities and highlights the power of philanthropy. Prizes are a new feature for Fayette Gives 2024, taking the place of the previous years’ bonus pool.
“Between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on November 7th, one or more prizes will be awarded hourly. Each prize has its own criteria, so there is a variety of opportunities for charities to win prize money throughout the day,” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director.
Prizes are listed at www.fayettegives.org. Some prizes will be awarded to charities that raise the most money or have the most donors within a specific hour, and other prizes will be awarded to a randomly selected charity that receives a donation within a specific hour. Prize winners will be listed on the Fayette Gives website each hour, and some prizes will have three winners – one in each size category of small, medium, and large.
“We’re grateful to the sponsors who make these extra dollars possible for the charities!” said Couser.
Community Sponsors: Charity Fund; Swimmer Family. Generosity Sponsors: COE Distributing; Nemacolin; Specialty Conduit and Manufacturing. Humanity Sponsors: Columbia Gas/NiSource Charitable Foundation; First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Greene County; Montgomery Medical; Uniontown Walmart Supercenter; Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, Highlands Wealth Management; WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital.
More information can be found at www.fayettegives.org. Check donations are being accepted now with a Check Contribution Form, and online donations will be available on November 7 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Oct 7, 2024 | Building a Stronger Fayette
Photo courtesy of DVSSP from their Board Training
Around each corner was a touch of purple and a smiling face during a site visit to Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern PA (DVSSP). Their signature purple color raises awareness of domestic violence, and their team provides safe housing, counseling, legal advocacy, and other critical services to those who are abused or being threatened with abuse. To support their impact in the community, the Community Foundation of Fayette County (CFFC) has awarded DVSSP two capacity building grants from the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund.
In 2023, the Building a Stronger Fayette Fund grant provided a half-day training for board members and a six-session training for the soon-to-be CEO. At the time of the grant, DVSSP was preparing for a transition of CEOs and was looking to provide additional education that would “position the organization for future growth and maturity”.
Megan Hegedus started her role as CEO in 2024, and her training was developed specifically for new or emerging Executive Directors and CEOs, addressing the various elements of being a nonprofit CEO. She explained that Nonprofit Sidekick, the facilitator of the trainings, also helped board members identify their strengths and how to use them to best support DVSSP’s work.
DVSSP staff members
In 2024, DVSSP was awarded a capacity building grant to update the office computers at their Fayette County Safe House. “It becomes problematic when we are trying to enter reporting information or complete time-sensitive tasks, and our outdated computers are running so slow that staff struggle to access the programs they need,” said Hegedus.
“The stronger our local nonprofits are, the stronger our entire community will be. CFFC is happy to provide funding for tools and resources that will help,” said Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director.
Aside from competitive grant awards, DVSSP receives annual grants from CFFC’s Strawberry Patch Fund, a fund that was created through an estate gift to support designated charities in perpetuity. This endowment has granted over $21,000 to DVSSP through yearly distributions.
DVSSP is headquartered in Brownsville and serves Fayette, Greene, and Washington Counties. To raise money for their services to Fayette County, they have participated in Fayette Gives for the past fours years and have raised over $10,000.
CFFC is happy to support local nonprofits like DVSSP through various philanthropic efforts, thanks to the many people who join in charitable giving.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Sep 12, 2024 | Building a Stronger Fayette
“Over the years, I’ve learned that students learn best when they are having fun and completely involved and engaged in their learning,” said Michelle Mowry, Kindergarten Teacher. Mowry teaches at Bullskin Elementary, part of Connellsville Area School District. In 2023, the school was awarded a grant from the Idea Fund, held at the Community Foundation of Fayette County, to enhance Mowry’s classroom.
The grant provided funds for felt story boards, puppets, and building blocks for hands-on learning experiences. Mowry quoted students saying “This is the best ever!” and “It’s real life Minecraft!” (in reference to the materials to build structures).
Donor advised funds, like the Idea Fund, provide flexibility and ongoing involvement for the donor to support charitable causes. As part of the foundation’s fall grant cycle, the Idea Fund accepts applications from all school districts in Fayette County to help teachers achieve a level of creativity in the classroom that allows students of all learning styles to thrive. Particular attention is paid to applicants who demonstrate that the funds will be used to address the needs of students in the classroom who may not be top grade earners, can show the sustainability of the program, and are willing to go beyond traditional teaching styles to reach students.
If you would like to learn more about how you can support causes close to your heart, contact the Community Foundation of Fayette County at 724-437-8600.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Aug 23, 2024 | CFFC News
Last year, nearly $20,000 was awarded in the Community Foundation of Fayette County’s (CFFC) fall grant cycle to support an aeroponics indoor garden, plant nursery, coding robot, items for a sensory room, a drone coding project, microscopes, hands-on learning, and more. The grants were made from three Donor Advised Funds held at CFFC – Arthur and Millicent Gabriel Legacy Fund, Idea Fund, and Patricia and Robert Metz Educational Fund. These funds are currently accepting grant requests to support local schools again for the 2024-2025 school year.
Submitted by Luke Rice, Laurel Highlands School District – Aeroponic Tower Garden. “Students gathered data by measuring growth, different ratios of nutrients, light schedules, and by testing pH.”
Submitted by Michelle Mowry, Connellsville Area School District – Hands-on Learning. “Over the years, I’ve learned that students learn best when they are having fun and completely involved and engaged in their learning.”
“Donor Advised Funds give donors flexibility with how grants are used to support charitable causes, and the donors have ongoing involvement,” explained Renee M. Couser, CFFC Executive Director. “The fund holders partner with us to support projects that match their passions,” said Couser.
The Arthur and Millicent Gabriel Legacy Fund is accepting grant requests for reusable items that will enhance the classroom(s). Any teacher, school counselor, or administrator in the Laurel Highlands School District or Uniontown Area School District is encouraged to apply. Requests from $750 up to $10,000 will be considered.
The Idea Fund was created by a donor who is interested in helping teachers achieve a level of creativity in the classroom that allows students of all learning styles to thrive. All school districts in Fayette County are eligible to apply for an Idea Fund grant in the amount of $2,500.
The Patricia and Robert Metz Educational Fund is accepting grant requests to enhance STEM teaching and learning at the Uniontown Area School District’s middle schools or high school. An award in the amount of $500 is intended to support teacher or student activities or the purchase of classroom materials.
Applications are due by October 4 through CFFC’s online grant system, which can be found on the “Grant Seekers” page at www.cffayettepa.org. Further details are listed online for each fund’s criteria.
by Community Foundation of Fayette County | Aug 7, 2024 | Building a Stronger Fayette
Microscopes are a staple of science class, and students at Lafayette Middle School got an upgrade with funding from a grant in fall of 2023. The Patricia and Robert Metz Educational Fund, held at the Community Foundation of Fayette County, awarded a grant to Uniontown Area School District for a new set of digital microscopes for Robert Schiffbauer’s middle school science classroom.
“In recent years, I have had to skip portions of lessons due to the fact that I did not have the necessary classroom tools. Rather than simply looking at images on the projection screen, students will now be able to explore and discover on their own and within small groups,” said Schiffbauer.
Seven digital microscopes were purchased to replace outdated and damaged microscopes in the school’s inventory.
The Patricia and Robert Metz Educational Fund is a donor advised fund that has awarded funding to enhance STEM education for local students. “After 40 years as a science educator, I wanted to give back to the community that launched my career. Helping to enhance teaching and learning through an annual grant to a Uniontown Area STEM teacher seems like a good start,” said Dr. Patricia A. Metz. “This year’s awardee taught me that microscopes have come a long way since I was a high school student!”