In 1945

A forward-thinking banker named Aims Coney, who headed the Trust Department at Mellon Bank, proposed the concept of a community foundation as a way to finance the city’s overhaul. The idea was borrowed from Cleveland, Coney’s hometown, where the nation’s first community foundation was created.

Under the guidance of Stanton Belfour (director and secretary from 1945 - 1969) and a distribution committee of prominent city leaders, The Pittsburgh Foundation supported a wide array of community organizations, ranging from the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra to Boy and Girl Scouts to universities. With the Foundation’s support, Pittsburgh became home to the nation’s first educational television station, WQED, in 1953.

By 1960, The Pittsburgh Foundation was fully entrenched in the community, meeting a variety of needs. With 79 funds worth more than $10 million, the Foundation had already provided $250,000 in support. In the coming decade, the city would see the proliferation of new nonprofit organizations geared toward social action—along with growing requests for funding.

With the appointment of Rev. Dr. Alfred W. (Burr) Wishart to director and secretary in 1970, came an era of vigorous growth. Many new ideas and programs were supported to meet the community’s changing needs, especially those of the most vulnerable populations—pre-schoolers, troubled youth and the regions’ growing elderly population. During this time, the Foundation began to focus its grantmaking on fewer, more meaningful grants than in the past. Fueling the Foundation’s growth were the many private foundations that transferred assets to The Pittsburgh Foundation as a result of the Tax Reform Act of 1969. Others who may have otherwise established a private foundation found The Pittsburgh Foundation’s sound financial management and efficient administration appealing, and invested their money with the Foundation. By 1975, the assets of The Pittsburgh Foundation had grown to $25 million.

During the 1980s, the Pittsburgh region suffered a tremendous decline in heavy industry, resulting in an unemployment rate of 12%. Many social welfare programs were also reduced, bringing many agencies to the brink of financial crisis. In response, The Forbes Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation was established, combining grants, loans and technical assistance to help agencies that were facing financial turmoil.

From 1985-1996, The Pittsburgh Foundation revamped its areas of focus to include childcare, teen pregnancy, school dropouts, the frail elderly and economic development. This decade saw the creation of Community Development Corporations that reinvested in community vitality, as well as the creation of a Pittsburgh Cultural District, all with the financial support of The Pittsburgh Foundation.

In 1993, The Pittsburgh Foundation moved from its shared space with The Heinz Endowments into its own offices in One PPG Place. The Foundation hired expert staff to guide its grantmaking decisions, and embarked on a strategic planning process to identify community issues. The strategic plan identified persistent poverty and racism as serious issues, and pointed to the need for continued regional economic development and improvement in the quality of life for Pittsburgh residents.

After guiding The Pittsburgh Foundation for 31 years, Burr Wishart retired and was replaced by Dr. William E. Trueheart as the Foundation’s President and Chief Executive Officer in 2001. Before joining The Pittsburgh Foundation, Dr. Trueheart served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Reading Is Fundamental, Inc., America’s oldest and largest children’s and family literacy organization. Prior to that, he was President of Bryant College in Rhode Island.

In 2002, the Board of Directors and Staff undertook another vigorous strategic planning process to examine grantmaking during difficult economic times. The results led to a more focused approach to grantmaking, including five Targeted Areas for Impact: Achieving Educational Excellence and Equity; Fostering Economic Development; Supporting Families, Children and Youth; Reducing Disparities in Health Outcomes; and Advancing the Arts. With this targeted approach, The Pittsburgh Foundation can ensure the greatest benefit to the community for each dollar granted.

Today, more than 60 years after its founding, The Pittsburgh Foundation remains a vital resource for the region, providing support to programs that improve the quality of life in the areas of education; the arts; children, families and youth; healthcare; and economic development. The Foundation’s total assets are valued at approximately $537 million, with grantmaking reaching $24 million in 2003.