Heinz & Hillman Family Endowments announces $2.3 million in emergency grants

The Heinz Endowments announced it will be awarding $2.3 million in grants to help Pittsburgh nonprofit organizations and local government agencies combat the COVID-19 pandemic.The organization said this was just the first round of grants and will continue to monitor the situation daily.

“We are dealing with a sweeping social and economic catastrophe unlike anything any of us has seen before, and our frontline nonprofits and local government have been overwhelmed by demand for essential human services,” Grant Oliphant, the foundation’s president, said in a press release. “As a community, we must respond quickly and effectively to bring help and to mitigate hardship wherever and however we can.”

The Heinz Endowments said it was also working in collaboration with the Richard King Mellon Foundation, the Hillman Family Foundations and The Pittsburgh Foundation to better coordinate efforts and maximize funding opportunities for organizations in the Pittsburgh area that need the most help.

Additionally, eligibility requirements, project deadlines and other restrictions have been modified to better streamline how different entities can acquire any needed funding according to the organization.

The Pittsburgh Foundation, Global Links, 412 Food Rescue, Community Kitchen Pittsburgh, Bridgeway Capital, United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania and Casa San Jose are among some of the organizations that have received $100,000 or more in grant funding from the Heinz Endowments.