The Opportunity Fund announced support totaling $630,830 in its fourth cycle of funding. The Opportunity Fund is a Pittsburgh-based private foundation that awards grants to organizations and initiatives that advance the arts, and social and economic justice, with at least 75% of grants benefitting the greater Pittsburgh community. Including this current grant cycle, the foundation has awarded 166 grants totaling nearly $2.4M in the 2.5 years since its inception.
The Opportunity Fund was established in 2015 upon the death of community leader Gerri Kay to continue her life’s work. It seeks grantees who champion the liberties and rights of our communities’ diverse citizens, treasure the arts and support the lives of artists, pursue social and economic justice, and proactively provide safety net resources for those in need.
The Opportunity Fund’s grants are competitive. The Board of Directors funded 46 out of 88 requests that were seeking a total of $1,558,330.
A complete list of awarded grants can be found on the Opportunity Fund website.
ABOUT OPPORTUNITY FUND
The Opportunity Fund awards grants to organizations and initiatives in the following funding areas.
Arts
• Performing Arts, with an emphasis on theatre, dance and music, especially classical chamber music and jazz, presented by small and mid-sized arts organizations
• Visual Arts, with an emphasis on craft and small to mid-sized organizations
Social & Economic Justice
• Civil Liberties
• Civil Rights, with special interest in equality for African Americans, LGBTQ people and other minorities
• Human Rights
• Reproductive Freedom
• Safety Net Resources for people in need, including social services, economic independence, housing, tangible aid, transportation, healthcare
Grant cycles take place twice a year. Letters of inquiry for the Spring 2018 cycle are due on February 1, 2018. Full information about applying for grants as well as a directory of funded programs and projects is available at www.theopportunityfund.org.