Three Rivers Community Foundation

Change, not charity

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2023 Letter of Inquiry Guidelines Released

Three Rivers Community Foundation is pleased to release our guidelines for 2023 Letters of Inquiry (LOIs). DEADLINE TO SUBMIT: FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2023, BY 6:00 PM. Three Rivers Community Foundation (TRCF) advances social change through grantmaking, advocacy, and capacity development for grassroots organizations.  TRCF embraces and practices Change, not charity™ by empowering grantee organizations to ensure social, economic, and environmental justice in Southwestern Pennsylvania.  Since 1989, the Foundation has awarded more than 500 grants totaling over $1,300,000 to groups challenging attitudes, policies or institutions as they work to promote social, economic, or environmental justice (i.e., social change) throughout the region…. Read more >

January 9, 2023 Uncategorized Read more >

2022 Letter of Inquiry Guidelines Released

Three Rivers Community Foundation is pleased to release our guidelines for 2022 Letters of Inquiry (LOIs). DEADLINE TO SUBMIT: MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 2022, BY 6:00 PM. Three Rivers Community Foundation (TRCF) advances social change through grantmaking, advocacy, and capacity development for grassroots organizations.  TRCF embraces and practices Change, not charity™ by empowering grantee organizations to ensure social, economic, and environmental justice in Southwestern Pennsylvania.  Since 1989, the Foundation has awarded more than 500 grants totaling over $1,300,000 to groups challenging attitudes, policies or institutions as they work to promote social, economic, or environmental justice (i.e., social change) throughout the region…. Read more >

December 9, 2021 Uncategorized Read more >

Underground Railroad Walking Tour

On Saturday, September 25, 2021, I took a little drive to Beaver County. New Brighton, specifically, for the New Brighton Historical Society‘s Underground Railroad Walking Tour. I arrived at 8:45 AM, planning to take the 9:00 AM tour. That had sold out already. There were 35 people on each tour. I was #22 for the 9:15 AM tour, and a large line was behind me. I had no idea that this tour – only the second one they have offered – was so popular! The Facebook event page said it was a 2-mile walk. I figured at best it would… Read more >

September 30, 2021 Uncategorized, , Read more >

Change, not charity – A Personal Reflection on 20 Years at TRCF

Let me take you back to Monday, September 24, 2001.  I was 21 years old and standing in front of a preschool in Point Breeze, staring at the tenant entrance.  With a gulp, I climbed up the stairs, entered the building, and took the elevator to the third floor, where the preschool rented out offices to local groups.  My first day as the office manager of Three Rivers Community Foundation began. It was supposed to be a temporary job.  I planned to save up money, and eventually open a vegan restaurant here in Pittsburgh.  It is hard to believe that… Read more >

September 23, 2021 Uncategorized, , , , , Read more >

2021 Letter of Inquiry Guidelines Released

Three Rivers Community Foundation has released the guidelines for the 2021 grant cycle’s letters of inquiry! Word Doc PDF TRCF strongly prefers: Grassroots organizations with budgets under $250,000; New organizations or projects that have not been previously funded by TRCF; Projects that take place or have a strong focus on creating change in Southwestern PA (Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland counties); Projects addressing persistent divisions in society based on race, color, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, class, religion, disability, gender, ancestry, or national origin; Projects developing new, grassroots leadership, with strong components of community… Read more >

December 10, 2020 News Read more >

Racial Justice Organizing Grants Still Available!

Three Rivers Community Foundation (TRCF) advances social change through grantmaking, advocacy, and capacity development for grantee organizations.  TRCF embraces and practices Change, not charity™ by empowering grantee organizations to ensure social, economic, and environmental justice in Southwestern Pennsylvania. TRCF is releasing funds to support local initiatives or projects being organized around racial justice and Black Lives Matter.  This includes all aspects of racial justice, from environmental racism to LGBTQ rights to voting barriers to police/justice system reform. Grants will be made in amounts of $1,000 or less.  Requests must be received via email by 5:00 PM on Thursday, October 1,… Read more >

August 31, 2020 Grantmaking, , Read more >

Racial Justice Organizing Grants Available

Three Rivers Community Foundation (TRCF) advances social change through grantmaking, advocacy, and capacity development for grantee organizations.  TRCF embraces and practices Change, not charity™ by empowering grantee organizations to ensure social, economic, and environmental justice in Southwestern Pennsylvania. TRCF is releasing funds to support local initiatives or projects being organized around racial justice and Black Lives Matter.  This includes all aspects of racial justice, from environmental racism to LGBTQ rights to voting barriers to police/justice system reform. Grants will be made in amounts of $1,000 or less.  Requests must be received via email by 5:00 PM on Friday, August 7,… Read more >

July 16, 2020 News, Read more >

Pittsburgh Suffragists – Daisy Lampkin

Daisy Lampkin Daisy Elizabeth Adams Lampkin was a powerhouse of whom every person in Pittsburgh should know.  She was born in Washington, DC on August 9, 1883, and went to high school in Reading, PA.  She moved to Pittsburgh in 1909, immediately throwing herself into the middle of all sorts of progressive causes in the area.  She worked as a motivational speaker, primarily working with housewives who wanted to get involved in protesting for suffrage.  She was quite fond of hats, and to many, many people she was known as “Aunt Daisy.” Lampkin was highly active in the Lucy Stone… Read more >

February 27, 2020 News, , Read more >

Pittsburgh Suffragists – Jane Grey Swisshelm

Jane Grey (Cannon) Swisshelm was born on December 6, 1815, in the still-small town of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to parents of Scotch-Irish descent.  Her family were strict orthodox Calvinists (Covenanters), and the religion greatly shaped her views of the world.  She briefly attended the Edgeworth School, located in Braddock’s Field, which was the first educational institution for girls west of the Allegheny Mountains (founded in 1825), but was concerned with how secular it was. In 1836, Jane married James Swisshelm, a farmer.  Their marriage was rocky, and James could easily be seen as tyrannical.  After two years on their farm in… Read more >

January 24, 2020 News, , Read more >

100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment

One hundred years ago, the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution finally passed all the hurdles it had, and became enshrined law.  It said, simply: “The right of the citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” Generations of women had worked for this law.  Women and allies went to the streets to protest and solicit support; they were arrested, beaten, thrown in jail or asylums, force-fed, and some died for the cause.  Thousands of Pennsylvanian women were among the suffragists. Of… Read more >

January 8, 2020 News Read more >