Mission in Action

Imagine Pittsburgh being named the best place for Black and Brown women to live across every indicator. Imagine increased college completion rates, equal employment opportunities, equitable pay, and improved birth outcomes. Imagine women accessing endless opportunities. YWCA Greater Pittsburgh strives to turn these visions into realities through a new grant opportunity called Mission in Action.

What is the Mission in Action Grant Program?

The Mission in Action grant program is a new funding stream designed to build a future filled with equitable opportunities; where racial and gender opportunity gaps no longer exist. As part of its mission to eliminate racism and empower women, YWCA Greater Pittsburgh, in partnership with the POISE Foundation, will award more than $2.1 million over the next three years to organizations and groups working toward those same ideals. In support of the advancement of mission-aligned nonprofits and fiscally-sponsored projects in the region, a subset of awardees will also receive capacity-building support from PACE or The Forbes Funds.

How do I apply for a grant?

We will be accepting grant applications for 2023 in August 21st – October 2nd 2023. Click HERE to complete the application in the POISE grant management system.

Who is eligible to apply?

To be eligible, you must be a 501(c)(3) organization or fiscally sponsored project predominantly serving women of color. Additionally, you must have an annual operating budget of less than $5 million.

Is there a location requirement?

The Mission in Action grant program prioritizes organizations and fiscally sponsored projects in Allegheny County.

What types of projects do you fund?

We believe philanthropic partnerships work best when Black and Brown communities are respected as experts on their own needs and experiences. For this reason, we don’t restrict our support to one type of project. Rather, we invite organizations to submit proposals that speak to their greatest needs, whether that be operating support or funding for a program. A successful proposal will also demonstrate a connection to YWCA’s mission of eliminating racism and empowering women.

What don’t you fund?

The Mission in Action grant is unrestricted! We understand that often organizations need to cover the cost of operations in order to deliver impactful programs and services.

However, we don’t fund partisan activities, grants to individuals, or religious activities.

Is there any inquiry letter stage?

The process does not require a letter of inquiry (LOI). Click HERE to begin the application in the POISE grant management system.

What documents will applicants need to submit?

All registered 501(c)3 organizations must submit a W-9. Fiscally-sponsored organizations or groups must submit a Letter of Agreement from their fiscal sponsor.

What is the average size of your grants?

Grant size varies. The selection committee will carefully evaluate each application and determine if the budget adequately and accurately supports the project scope. Note, that due to limited funding, budgets can not exceed $100,000.

Do you have a budget template or sample budget that I can reference?

Please upload your project budget using the POISE Project Budget Workbook ONLY. You may find this workbook on the foundation website under Application Documents and Templates here.

What is the average duration of the grant?

1-2 years

What is the deadline?

11:59 PM on October 2, 2023

If my application gets rejected, can I revise and resubmit it?

Yes! If your organization or fiscally sponsored project is not selected to receive a Mission in Action grant, please consider applying again in the future. If you have questions about why you did not receive an award, you can schedule a call to obtain feedback.

What if I have additional questions about the application process?

The deadline to apply is October 2, 2023, at 11:59 PM. Please direct questions to Sarah Byrne-Houser, POISE Foundation Program Officer for External Partnerships, at sbyrne-houser@poisefdn.org.