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.

Applications are currently closed. The 2024 application cycle will open in August 2024.

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.

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

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.

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.

The process does not require a letter of inquiry.

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.

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.

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.

1-2 years

Please check back soon for the 2024 deadline. Last year’s deadline was October 2, 2023, at 11:59 PM.

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.

Please direct questions to Sarah Byrne-Houser, POISE Foundation Program Officer for External Partnerships, at sbyrne-houser@poisefdn.org.