We are a leader in working with individuals, corporations, governmental bodies, nonprofit organizations, and private foundations, helping them to achieve their philanthropic goals with confidence and sophistication.
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Community foundations were conceived almost 100 years ago out of concern that Civil War-era trust funds were languishing and their stated purposes had become obsolete. Frederic Goff, a banker and lawyer, founded the first community foundation in Cleveland in 1914. Goff's idea was to place charitable trusts under a common governing body with "variance power," which provided a legal ability to redirect charitable funds if the donor's original intent became obsolete. Following Cleveland's lead, TFEC was founded in 1920 (as The Harrisburg Foundation) by Donald McCormick, then president of Dauphin Deposit Bank. The Foundation grew slowly during its first 60 years. In fact, by 1980, the assets of The Foundation had grown only to about $300,000. The Foundation's governing body then embarked on a strategy to ensure relevance to future generations, and hired the first staff person. Charitable assets under management grew by tenfold over the next decade, and then tenfold again in the following decade. Today, TFEC's assets represent tens of millions of dollars, all for charitable benefit of our communities. TFEC has introduced new products and services to encourage philanthropy and meet charitable needs within our diverse communities. In 2001, our reputation and expertise in the philanthropic sector was enhanced by the adoption of a donor-impact philosophy. We now encourage donors, with contributions of any size and type, to take an active role in their philanthropy, to leverage The Foundation for maximum impact, and to think broadly about how TFEC can help them achieve their meaningful goals.
Mission: Inspire giving by partnering with donors to achieve their charitable goals, and strengthen our local communities by investing in them now and for future generations.
Operating as usual
DEADLINE EXTENSION! The application deadline for this year's Emerging Philanthropist Program will extend to February 8, 2021!
Join Harrisburg's emerging business leaders as they explore the exciting philanthropic opportunities that are right here in Central PA!
https://bit.ly/EmergingPhilanthropist2021
Harrisburg Young Professionals Harrisburg Hoopla
!ATTENTION STUDENTS AND PARENTS! The 2021-2022 FAFSA Now Available! – The first F in "FAFSA" stands for "FREE!" While there are numerous websites where students can get help filing the FAFSA® form for a fee, these sites are not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education (ED).
We urge you to advise your students not to pay for assistance that is provided for free at ED's website, studentaid.gov. New this year, for those FAFSA questions referencing financial forms, help topics feature images of those forms with relevant line numbers highlighted.
For more information, visit www.pheaa.org today!
Please note, the FAFSA is required to accept any award from a TFEC scholarship fund.
https://www.facebook.com/ChesCoCF/photos/a.407052754079/10157842819914080
Wednesday was a painful reminder that “Democracy is fragile.” We witnessed a group of citizens engage in violence and domestic terrorism in the pursuit of overturning the lawful certification of a democratic election. These actions were anti-democratic and inexcusable.
Our vision at the Community Foundation is to be a philanthropic catalyst for positive change, strategically and intentionally engaging donors and partners to address the common good while transforming our region into a better place for all. To make Chester County, Pennsylvania, and the United States a better place for all, we need to move forward in the face of unprecedented challenges and work together. People of all backgrounds, ages, races, genders, abilities, and political parties need to fight the pandemic, rebuild the economy, get children back in classrooms and people back to work, and ensure a smooth transition of power for the incoming administration. This is how we keep our democracy safe and heal our community and our nation.
If you feel helpless about what to do next, we encourage you to find meaning through service to others. Organizations need people to help and we have volunteer opportunities listed our website https://chescocf.org/give/volunteer-opportunities/. If you feel isolated, we are always here to be “social” from a safe distance on Facebook and welcome your comments and discussions.
Sending healing thoughts to all of our Facebook friends and those in law enforcement keeping us safe.
In honor of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, we wanted to share the great work of one of our grantees, Peace Promise, which assists in recovering hope and strengthening the lives of those impacted by sexual exploitation in our community.
Because of their great work, survivors have access to support and resources they need while creating employment opportunities that are safe, rewarding, and provide financially for their families, so they are equipped to pursue futures filled with freedom and dignity. To learn more about Peace Promise, visit https://www.peacepromise.org/.
The Children's Home Foundation began as "The Children's Industrial Home Association of Harrisburg, Penna." in 1923. Today, the Children's Home Foundation Fund's mission is to provide aid to economically disadvantaged children in Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry counties.
Because of funds like The Children's Home Foundation, alone we have ideas, together we take action.
The Children's Home Foundation, a fund of The Foundation for Enhancing Communities recently granted $3,000 to support our youth programs in Cumberland County. We are grateful to partners like this who are helping us feed families and children in our fight against hunger. #BetterTogether
https://www.facebook.com/PEACEpromisePA/posts/3617829734978203
Wear blue with us on Monday, January 11th in support of human trafficking awareness. Take a picture and tag us in your post!
#peacepromisepa #humantraffickingawareness #endit #wearblueday
We turned 100! This year we'll be celebrating our Centennial (+1), and we hope you'll join us on our journey to continue to invest in our communities today and well into the future.
To learn more about all that we have planned for our Centennial (+1) celebration, visit https://www.tfec.org/centennial/.
Harrisburg Area Young Professionals: WE. NEED. YOU.
The Emerging Philanthropists Program (EPP) seeks to engage Harrisburg's emerging business and community leaders with the great possibilities that lie within philanthropic endeavors in our region. EPP provides resources and educational opportunities for those who wish to be actively engaged in philanthropic efforts.
In the culminating experience, the class applies their newly learned community and grantmaking skills by awarding a grant to a nonprofit organization in a funding priority chosen by the class after assessing community needs. Since 2014, the Emerging Philanthropists Program has granted $35,000 to nonprofit organizations serving the Harrisburg area. If you are interested in applying for EPP, visit the link below to apply by January 13, 2021!
https://bit.ly/EmergingPhilanthropist2021
The Fund for Women & Girls just held their first Advisory Committee meeting of 2021 this morning! Exciting things are in the works for 2021, and we hope you will be a part of it!
To learn more about the Fund for Women & Girls, visit www.thefundforwomenandgirls.org.
The Central Penn Business Journal's Nonprofit Innovation Awards are here! The Nonprofit Innovation Awards honors local 501(c)(3) organizations that work to improve Central PA in pioneering new ways.
Nominations are now open for the following categories:
Branding Identity/Unique Marketing Campaign
Collaboration
Management Operations
Nonprofit Leadership Excellence
Programs
To nominate an organization for any one of these prestigious awards, visit: https://www.cpbj.com/event/nonprofit-innovation-awards/
Nonprofit Innovation Awards honors local 501(c)(3) organizations that work to improve Central PA in pioneering new ways. Nominations close February 12, 2021 Application deadline February 26, 2021 Self-Nominating organizations should fill out only the application. Event date: May 20, 2021 For more in...
According to Forbes, FAFSA completion is down almost 16% among high school seniors nationwide, which could be a problem.
Read the full article from Forbes here: https://www.forbes.com/advisor/student-loans/fewer-high-school-seniors-are-submitting-the-fafsa/.
Every year on Oct. 1, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as the FAFSA, opens for business. It’s the form that high school seniors and current college students must fill out to be eligible for federal financial aid, as well as many types of state and college aid. But far fewer hig
Do you want to get more involved in your local community, but you're unsure where to start? Are you interested in learning more about philanthropic opportunities in Central PA? How about looking for a chance to network with like-minded individuals while making an impact? Look no further than TFEC's Emerging Philanthropist Program!
We are looking for Harrisburg's emerging business and community leaders to learn more about the great possibilities that lie within philanthropic endeavors in our region!
If you're interested in applying, visit http://bit.ly/EmergingPhilanthropist2021.
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM ALL OF US AT TFEC!
What are your New Year's resolutions for 2021? What are some things you would like to see in your local community in the new year?
Here's to better days. Here's to friends and family that we may only see through a phone or computer screen, but we hold closer in our hearts.
To all of our TFEC supporters, thank you for making this year such a success! We cannot wait for 2021 and the work we will continue to do in our community to make it a better place for all.
Always remember, alone, we have ideas; together, we take action!
Are you looking to get some last-minute Christmas shopping done? Well, look no further than Perry County! In partnership with the Perry County Chamber of Commerce, visit any participating businesses and text the KEYWORD (which is at the Perry County Chamber) to 56525 to be entered to win!
This holiday season, shop local, eat local, play local, support local.
https://www.perrycountychamber.org/shop-perry
This year, dollars are needed by our nonprofit partners more than ever. TFEC awarded more than $600,000 from our fall grant opportunities. To learn more about the awarded grantees, check out the article below!
https://www.tfec.org/tfec-awards-more-than-600000-granted-to-139-regional-nonprofit-organizations/
Do you want to make a difference? Are you searching for a way to help those who need it most this holiday season? Your gift to the COVID-19 Community Response Fund supports organizations like Guadenzia, that work with individuals with substance use disorders during these difficult times.
YOUR DONATION GOES FARTHER AND STAYS CLOSER! Gifts to this fund will be given directly to your local community. Help those who are struggling the most during this pandemic.
www.tfec.org/covid19
Are you searching for a last-minute holiday gift? Our limited-edition TFEC Centennial Notecards are now available!
To celebrate our Centennial, local artist Jonathan Frazier created these unique hand-drawn notecards commemorating notable locations in the counties we serve. Proceeds support the Fund for the Future!
To purchase your pack of notecards, visit www.tfec.org/centennialnotecards!
Forward doesn’t mean we forget our past or where we came from. Forward doesn’t mean we forget all past injustices, wrongdoings, hurt, and prejudice. Moving forward means that with renewed conviction of equity and inclusion for all we work together to find solutions that lead to the prosperous success of all members of our community.
www.tfec.org/blog
While there may not be snow outside, we can still have fun in the "snow" inside! Try this activity at home with your child to focus on literacy and fine motor skills!
For more activities you can do with your child at home, visit www.tfec.org/early-education-resource-center.
The COVID-19 Community Response Fund was created to help those who need it most. Your gift goes further and stays closer by directly impacting your local community.
www.tfec.org/covid19
Hear from one of our grantees, Gaudenzia, Inc. about how they've been navigating the pandemic.
"I cannot thank our donors enough for their contributions that enabled us to equip both staff and clients with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)! Having the PPE has been so invaluable on several occasions when some of the clients admitted into treatment had to be quarantined, as a precautionary measure. The PPE served to mitigate the risk of exposure for everyone involved and enabled us to continue providing needed services to a vulnerable population. We are extremely grateful!"
Florence Paige, MHS
Central Region Director
Do you have questions about using scholarships as a source of financial aid? Here are some FAQs about scholarships!
What is a merit scholarship?
Colleges are increasingly offering merit scholarships and not only for academic achievement or athletic skill. Schools may offer merit scholarships to attract diverse groups of students from states not highly represented at the school or students with talents or circumstances that few others have. Check with admissions offices at schools you’re applying to; ask if they offer merit aid.
Should students pay a company to find scholarships?
Students and families need to know that some scholarship offers are not what they seem. You can avoid being scammed by ignoring offers that require you to attend a “free” seminar, pay a “small fee,” or provide a credit card number.
Will scholarships affect other sources of financial aid?
Scholarships from outside sources may affect other financial aid. By filling an unmet need, scholarships may reduce the amount a family has to pay out-of-pocket, or they may reduce loans, work-study, or grant aid. Check with your school’s financial aid office to determine how outside scholarships may affect your financial aid package.
How are scholarship winners determined?
Although scholarships are competitive, keep in mind that you don’t have to be the best student in your class to receive one. You simply need to be the best student who applies and meets the qualifications for that scholarship.
For more information, visit www.pheaa.org today!
On December 4, 2020, United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of PA completed its transition from a non-profit organization to a grantmaking organization.
UCP of PA will continue its legacy by creating The Pennsylvania Disability Advocacy Fund, managed by The Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC). The purpose of The Pennsylvania Disability Advocacy Fund is to advocate for the independence, productivity, and full citizenship of people with cerebral palsy and other disabilities.
To learn more about The Pennsylvania Disability Advocacy Fund, visit https://www.tfec.org/funds/pennsylvania-disability-advocacy-fund/.
The purpose of The Pennsylvania Disability Advocacy Fund is advocating for the independence, productivity and full citizenship of people with cerebral palsy and other disabilities. The Pennsylvania Disability Advocacy Fund will seek proposals from established 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations to sup...
Are you searching for some fun holiday activities for your child? Try out this cookie cutter activity that focuses on fine motor skills and color recognition!
For more activities you can do with your child at home, visit www.tfec.org/early-education-resource-center.
Shop local.
Eat local.
Play local.
Support local.
Shop Perry and Text-to-Win!
Visit @PerryCountyChamberOfCommerce and participating businesses Black Friday, November 27 through Christmas Eve, December 24, and Text-to-Win for your chance to win great prizes!
Click the image below to see all of the local businesses participating. Stop by the Perry County Chamber of Commerce to find the secret keyword!
All winners will be notified via text message on December 28, 2020, with instructions on how to claim their prize.
Are you searching for the perfect holiday gift for your friends, family, or coworkers? How about one that supports a great cause?
For $30, give the gift of gratitude and tell your loved ones, coworkers, or friends how much they mean to you and how much you appreciate them!
A gratitude gift pack comes with this beautiful mug, some delicious Hershey’s chocolate, and a customizable notecard. Your purchase benefits the Fund for Women & Girls, a special initiative of The Foundation for Enhancing Communities, which works to broaden the awareness of and respond to, issues affecting women and girls through the power of collective philanthropy.
Visit https://www.tfec.org/gratitude/ to purchase your gift today!
In celebration of The Fund for Women & Girls’ 20th Anniversary, we launched our Gratitude Campaign. For $30 give the gift of gratitude and tell your loved ones, coworkers, or friends how much they mean to you and how much you appreciate them. A gratitude gift pack, comes with this beautif...
We're in the final hours of GivingTuesday 2020!
Our GivingTuesday campaign is raising money for our local community. Specifically, our Fund for the Future and our regional community funds. These funds enable us to respond QUICKLY and to ANY changing community issues without defining a specific initiative. You can make an impact in:
Early Education
Food Insecurity
Homelessness
Mental health services
Women and children’s issues
and many other important community issues! Here at TFEC, your donation stays closer and goes further by supporting your local community!
How to give. Go to www.tfec.org where you'll be able to give to the Fund for the Future or any of our other regional community funds.
Let's rally together to build a stronger Central Pa. community. During times like these, we all need to come together and help those who need it most!
Learn more at www.tfec.org.
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Congrats again to our Champion of Philanthropy Conrad “Connie” Siegel and all he’s done for the Greater Harrisburg Community! We raised approximately $50,000 from our Champion of Philanthropy event; these funds will help provide grants to nonprofit organizations in Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lebanon, and Perry counties and the Dillsburg Area.
An introductory video that highlights our 2012 Champion of Philanthropy honoree, William (Bill) Lehr, Jr., and his charitable accomplishments.
Great job #CASA with their version of Michael Jackson's famous #Thriller song!
Great job Williamsvalley Band for their performance today! Can you guess what song they are playing?
Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters
208 N. 3rd. St. Suite 105Capital Region Stonewall Democrats
PO Box 11938Pennsylvania Legislative Services
240 N. 3rd Street10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania
240 North 3rd Street #407World Affairs Council of Harrisburg
234 Strawberry SqCommunity Action Association of Pennsylvania
222 Pine StPennsylvania Licensed Beverage and Tavern Ass
214 Pine StWireless Squad, Verizon Premium Wireless Reta
11 N 3rd StPSEA - PA State Education Association
400 N. Third Street
Community Action Association of Pennsylvania
222 Pine St
Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania
2112 Walnut Street
The Greater Harrisburg Area NAACP
P. O. Box 2757
South Central PA Sickle Cell Council
2000 Linglestown Rd, Ste 103
Neighborhood Center UMC - Harrisburg
1801 N 3rd St
