Board authorizes more than four times the spending of a typical year through the Foundation’s Community Support Initiative

The Scranton Area Community Foundation has announced a record year of community grantmaking, with $1,739,512 approved through its Community Support Initiative in 2026 to support nonprofit organizations serving communities across Northeastern Pennsylvania.

The record funding comes as the Foundation has changed how it works with local nonprofits, moving away from traditional twice-a-year grant cycles toward a more flexible, year-round approach centered on listening and responding to community needs.

Through its Community Support Initiative, nonprofit organizations can share what they are experiencing throughout the year, from challenges affecting their day-to-day operations to emerging community needs and opportunities. The Foundation then works with organizations to better understand those needs and determine how it can best respond.

The Foundation’s Board of Governors approved additional funding for the initiative at its September meeting, bringing the total amount approved through the Community Support Initiative in 2026 to $1,739,512.

“Nonprofit needs do not always align with a traditional grant calendar,” said Laura Ducceschi, President and CEO of the Scranton Area Community Foundation. “Our goal was to listen first and then determine how the resources entrusted to the Foundation could respond most effectively. That meant being willing to adapt our processes, remove unnecessary barriers, and provide the kind of support organizations told us they actually needed.”

Through the Community Support Initiative, the Foundation provided funding for both nonprofit operations and programs. Funding supported organizations addressing human services, health and behavioral health, food security, education, youth development, housing, arts and culture, animal welfare, and other community needs.

The Foundation also expanded the use of multi-year funding, providing greater predictability for nonprofit partners and allowing organizations to spend less time repeatedly applying for support and more time advancing their missions.

Among the organizations receiving 2026 operational support were Day Nursery Association, The Arc of Northeastern Pennsylvania, United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania, NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania, NEPA Youth Shelter, Telespond Senior Services, Maternal and Family Health Services, Indraloka Animal Sanctuary, and others.

Programmatic grants supported organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeastern Pennsylvania, CHOP Out Hunger, Scranton Counseling Center, Immigrant and Refugee Communities of NEPA, The Wright Center for Community Health, Johnson College, Catholic Social Services of the Diocese of Scranton, Autism Society of Northeastern Pennsylvania, and others.

“Throughout this process, we heard clearly that organizations need more than funding for individual programs,” said Cathy Fitzpatrick, Vice President of Grants and Scholarships at the Scranton Area Community Foundation. “They need strong infrastructure, organizational stability, flexibility, and funding that reflects the realities they are navigating. Our role is to understand those realities and determine how we can be a meaningful partner in helping organizations remain strong and sustainable.”

That responsiveness also extends beyond traditional grantmaking. The Foundation is expanding its use of impact investing, which allows charitable resources to support community needs in ways that can ultimately return funds to the Foundation to be used again.

In 2026, this included short-term bridge financing to help nonprofit organizations access affordable capital when delayed funding or other timing gaps created immediate cash-flow challenges. Unlike a traditional grant, these funds are repaid to the Foundation and can then be used again to support future community needs.

The Community Support Initiative grew from ongoing conversations with nonprofit and community leaders and the Foundation’s commitment to listening and responding to community needs. Through the rolling Letter of Inquiry process, direct conversations, and site visits, Foundation staff and dedicated committee members, including members of the Board of Governors, work together to understand what organizations are experiencing and how the Foundation can best respond.

That response may include programmatic or operational grants, multi-year funding, capacity-building or critical-needs support, impact investing, or connections to other resources and funding partners.

“This is ultimately about the role a community foundation can play when we combine what we know, what we hear, what we learn, and the resources we have available,” Ducceschi added. “The generosity of our donors gives us the ability to respond when our community needs us. We take that responsibility seriously, and we are committed to continuing to listen, adapt, and invest in the organizations that make Northeastern Pennsylvania stronger.”

The Foundation’s 2026 grantmaking reflects its mission to responsibly steward resources and inspire transformative philanthropy to build a strong and vibrant community.