Special Programs

The Pittsburgh Cultural Treasures Initiative (PCTI)

Launched in 2021 The Pittsburgh Cultural Treasures Initiative (PCTI) is a collaborative effort between The Heinz Endowments, the POISE Foundation and Program to Aid Citizen Enterprise (PACE), in partnership with the Ford Foundation to “provide regionally significant cultural organizations of color with meaningful sums of operating support during this period of unprecedented upheaval, and to encourage related local efforts to strengthen cultural endeavors that reflect and benefit BIPOC communities over the next five years.” The initiative is guided by a diverse advisory group representing members of the local and national arts and cultural communities. In Phase I, the advisory group and Heinz granted $5 million to 16 Black led organizations in initial, unrestricted grants ranging from $150,000 to $1 million.

THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS ANNOUNCES PCTI

 

PACE developed and manages Phase II of the initiative, which provides learning opportunities, programming designed to increase organizational effectiveness or capacity, and grants.

VIEW THE COMPLETE LIST OF PHASE II GRANTEES

 

PACE’s PCTI programming is free and open to the public. Programming includes:

  • An in-person presence at the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council’s Creative Hive events from November 2024 through April 2025. To register to attend The Creative Hive, click here.
  • Virtual workshops covering marketing and funding for creative entrepreneurs and arts organizations. Click here to register to attend.
  • Bimonthly office hours with PACE Staff and subject matter experts from the community. To register to attend office hours, click here.

We’re offering office hours because building a community isn’t just about gathering—it’s about creating spaces where people can connect, find support, and access the resources they need to thrive. Office hours give our grantees and the broader community a direct line to experts, advice, and opportunities that can help them grow and succeed. – Shannon Parris, Program Manager, Pittsburgh Cultural Treasures Initiative

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Shannon Parris • sparris@pacepgh.org

 

Regional Nonprofit Effectiveness Study: The Health of the Nonprofit Sector in Western Pennsylvania

We know that effective nonprofit organizations increase the well-being of the communities they serve and that capacity-building increases the effectiveness of nonprofits. BUT. Did you know… nonprofits that serve communities of color are funded inequitably when compared to white or mixed communities?

PACE partnered with data scientist Pete York of BCT Partners to examine the link between the effectiveness of nonprofits and the health of the communities they serve in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Through the use of machine learning and big data from nonprofit IRS 990s, foundation and government funding, zip code level economic data, and population demographics, we seek to assess local and regional nonprofit effectiveness and the impact on communities.

This information has implications for our entire nonprofit ecosystem including philanthropic, corporate, and government funder; capacity builders; nonprofits; charitable groups; social entrepreneurs, and community members. PACE intends to use the study results to guide our development of future programs and services.

PACE would like to thank an Anonymous Donor and our project advisors for their support and assistance on this project: The Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management at Robert Morris University, The Forbes Funds, and the POISE Foundation.

REGIONAL INDICATORS OF COMMUNITY AND NONPROFIT WELLBEING INTERACTIVE MAP

WATCH THE VIDEO SUMMARY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY * FULL PRESENTATION * GLOSSARY

Arts | Equity | Reimagined

The Arts | Equity | Reimagined Fund was established in late March 2020 in response to the unprecedented and ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the region’s arts and cultural sector.

The funding priorities were shaped by research and conversations with local arts and culture organizations, and an extended analysis of the critical needs in this region, with a particular eye towards identifying gaps in service to arts organizations that serve people of color, LGBTQIA+, and independent artists populations. By coming together, the participating foundations of the Covid-19 Arts Funders Working Group (CAWG) supported new business models, creative collaborations, and artistic approaches to sustain, strengthen, and better equip the arts sector reimagine how it functions.

PACE was chosen to administer and oversee the Capacity Building Grant Program application and grantmaking process. The Capacity Building Grant Program helped organizations and collectives move forward in a changed environment.

Building Productive Partnerships

Building Productive Partnerships program is a collaboration between Program to Aid Citizen Enterprise (PACE) and the Bayer Center for Non-Profit Management at Robert Morris University to provide in-depth training in the areas of organizational partnering, collaboration, legal and financial components of effective partnerships, and effective group dynamics.

Learn More