Pittsburgh Promise gets $9 million foundation gift
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With yesterday's announcement of a $9 million gift from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, the Pittsburgh Promise college scholarship program has secured gifts from most of the city's leading philanthropies.
Now, despite the poor economy, fund-raising efforts must turn to the business and corporate sectors, said John Ellis, spokesman for the Pittsburgh Foundation, which administers the Promise.
R.K. Mellon will give the Promise three annual installments of $3 million.
The Promise awards scholarships to graduates of the Pittsburgh Public Schools and city charter schools who meet academic and enrollment requirements.
The scholarships -- currently as much as $20,000 per graduate -- may be used at any of about 100 universities and trade schools.
"The implications of not having a well-educated and trained work force to meet future demand [have] the potential to create a lasting negative impact on the region, and it is inspiring to see our community rally to support this worthwhile program," R.K. Mellon Director Scott Izzo said in a statement.
In recent months, Promise gifts also have been pledged by the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation ($2.5 million over five years); the Grable Foundation ($5 million over five years); The Heinz Endowments ($6 million over three years); Buhl Foundation ($3 million over 10 years); Pittsburgh Foundation ($10 million over about 10 years); and Massey Charitable Trust ($1 million).
For at least two of the foundations, gifts to the Promise were the largest awards they'd ever made.
Grant Oliphant, president and chief executive officer of the Pittsburgh Foundation, said the participation of so many foundations reflected their desire to join forces on a signature project for the city's 250th anniversary.
Also, he said foundations quickly saw the potential of the program during an early meeting on the subject called by Teresa Heinz, chairwoman of The Heinz Endowments.
"We tend to collaborate on a lot of things," Mr. Oliphant said.
"I think what is remarkable about this is the amount of dollars that are being infused into it."
School Superintendent Mark Roosevelt and Mayor Luke Ravenstahl unveiled the program in December 2006. A year later, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center announced a $10 million gift and $90 million, multi-year challenge grant.
To leverage the first $10 million of the challenge, the Promise must raise $15 million by June 30.
The year's total so far is about $11.5 million, thanks to initial installments of foundation gifts and money raised from other sources.
In a statement, the Promise's executive director, Saleem Ghubril, said the foundation community "has played its part magnificently."
First Published February 27, 2009 12:14 am
