Dozens of Pittsburgh-Area Nonprofits Receive Funding From Duquesne Light Company’s Microgrant Program
$250,000 awarded among 40 organizations to support environmental justice, education and social equity
PITTSBURGH — Duquesne Light Company (DLC) today announced that it is awarding $250,000 among 40 nonprofit organizations to support regional endeavors in environmental justice, education and social equity. The organizations are receiving funding through DLC’s Community Impact Grants (CIG) program, an annual initiative that recognizes and rewards diverse, grassroots nonprofit groups that serve communities in Allegheny and Beaver counties. Funding through this year’s program will benefit efforts such as community gardens; K-12 STEAM programs; climate resilience projects; and programs that support housing, racial equality, refugee assistance and food access.
“We continue to be impressed by the positive response to the CIG program and the incredible organizations that have applied,” said Sam Hartzman, community relations manager at DLC. “This year’s recipients play a key role in strengthening our region while enabling DLC to further advance its mission of creating a clean energy future that benefits everyone in our communities.”
Launched in April 2021, the CIG program has awarded more than $460,000 to nearly 100 organizations to date, about 85% of which are diverse led. Some notable projects funded by the program in 2021 included community murals in Coraopolis, Homewood and the Northside; enhanced infrastructure at community gardens in Aliquippa, Manchester, East Liberty, Swissvale and Beltzhoover; and youth STEM education in Wilkinsburg, Woodland Hills and Brookline.
“DLC is committed to giving back to the community in various ways, including through charitable giving and volunteerism,” said Christine Waller, vice president of communications, ESG and corporate giving at DLC.
“Our CIG program represents a unique opportunity to reach smaller nonprofits and support their impactful work across our service territory. We are honored to be part of these organizations’ missions in creating a cleaner, healthier and more equitable future for our communities,” Waller added.
This year’s CIG recipients include:
- A Peace of Mind on behalf of Out of the End Inc.
- Ansar of Pittsburgh
- Beaver County Regional Council of Governments on behalf of RiverWise
- Beaver County Regional Council of Governments on behalf of The Genesis Collective
- Bhutanese Community Association of Pittsburgh
- Bible Center Church Inc. on behalf of the Homewood Food Access Working Group
- Bloomfield Development Corporation
- Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation on behalf of The Kincaid Street Garden
- Borough of Carnegie
- Brew House Association
- Brookline Teen Outreach
- Carnegie Mellon University on behalf of Girls of Steel Robotics Program
- Episcopal Lutheran Alliance
- Fortyx80
- FUEL Outreach Inc.
- Greater Hope Restoration Ministries
- Greater Wilkinsburg Community Advancement Association
- Hill District Consensus Group on behalf of the Black Urban Gardeners and Farmers of Pittsburgh Co-op
- Hilltop Alliance on behalf of Allentown Community Development Corporation
- Himalayan Foundation
- Independence Elementary PTA
- Margaret Ross Elementary PTA
- Neighborhood North Museum of Play
- Open Field
- Patterson Township on behalf of Friends of Patterson Park
- Pennsylvania Interfaith Power & Light on behalf of the Pittsburgh Blueberry Project
- Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse
- Pittsburgh International Folk Arts Institute
- Project Love Coalition
- Prototype PGH
- Reach Up Pittsburgh on behalf of Swissvale Community Garden
- Repair the World Pittsburgh
- South Side Community Council on behalf of Friends of South Side Park
- The Pittsburgh Contingency on behalf of Voices Against Violence
- This Generation Connect
- Three Rivers Business Alliance Foundation
- Veterans Breakfast Club
- When She Thrives
- Willissae's Agency for Vision and Empowerment (WAVE)
- YWCA Greater Pittsburgh on behalf of re:Bloom
To learn more about the CIG program, visit DuquesneLight.com/CIG