Grant submissions are by invitation only. The Fine Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. We will, however, respond to informational inquiries. Starting in 2025 we will be primarily making grants in two different categories: Impact Grants and Pilot Grants.

The Fine Foundation seeks to have an enduring impact in the greater Pittsburgh region through organizations and leaders with the proven capacity to ideate and execute large-scale projects. With these beliefs as a backbone, The Fine Foundation is excited to direct the majority of its current corpus to its new Impact Grant program, which is designed to last through 2033.

In Arts & Culture, The Fine Foundation will work with new and established organizations to make an impact with challenging, celebratory, and impactful cultural initiatives and projects that will remain central parts of the organizations and their communities for years to come. As a reflection of Milt and Sheila Fines’ passion for contemporary visual art, projects of this sort remain particularly attractive to the Foundation.

In the Jewish Life area, The Fine Foundation will seek out programs that educate, celebrate, and preserve Judaism and Jewish people in the greater Pittsburgh region. This will include a focus on challenging the re-emergence of antisemitism and hate through local organizations. The Foundation continues to be guided by the Hebrew phrase “tikkun olam,” which means “repairing the world,” and underscores the Foundation’s commitment to helping those who are the most vulnerable.

Grants in Science and Medicine will be considered if funding for the above two areas permits.
The Fine Foundation’s Impact Grants will take many forms, including but not limited to seed funding for planned projects, endowed funds for existing successful programs, or capital funds to expand, sustain, and/or develop facilities. Furthermore, the Foundation is committed to supporting these projects in the earliest stages of development through Pilot Grants. These grants will serve as proof-of-concept for the prospective Impact Grant projects.

This new trajectory will also allow The Fine Foundation to remain responsive to emergent trends in the region’s nonprofit sector. When COVID-19 created a paradigm shift in the needs of the community, it underscored the agility necessary for organizations’ survival. The Fine Foundation will aim to emulate this same agility in remaining responsive to the needs of the region through the next decade. As such, the Foundation will reserve a select portion of its grantmaking for emergent needs and general, direct support to organizations.

Applications to The Fine Foundation will remain invitation-only, but our staff are eager to hear from the non-profit community, as these conversations may shape future invitations for Pilot Grants and Impact Grants.