The Forbes Funds

What The Forbes Funds does

The Forbes Funds, founded in 1982 and headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a nonprofit intermediary and a supporting organization of The Pittsburgh Foundation that strengthens the regional nonprofit sector through capacity-building programs, coalition-building, and applied AI tools. It operates the Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership (GPNP), a coalition of more than 500 nonprofits across a 10-county southwestern Pennsylvania region, which the organization describes as the largest metropolitan association of nonprofits nationwide. Core offerings include Management Assistance Grants (MAGs) that fund collaborative capacity-building projects with third-party consultants (averaging $5,000-$10,000 per organization and totaling over $1.2M across nearly 60 awards since 2019), training cohorts (ACCEL, tHRive, Anti-Racism Cohort, Resilience and Collaboration Cohort), research publications (Tropman Reports, Annual Pittsburgh Leaders' Well-Being Index), and assessment tools (Financial Risk Scanning Tool, Equity Indicator Tool, Consultant Directory, Strategic Design in a Box with Carnegie Mellon University and maad labs).

The organization's AI capability was materially expanded in 2024-2025 through the deployment of the Charly AI chatbot (the first AI digital employee at a nonprofit, deployed at the Kingsley Association) and the December 2025 launch of More Power Together, an AI-powered digital referral network connecting conversational AI Guides across 346+ member organizations. Both AI products are built in partnership with technology provider Skilly. The biennial GPNP Summit at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center draws 1,400+ nonprofit leaders, funders, and policymakers and is sponsored by UPMC, Baker Tilly, Benter Foundation, and other regional funders.

The Forbes Funds' revenue model is philanthropic: it receives contributions and grants from regional foundations (Heinz Endowments, Henry L. Hillman Foundation, BNY Mellon Foundation of SW PA, The Buhl Foundation, Grable Foundation, Benter Foundation) and corporate sponsors (UPMC, Huntington Bank, Alcoa Foundation), supplemented by an OpenAI Foundation grant in 2025-12. GPNP membership is structured as a freemium-to-membership model delivering thousands of dollars of value per member through discounted workshops, professional development, legislative visits, and CANDID Foundation Directory access. The organization claims a $7-in-capacity value for every $1 invested, reflecting the leveraged nature of coalition-based delivery rather than top-line revenue.

Name

The Forbes Funds

Legal name

The Forbes Funds

Website

https://forbesfunds.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Forbes Funds is a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit intermediary supporting 500+ regional nonprofits through the Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership coalition, Management Assistance Grants, training cohorts, and an AI-powered referral network (More Power Together), operating as a supporting organization of The Pittsburgh Foundation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Capacity Building

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Capacity Building & Nonprofit Infrastructure Funders (BPAGAKAO)

Keywords

• Nonprofit capacity building
• Organizational development services
• Nonprofit consulting
• Leadership development programs
• Nonprofit sustainability training

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsburgh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grantmaking: The Forbes Funds operates as a supporting organization of The Pittsburgh Foundation, receiving funding from foundations and philanthropic sources to support nonprofit capacity-building programs, Management Assistance Grants, and coalition-building activities.
2. Capacity-Building Services: Provides capacity-building services including Management Assistance Grants (MAGs) for nonprofit collaboratives, training programs, consulting resources, and member benefits valued at thousands of dollars per member.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Forbes Funds is a 501(c)(3) supporting organization of The Pittsburgh Foundation that provides capacity-building services, training, leadership programs, and AI-powered tools to help other nonprofit organizations strengthen their operations. Founded in 1982, it serves more than 500 nonprofits across the Greater Pittsburgh region through programs focused on board development, financial sustainability, equity, and organizational resilience.

Product overview

The Forbes Funds is a nonprofit support organization offering a unified suite of capacity-building programs for the Greater Pittsburgh nonprofit sector. The core offerings include the Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership (GPNP) membership coalition (500+ nonprofits), Management Assistance Grants (MAGs) for collaborative capacity-building, and the More Power Together AI-powered referral network. Supporting programs include ACCEL training, Anti-Racism Cohort (ARC), Resilience and Collaboration Cohort, tHRive HR enhancement, the Annual Well-Being Index survey, Financial Risk Scanning Tool, Equity Indicator Tool, Consultant Directory, Strategic Design in a Box, Funding Finder, and the biennial GPNP Summit.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership (GPNP): A coalition of over 500 nonprofits across the 10-county region working to position the nonprofit sector as a collaborative driver of social change.

Products and services

• GPNP (Grantmakers of Western Pennsylvania) A regional program supporting grantmakers in Western Pennsylvania with peer learning, research, and collaboration opportunities.
• More Power Together An AI-powered nonprofit research and information platform that uses intelligent search tools to help funders and nonprofits access nonprofit data in the region.
• ACCEL A program providing structured capacity-building and organizational development support for nonprofit organizations.
• tHRive A human resources and workforce development program designed to help nonprofit organizations strengthen their HR practices and organizational culture.
• ARC (Achieving Resilient Communities) A program supporting nonprofit and community resilience through capacity-building, peer learning, and strategic support.
• Resilience Cohort A cohort-based peer learning program that brings together nonprofit leaders to develop resilience strategies and share best practices.
• Charly AI Chatbot An AI-powered chatbot tool that helps users search nonprofit information within the More Power Together platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• For every $1 invested, The Forbes Funds delivers $7 worth of capacity-building services to the nonprofit sector
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered pilot, core, major and flagship.

• Kingsley AssociationpilotStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 January 2026Nonprofit community center that deployed AI chatbot Charly as first digital employee, built in partnership with Skilly and Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Association, funded by a Forbes Funds grant.
• Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 January 2026Partner in AI chatbot development, co-deployed the More Power Together network connecting 346+ AI agents across local nonprofits.
• SkillycoreTechnology or Integration · 10 December 2025Technology provider for More Power Together AI-powered digital referral network, enabling conversational AI Guides for 24/7 nonprofit service access and intelligent referrals.
• The Segal Family FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 January 2022Partnership to increase equity in the local nonprofit sector through the Emerging Directors of Development program, recruiting and training BIPOC professionals for nonprofit development roles.
• Risk Alternatives LLCmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 28 June 2021Partner in Resilience and Collaboration Cohort, providing risk management training and assistance to help nonprofits build organizational resilience.
• Lawyers for NonprofitsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 May 2021Partnership to co-host inaugural 'Meet with a Lawyer Day' providing legal support resources for nonprofits.
• INFLUENCE|SGmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2021Partnership with Benter Foundation providing high-quality fundraising capacity training for nonprofit leaders through the ACCEL program.
• Greater Pittsburgh Nonprofit Partnership (GPNP)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGPNP is a project of The Forbes Funds - a coalition of 500+ nonprofits across the 10-county southwestern Pennsylvania region, positioning the nonprofit sector as a collaborative driver of social change.
• Carnegie Mellon UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in Strategic Design in a Box program, bringing design thinking methodology to nonprofit strategic planning.
• maad labscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Strategic Design in a Box program with Carnegie Mellon University and The Forbes Funds.
• Black Equity CoalitionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on equity initiatives, COVID-19 response, and policy advocacy addressing racial disparities in the Pittsburgh region.
• Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolicy partnership for Advocacy Day at GPNP Summit, advancing nonprofit sector advocacy efforts.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Council of Nonprofits: National network serving state and regional nonprofit associations with policy advocacy and capacity resources — a broader incumbent in the same nonprofit-support space as Forbes Funds' GPNP and policy work.

Direct peers

• TCC Group: Consulting and research firm serving foundations and nonprofits on strategy, evaluation, and capacity — closely comparable to Forbes Funds' consulting/research work with MAGs awardees and funders.
• La Piana Consulting: National consulting firm focused exclusively on nonprofit capacity building, strategy, and organizational realignment — directly comparable to Forbes Funds' core consulting/MAG-style capacity-building mission.
• Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy: University-based philanthropy and nonprofit research center producing reports, training, and sector tools — comparable to Forbes Funds' Tropman Reports and research/training mission.
• Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO): Statewide nonprofit membership association and policy advocate — directly comparable to Forbes Funds' GPNP coalition model and public-policy programming.
• The Patterson Foundation: Florida-based foundation focused on capacity building and long-term partnerships with regional nonprofits — directly parallel to Forbes Funds' role as a Pittsburgh-area capacity-building intermediary.
• CompassPoint Nonprofit Services: Bay Area nonprofit support organization providing leadership development, fund development training, and equity-centered capacity-building — directly comparable to Forbes Funds' ACCEL, tHRive, and cohort programming model.
• Center for Nonprofit Management (Nashville): Mid-size nonprofit support organization offering training, consulting, and resource directories for a regional nonprofit sector — closely parallel to Forbes Funds' Greater Pittsburgh coalition and consulting directory.

Regional players

• Barr Center for Nonprofit Management (Dallas): Texas-based nonprofit management support organization offering consulting and training to a regional nonprofit sector — comparable to Forbes Funds as a regional capacity-builder in a different geography.

Emerging players

• Lodestar Foundation: Phoenix-based nonprofit focused on improving effectiveness of nonprofits and foundations through research, convening, and innovation — partial overlap with Forbes Funds' capacity-building and innovation agenda.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/theforbesfunds
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC70HY8JKx81L3I8189nTgxw
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheForbesFunds
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-forbes-funds
• Instagraminstagram.com/thegpnp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Forbes Funds