Poise Foundation
Poise Foundation is a Pittsburgh-based community foundation that administers grants, scholarships, and fiscal-sponsorship services for the Black community across the Pittsburgh Region, Allegheny County, and Western Pennsylvania.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersPittsburgh, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Poise Foundation does
Poise Foundation is a Pittsburgh-based community foundation established in 1980 that operates as a strategic philanthropic intermediary serving the Black community in the Pittsburgh Region, Allegheny County, and Western Pennsylvania. Its core function is channeling charitable capital from individual donors, corporate partners, and endowed funds into Black-led nonprofit organizations, Black students and families, and place-based community development initiatives. The foundation administers a portfolio of grantmaking and scholarship programs — Community Impact Grants ($1,000–$5,000), Urban Youth Action Grants (up to $10,000), the Greater Hill District Development Growth Fund, the Critical Community Needs Fund, and the Human Equity & Justice Fund — alongside K-12, Opportunity Scholarship (OSTC), and Post-Secondary scholarship programs. It also runs strategic initiatives including Strengthening Black Families (launched 2013) and the Sustainable Black Community initiative, and provides fiscal-sponsorship services that have facilitated over $10 million in community investments.
The foundation's technology stack is modest and operational rather than transformational, consisting of an online grant application portal (Grant Interface) and a fund-management portal (fcsuite) for donor-advised funds, contributions, and scholarship administration. There is no proprietary technology, no API, no AI/ML integration, and no mobile application. Distribution is primarily digital — website, social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn), email newsletter — supplemented by community events and corporate partner networks. The foundation's revenue model is donation-driven: it receives charitable contributions from individuals, corporate partners, and endowed funds; participates in Pennsylvania's Education Improvement and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Programs (which offer donors up to 100% tax credits); charges a 2.9% credit card processing fee on online donations; and applies administrative fees per its published policy. Grantees and scholarship recipients do not pay for services. Customer/beneficiary segments are concentrated in three primary groups: Black-led, Black-serving nonprofit organizations in Pittsburgh; Black students and families seeking K-12 and post-secondary educational support; and individual and corporate donors seeking strategic philanthropy infrastructure serving the Black community.
Poise Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Poise Foundation
- Legal name
- POISE Foundation
- Website
- https://poisefoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Poise Foundation is a Pittsburgh-based community foundation that administers grants, scholarships, and fiscal-sponsorship services for the Black community across the Pittsburgh Region, Allegheny County, and Western Pennsylvania.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Poise Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Foundation and Philanthropic Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB), K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB)
Keywords
Where Poise Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pittsburgh
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Poise Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Charitable Contributions and Donations: POISE Foundation receives charitable contributions from individual donors, corporate partners, and foundation endowments. Donors can establish various fund types including donor advised funds, scholarship funds, and designated funds. The foundation also participates in Pennsylvania's Education Improvement and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit Programs.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Poise Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
POISE Foundation is a community foundation that administers grants, scholarships, donor-advised funds, and fiscal sponsorship services to support the Black community in the Pittsburgh Region. It distributes grants to Black-led nonprofit organizations, provides K-12 and post-secondary scholarships to Black students, facilitates donor-advised and designated funds, and acts as a fiscal sponsor for charitable programs aligned with its mission.
Product overview
POISE Foundation is a community foundation offering grantmaking programs and scholarship services for the Black community in Pittsburgh. The organization provides multiple grant programs including Community Impact Grants, Urban Youth Action Grants, Human Equity & Justice Fund, Critical Community Needs Fund, and the Greater Hill District Development Growth Fund. Its scholarship offerings include K-12 scholarships, Opportunity Scholarships, and Post Secondary Scholarships across numerous endowed funds. Additional services include Fiscal Sponsorship for charitable programs and Donor Advised Funds. The Foundation also pursues strategic initiatives in Strengthening Black Families and Sustainable Black Community development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- POISE Community Impact Grants
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 2,200 students supported with scholarships totaling over $1.3 million
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Poise Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Poise Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Poise Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Black Equity CoalitioncoreThe Black Equity Coalition, established in July 2020, partnered with POISE for fiscal sponsorship to address health disparities in Pittsburgh's Black community. The fund was created in response to COVID-19 but designed for long-term comorbidity issues.
- Greater Hill District Advisory Committee MemberscoreAdvisory committee including Hill Community Development Corporation, Hill House Association, Hill District Federal Credit Union, Urban Innovation21, Hill District Consensus Group, Wesley Center AME Zion Church, and others guiding fund disbursement decisions.
- Robert Morris UniversityminorCorporate supporter partner contributing to POISE Foundation's mission through scholarship support.
- Penn StateminorCorporate supporter partner contributing to POISE Foundation's scholarship and community programs.
- Duquesne UniversityminorCorporate supporter partner contributing to POISE Foundation's scholarship and community programs.
- Business Enhancement Corporation (BEC)minorCorporate supporter partner contributing to POISE Foundation's mission.
- National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI)minorCorporate supporter partner contributing to POISE Foundation's scholarship and community programs.
- Melting Pot Ministriescore2014 grantee under the Strengthening Black Families initiative focused on Promoting Positive Family Interactions.
- The Center That C.A.R.E.Score2014 grantee under the Strengthening Black Families initiative focused on Promoting Positive Family Interactions.
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine - Department of Family Medicinecore2014 grantee under the Strengthening Black Families initiative focused on Promoting Positive Family Interactions.
- Amachi Pittsburghcore2014 grantee under the Strengthening Black Families initiative focused on Promoting Positive Family Interactions.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Poise Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Ford Foundation: The Ford Foundation is a global foundation with major programs in racial justice, economic opportunity, and inclusive economies. Comparable as a high-profile racial-equity grantmaker, but with international scope and significantly larger AUM than POISE.
- W.K. Kellogg Foundation: The W.K. Kellogg Foundation is one of the largest U.S. private foundations, with racial equity, community, and education grantmaking as core program areas. Comparable as a national racial-equity-focused grantmaker, though at vastly greater scale and broader geographic reach than POISE.
- Open Society Foundations: Open Society Foundations is a global grantmaker with significant investments in racial justice, criminal justice reform, and community organizing in the U.S. Comparable in advocacy-oriented grantmaking for marginalized communities, though at much larger scale and broader geographic scope than POISE.
Direct peers
- The Pittsburgh Foundation: The Pittsburgh Foundation is the largest community foundation in the Pittsburgh region, offering donor-advised funds, competitive grants, and scholarships across the same metro area. Directly comparable as a community foundation serving Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania.
- Heinz Endowments: Heinz Endowments is a major Pittsburgh-based private foundation focused on the region's communities, including economic opportunity and quality-of-life initiatives. Comparable as a place-based grantmaker operating in the same metro area and supporting similar community-development priorities.
- Schott Foundation for Public Education: The Schott Foundation is a national public charity dedicated to racial justice in K-12 education, providing grants, advocacy, and capacity-building to Black-led and equity-focused organizations. Directly comparable mission alignment with POISE's education grantmaking and Black-community focus.
- Robin Hood Foundation: Robin Hood Foundation is a New York-based poverty-fighting organization that combines grantmaking, programs, and partnerships to support low-income families. Comparable as a community-rooted foundation focused on economic mobility for an underserved population.
- Marguerite Casey Foundation: Marguerite Casey Foundation is a national foundation that supports leaders and organizations working for racial, economic, and social equity. Directly comparable mission and grantmaking model to POISE's community-empowerment focus on Black-led organizations.
- The California Endowment: The California Endowment is a statewide health-focused foundation with a strong equity and racial justice lens, supporting community-led change. Comparable as a regional foundation with a racial-equity grantmaking focus, though concentrated in California rather than Pennsylvania.
Emerging players
- Hill House Association: Hill House Association is a Hill District-based community organization and POISE advisory committee partner that delivers direct services to Pittsburgh's Black community. Comparable as a Black-led, community-anchored institution operating in the same neighborhood and receiving POISE grant support.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Poise Foundation social profiles
Digital presencePoise Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Poise Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Poise Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
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Poise Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Poise Foundation
What does Poise Foundation do?
POISE Foundation is a community foundation that administers grants, scholarships, donor-advised funds, and fiscal sponsorship services to support the Black community in the Pittsburgh Region. It distributes grants to Black-led nonprofit organizations, provides K-12 and post-secondary scholarships to Black students, facilitates donor-advised and designated funds, and acts as a fiscal sponsor for charitable programs aligned with its mission.
Is Poise Foundation a public or private company?
Poise Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Poise Foundation founded?
Poise Foundation was founded in 1980. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Poise Foundation based?
Poise Foundation is headquartered in Pittsburgh, United States, in the North America region.
How does Poise Foundation make money?
One revenue line is on record: charitable Contributions and Donations.
Who are Poise Foundation's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Ford Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Open Society Foundations. Direct peers are The Pittsburgh Foundation, Heinz Endowments, Schott Foundation for Public Education, Robin Hood Foundation, Marguerite Casey Foundation and The California Endowment. Hill House Association is listed as an emerging player.
Does Poise Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Poise Foundation.
What industry is Poise Foundation in?
Poise Foundation's product category is Community Foundation and Philanthropic Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAB, Community Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAK, Education Grantmaking Foundations. Its NAICS code is 813211.