Erie Community Foundation

What Erie Community Foundation does

Erie Community Foundation is an independent nonprofit community foundation established in 1935 and headquartered at 459 West 6th St. in Erie, Pennsylvania. The Foundation manages charitable contributions, endowment assets, and grantmaking across Erie County and Northwest Pennsylvania, serving individual donors, nonprofit organizations, professional advisors (attorneys, CPAs, financial advisors), and students seeking post-secondary scholarships. Its core products include Erie Gives, an annual 24-hour online giving event launched in 2011 that has raised over $77.7 million cumulatively, plus competitive grant programs (Helping Today, Shaping Tomorrow, and Transformational Grants), affinity funds (Erie Women's Fund, Emerging Erie Fund, LGBT Fund, HEY!), donor-advised funds, planned giving services, scholarship programs, and four regional affiliate foundations (Corry, North East, Union City, Findley Lake).

The Foundation's underlying technology stack consists of standard enterprise systems - Microsoft Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform for donor management and data governance, the GOapply system for grant and scholarship applications, and the GOfund portal for donor and fundholder access. The Foundation does not charge fees to nonprofit grant recipients and covered all Erie Gives 2025 transaction fees through a $630K+ Bonus Bucks pool contributed by community partners including Erie Insurance and Wabtec.

As a public foundation governed by a Board of Trustees and led by President & CEO Karen Bilowith (since October 2021), Erie Community Foundation is sustained through donor contributions, planned gifts, and endowment distributions rather than commercial revenue. The Foundation disbursed $2.7M+ in grants during Q3 2025 alone across 573+ non-competing grants, has deployed affinity funds granting over $1.3 million to women and family-focused organizations since 2007, and received a $30 million estate gift from the Dr. Barrett C. Walker estate in 2023 to establish the Barrett C. Walker Family Fund. Distribution is concentrated in regional affiliate foundations and Erie Gives' annual event platform, with no external parent company or private equity ownership.

Name

Erie Community Foundation

Legal name

Erie Community Foundation

Website

https://eriecommunityfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1935

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Erie Community Foundation is an independent nonprofit community foundation, established in 1935 in Erie, Pennsylvania, that manages charitable endowments, donor-advised funds, and grantmaking for individual donors, nonprofit organizations, professional advisors, and students across Erie County and Northwest Pennsylvania.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Foundation Services

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE), Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Community foundation services
• Charitable fund management
• Grantmaking programs
• Donor advised funds
• Collective giving events

Headquarters

HQ city

Erie, Pennsylvania

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donor-Advised Funds: Donors establish charitable funds at the foundation, receiving tax deductions while the foundation manages investments and distributes grants to nonprofits over time. Donors can advise on grant recommendations while the foundation handles administration.
2. Designated Funds: Donors designate specific nonprofits to receive ongoing support from their endowed funds in perpetuity or for a specified term.
3. Field-of-Interest Funds: Donors specify a field of interest (e.g., education, health) and the foundation awards grants to nonprofits addressing those areas based on community need.
4. Community Impact Fund: Unrestricted endowment fund that supports competitive grantmaking through Helping Today and Shaping Tomorrow programs, allowing the foundation flexibility to meet current and emerging community needs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Erie Community Foundation manages charitable funds and administers competitive grantmaking for Erie County and Northwest Pennsylvania. It connects donors with nonprofits through donor-advised funds, designated funds, and field-of-interest funds, and hosts the annual Erie Gives 24-hour online giving event. It also runs affinity funds (Erie Women's Fund, Emerging Erie Fund, LGBT Fund, HEY!) and regional affiliate foundations to extend community grantmaking reach.

Product overview

The Erie Community Foundation operates as a unified philanthropic services platform offering multiple interconnected products and programs. The core offering centers on Erie Gives, a 24-hour online giving event platform that has raised over $77.7 million since 2011. Supporting this are competitive grant programs including Helping Today Grants (immediate community needs) and Shaping Tomorrow Grants (long-term collaborative impact). The Foundation also manages multiple affinity funds—Erie Women's Fund, Emerging Erie Fund, LGBT Fund, and HEY! (Hear Erie's Youth)—that enable collective giving for specific community segments. Donor services include Donor Advised Funds, Scholarship Programs, and Planned Giving options. Regional affiliate foundations extend the Foundation's reach throughout the Erie area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Erie Gives: Annual 24-hour online giving event connecting donors with local nonprofits serving Erie County
• Erie Women's Fund
• Emerging Erie Fund
• LGBT Fund
• Hear Erie's Youth!
• Mission Empower

Products and services

• Erie Gives A 24-hour online giving event platform that connects donors with nonprofit organizations serving Erie County. Since 2011, the event has raised over $77.7 million for local nonprofits.
• Helping Today Grants The Foundation's most utilized grant program that casts a wide net to support nonprofits addressing multiple community issues through quarterly competitive grant cycles.
• Shaping Tomorrow Grants Grant program designed to strengthen Erie's future by supporting projects that create collaborative impact and long-term community development.
• Transformational Grants Major grant awards for large-scale community initiatives that create significant, lasting impact across the Erie region.
• Donor Advised Funds Charitable giving vehicles that allow donors to establish a fund and recommend grants to nonprofits over time, with the Foundation handling administrative details.
• Scholarship Programs Online and in-person scholarship opportunities for students pursuing post-secondary education or training programs in the Erie region.
• Planned Giving Legacy planning services including donor advised funds, charitable bequests, and estate planning assistance for donors leaving nonprofits in their estate plans.
• Erie Women's Fund An affinity fund that harnesses the power of collective giving to empower women and families through philanthropy, advocacy, and education. Since 2007, has granted over $1.3 million.
• Emerging Erie Fund An affinity fund that supports emerging leaders and initiatives in the Erie community through collective giving and grantmaking.
• LGBT Fund An affinity fund supporting initiatives that serve the LGBT community in Erie through collective giving and targeted grantmaking.
• HEY! (Hear Erie's Youth) Fund The Foundation's Youth Philanthropy Initiative that engages young people in grantmaking and community decision-making.
• Regional Affiliate Foundations Network of community foundations including Corry Community Foundation, North East Community Foundation, Union City Community Foundation, and Findley Lake Fund extending the Foundation's reach throughout the Erie area.

Quantifiable outcome

• Raised $77.7 million+ for local nonprofits through Erie Gives since 2011
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Second Harvest Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 April 2026$50,000 Rapid Response Fund grant recognized at Bread Box Awards for food security partnership across Northwest Pennsylvania
• Meadville Community Revitalization CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 January 2026$15,411 grant supported Central Business District Summer Maintenance Program employing students with developmental disabilities
• AHN Saint Vincent HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 November 2025Received $250,000 Shaping Tomorrow grant for STAR Center North medical simulation lab; aligns with Foundation priorities in Health, Education, Economic Growth, and Regional Vitality
• Erie InsurancecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 August 2025Gold Community Partner for Erie Gives 2025, contributing to Bonus Bucks matching pool of $630K+ that covered fees and provided pro-rated match to all participating nonprofits
• Wabtec CorporationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 August 2025Gold Community Partner for Erie Gives 2025, contributing to Bonus Bucks matching pool supporting local nonprofits
• Presque Isle Downs & CasinocoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 12 August 2025Silver Community Partner for Erie Gives 2025 Bonus Bucks program
• Second Harvest Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 July 2025Emerging Erie Fund awarded $100,000 (largest EEF grant to date) for Second Harvest Marketplace Healthy Pantry Initiative in Erie's East Side food desert
• Dafmark Dance TheatercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 July 2025Erie Women's Fund awarded $100,000 major grant for Dafmark Creative Arts Center serving youth at public housing apartments
• Jefferson Educational SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 January 2025JES Endowment Fund established at Foundation in 2023; Bruce Raimy pledged dollar-for-dollar match up to $250,000 for donations to endowment
• Sisters of St. Joseph Neighborhood NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 August 2024$22,925 grant through Donor Advised Fund supported bike program for New Americans and refugees; partnerships with U.S. Committee for Refugees, Multicultural Resource Center, Catholic Charities, Bike Erie
• Infinite EriecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation President & CEO serves on Erie Action Team and Board of Managers; collaborated on Erie Day in Harrisburg with 25+ regional leaders
• The Nonprofit PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation President & CEO serves on Board of Directors; Foundation signed DEI Pledge; collaborative support for nonprofit ecosystem
• PACFAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPennsylvania Community Foundation Association; Foundation President serves on board representing regional community foundations
• McCord Memorial LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorth East Community Foundation supported elevator modernization project for library accessibility
• 34 New Erie Gives NonprofitsminorOthersFirst-time Erie Gives participants in 2025 including organizations focused on food security, health, education, veterans services, youth programs, and community development

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Dayton Foundation: Mid-size Ohio community foundation with donor-advised funds, competitive grant cycles (Helping Today/Shaping Tomorrow equivalents), and affiliate community foundations in surrounding counties — closely comparable business model and scale.
• The Cleveland Foundation: Ohio community foundation and one of the oldest in the U.S., offering donor-advised funds, competitive grantmaking across multiple focus areas, and affinity programs — comparable Midwestern/Rust Belt community foundation model at much larger scale.
• The Pittsburgh Foundation: Pennsylvania-based regional community foundation with $2B+ AUM, donor-advised funds, competitive grant cycles, and donor-advised charitable planning services — operating model closely aligned with Erie Community Foundation at larger scale in nearby geography.
• Grand Rapids Community Foundation: Mid-size Midwest community foundation managing donor-advised funds, scholarships, field-of-interest funds, and competitive grant programs — comparable scale and product mix in a similar post-industrial metro.
• Idaho Community Foundation: Statewide community foundation led by Karen Bilowith before she moved to Erie; operates competitive grants, donor-advised funds, and regional affiliate foundations with similar mid-size AUM.
• Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation: Regional community foundation serving multiple counties through donor-advised funds, scholarship administration, and competitive grants — same multi-affiliate, multi-county operating model as Erie's footprint.
• The Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC): Central Pennsylvania community foundation (Harrisburg/Hershey region) operating donor-advised funds, scholarship programs, competitive grants, and affiliate community foundations — same state, similar mid-size foundation archetype as Erie.
• Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo: Western New York regional community foundation operating donor-advised funds, competitive grants, and scholarship programs for the Buffalo metropolitan area — closely comparable peer in neighboring Rust Belt region.
• The Columbus Foundation: Mid-size Midwest community foundation managing donor-advised funds, competitive grant cycles, scholarship administration, and field-of-interest funds — directly parallel to Erie's product mix in a similar post-industrial Midwestern city.
• Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region (Albany, NY): Upstate New York community foundation previously led by Karen Bilowith; offers donor-advised funds, competitive grants, and scholarship programs with similar scope and donor services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCfkV7MIIf072ctoAapgi1mw
• Facebookfacebook.com/ErieCommunityFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/erie-community-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/eriecommunityfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Erie Community Foundation