The Pittsburgh Foundation

Tax-deductible

Pittsburgh, PA501(c)(3)Since 1945Foundations & GrantmakersEIN 25-0965466Revenue $159.1M in FY2024

On file with the IRSpittsburghfoundation.org912 Ft Duquesne Blvd, 15222-3638 · Pittsburgh, PATax-exempt since Nov 1994Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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The Pittsburgh Foundation works to improve the quality of life in the Pittsburgh region see sch o by evaluating and addressing community issues, promoting responsible philanthropy, and connecting donors to the critical needs of the community.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
85¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 1,044 volunteers and 78 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2024 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $36.3M a year · 31% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
85%
of spending
Looks good: 85% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$2.7M
to officers and key staff · 3% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 72% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 3% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
12 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 11.7 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $60K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$92.4M
6% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 6% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
16
of 16 voting members
Looks good: 16 of 16 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$159.1M
+98% vs prior year
Spent
$88.3M
To programs
85%
Net assets
$1.4B
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$159.1M
FY2024▲ +98%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$110.5M
FY2021$149.2M
FY2022$91.5M
FY2023$80.3M
FY2024$159.1M
Expenses
$88.3M
FY2024▲ +9%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$82.9M
FY2021$74.7M
FY2022$82.5M
FY2023$80.8M
FY2024$88.3M
Net assets
$1.4B
FY2024▲ +9%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$1.3B
FY2021$1.5B
FY2022$1.2B
FY2023$1.3B
FY2024$1.4B

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Nov 1994.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

85 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 85% · $75.4M Management & general 11% · $10.1M Fundraising 3% · $2.8M

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

27 people listed on the 990; $2.7M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
President/CEO
$647,859Pt VII · Sec A
CIO & SVP Operations
$307,282Pt VII · Sec A
VP Communications
$247,883Pt VII · Sec A
Chief of Staff/Strat Imple
$229,503Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial & Operations Officer
$222,428Pt VII · Sec A
VP Policy/Comm Impact
$220,231Pt VII · Sec A
Program & Community Engagement
$212,589Pt VII · Sec A
VP Development & Donor Svc
$202,657Pt VII · Sec A

Elisabeth Schroeder’s $648K as President/CEO is at the 72nd percentile of top reported officer pay among 129 $100M+ philanthropy & grantmaking nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Elisabeth Schroeder$647,859$616,727$597,259$551,048$517,894
Jonathan Brelsford$307,282$293,187$276,572$255,032$251,863
Jeanne Pearlman——$102,107$245,057$269,328
Doug Root$247,883$229,726$220,678$220,644$215,016
Jennie Zioncheck$229,503$208,240$201,739$202,439—
Bryan Tait Asst Treasurer$222,428$195,016$178,988——
Phil Koch$220,231$205,908$198,956$199,725$151,402
Michelle McMurray VP$212,589————

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See The Pittsburgh Foundation executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Improves quality of life in the Pittsburgh region by connecting donors to critical community needs and administering grants to local nonprofit organizations.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $64.6M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Donor-Advised Program

With more than 1,200 donor-advised funds, the foundation's donor-advised program provides funding to nonprofit organizations through grants made from donor-advised and committee-advised funds. Grants are recommended by fund holders, with oversight by foundation staff and approval by the board of directors.

$34.3Mprogram expense
02

Competitive Grant-Making Program

The foundation's competitive grant-making program awards grants made through unrestricted funds and field-of-interest funds that align with the donor's intent. With unrestricted awards, foundation staff determines use of these funds by striving to match donors' philanthropic goals with the community's most pressing charitable needs.

$22.2Mprogram expense
03

Donor-Designated Grant-Making Program

The foundation's designated grant-making program allows donors to create funds through which they specify eligible nonprofit organizations to receive annual grants in perpetuity, administered by foundation staff.

$8.1Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
CfleadsFY2025$50K
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$60K
Grants paid · 5,527 grants · $300.0M · 2020–2024
University of PittsburghPA · FY2024$2,414,272
The Pittsburgh Promise FoundationPA · FY2024$1,343,837
Scholarship America INCMN · FY2024$1,209,399
Carnegie InstitutePA · FY2024$878,397
Unitemized GrantFY2024$720,170
Carnegie Mellon UniversityPA · FY2024$691,911
New Brighton Area School DistrictFY2024$578,000
Sewickley Public Library INCPA · FY2024$565,232
New Sun RisingPA · FY2024$535,073
The Forbes FundsPA · FY2024$502,527
The San Francisco FoundationCA · FY2024$500,000
See all 5,527 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$159.1M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$88.0M
Investment incomeLn 3$70.2M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$880K
Money outPt IX
$88.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$75.4M
Managementcol C$10.1M
Fundraisingcol D$2.8M
Owns and owesPt X
$1.4B
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$86.4M
Total assetsLn 16$1.5B
LiabilitiesLn 26$92.4M
PeoplePt VI, VII
27
listed · VII A
PaidVII A10
Voting boardVI 1a16
IndependentVI 1b16
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$88.0M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$12.8M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$880K
Investment incomeLn 3$70.2M
Other incomeLn 4–11$12K
Gains on assetsLn 7$43.7M
Total revenueLn 12$159.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$80.0M
SavingsLn 2$6.4M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$86.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.32B
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$9.0M
Other assetsLn 15$8.3M
Total assetsLn 16$1.5B
LiabilitiesLn 26$92.4M
Net assetsLn 32$1.4B
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 578
VolunteersI 61,044
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$91.3M$86.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.23B$1.32B
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$820K$9.0M
Total assetsLn 16$1.40B$1.54B
LiabilitiesLn 26$77.5M$92.4M
Net assetsLn 32$1.32B$1.45B
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$66.8M$66.8M
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$864K$864K
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$41K$41K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$1.9M$846K$711K$373K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$6.1M$2.7M$2.2M$1.2M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$368K$141K$135K$91K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$1.3M$546K$454K$266K
Payroll taxesLn 10$527K$232K$190K$105K
Legal feesLn 11b$174K$96K$50K$28K
Accounting feesLn 11c$152K$86K$43K$24K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$117K$78K$39K
Investment management feesLn 11f$5.0M$5.0M
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.3M$920K$202K$134K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$803K$517K$184K$102K
Office expensesLn 13$125K$56K$44K$25K
Information technologyLn 14$867K$387K$309K$172K
OccupancyLn 16$766K$340K$274K$152K
TravelLn 17$188K$83K$68K$38K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$158K$89K$45K$25K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$115K$51K$42K$23K
InsuranceLn 23$342K$311K$20K$11K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$320K$152K$108K$60K
Total functional expensesLn 25$88.3M$75.4M$10.1M$2.8M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $159.1M$88.3M$70.8M$1.4B 990 PDF
FY2023 $80.3M$80.8M−$495K$1.3B 990 PDF
FY2022 $91.5M$82.5M$9.0M$1.2B 990 PDF
FY2021 $149.2M$74.7M$74.5M$1.5B 990 PDF
FY2020 $110.5M$82.9M$27.6M$1.3B 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $159,126,734 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $40,749,137$88,007,135
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $743,511$879,991
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $38,778,764$70,227,933
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $4,476$11,675
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $80,275,888$159,126,734
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $59,441,174$67,721,190
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $9,367,828$10,179,908
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $11,962,322$10,402,041
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $80,771,324$88,303,139
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$495,436$70,823,595
Part VI · Governance 16 of 16 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body16
VI-1b Independent voting members16
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $159,126,734 across 10 lines filed
VIII-1a Federated campaigns$26,958
VIII-1d Related organizations$2,062,038
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$85,918,139
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$12,795,014
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$88,007,135
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $879,991$879,991
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business −$223,991 · Excluded from tax $26,767,554$26,543,563
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $43,684,370$43,684,370
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $11,675$11,675
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $879,991 · Unrelated business −$223,991 · Excluded from tax $70,463,599$159,126,734
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $88,303,139 across 22 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $66,816,215$66,816,215
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $864,225$864,225
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $40,750$40,750
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $846,390 · Management $710,735 · Fundraising $372,717$1,929,842
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $2,713,457 · Management $2,174,950 · Fundraising $1,200,660$6,089,067
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $141,461 · Management $134,868 · Fundraising $91,352$367,681
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $545,894 · Management $454,431 · Fundraising $265,817$1,266,142
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $231,958 · Management $189,783 · Fundraising $105,435$527,176
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $96,096 · Management $49,996 · Fundraising $27,776$173,868
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $85,783 · Management $42,654 · Fundraising $23,697$152,134
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $78,181 · Management $38,507$116,688
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $5,020,218$5,020,218
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $920,192 · Management $201,862 · Fundraising $133,538$1,255,592
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $516,829 · Management $184,088 · Fundraising $102,271$803,188
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $55,766 · Management $44,433 · Fundraising $24,685$124,884
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $386,960 · Management $308,721 · Fundraising $171,512$867,193
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $339,588 · Management $273,917 · Fundraising $152,176$765,681
IX-17 TravelPrograms $82,778 · Management $67,524 · Fundraising $37,514$187,816
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $88,786 · Management $44,603 · Fundraising $24,779$158,168
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $50,751 · Management $41,524 · Fundraising $23,069$115,344
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $311,080 · Management $19,585 · Fundraising $10,881$341,546
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $151,650 · Management $108,046 · Fundraising $60,025$319,721
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $75,364,790 · Management $10,110,445 · Fundraising $2,827,904$88,303,139
Part X · Balance sheet $1,541,081,247 assets, 19 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $87,265,134$80,007,607
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $4,055,468$6,411,805
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $75,693,990$116,572,837
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $2,582,249$2,212,235
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $266,164$261,105
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $819,970$8,967,784
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $849,438,348$913,079,162
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $377,255,264$401,923,745
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $3,278,971$3,319,034
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $648,386$8,325,933
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $1,401,303,944$1,541,081,247
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $18,484,438$59,537,860
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $8,270,878$9,605,487
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $50,701,985$23,244,997
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $77,457,301$92,388,344
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $62,116,825$68,062,511
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $1,261,729,818$1,380,630,392
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,323,846,643$1,448,692,903
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $1,401,303,944$1,541,081,247
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,448,692,903 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$159,126,734
XI-2 Total expenses$88,303,139
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$70,823,595
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,323,846,643
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$56,821,571
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$2,798,906
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,448,692,903

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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