Richard King Mellon Foundation

Good news for Pittsburgh’s growing community of social-impact entrepreneurs - the Foundation has launched another Social-Impact Pitch Competition. First-place prize will be a $500,000 investment, and there will be at least three winners awarded, with total investments of up to $1.5 million. The Foundation so far has invested $17.4 million in 54 social-impact companies since the Foundation’s Social-Impact Investment Program first launched in 2021, and this will be the fourth Pitch Competition. Applications for this latest Pitch Competition are due Dec. 30. Apply by then to join prior winners such as Fabric Health, Resilient Lifescience and Peoples Energy Analytics. #philanthropy #socialimpactinvestments #entrepreneurs #socialimpact #funding https://lnkd.in/eMRNkbrV

Be sure to check out the new art installation at Mellon Square Park, in the heart of Downtown Pittsburgh. Mellon Square Park was a gift to Pittsburgh from Richard King Mellon, in memory of his father, Richard B. Mellon, and his uncle, Andrew W. Mellon. Completed in 1955, it was named one of America’s “Great Public Places” by the American Planning Association in 2008. The Foundation Richard King Mellon created has continued to support Mellon Square Park, in partnership with the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, and was pleased to support this art installation. #philanthropy #economicdevelopment #artsandculture #publicart https://lnkd.in/eSi6DTq7

Thank you to Maddie Aiken and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for shining a light on this promising partnership to increase access to higher education and its life-changing potential to increase economic prosperity. The Foundation was pleased to fund this initiative. As Foundation Director Sam Reiman said in the accompanying news release, “Too many high-school graduates and GED recipients choose not to apply to college because they don’t believe they are qualified; they consider the application process too complicated; or they are concerned they can’t afford to attend. We are excited to partner with Niche and Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) to fund the launch of Direct Admissions at PennWest California, PennWest Clarion, and PennWest Edinboro to help solve for these problems, so that more students can obtain the higher education and the path to economic mobility they deserve.” #philanthropy #highereducation #economicdevelopment #economicmobility https://lnkd.in/ebARjwdF)

Congratulations to the winners of the 2024 Magee Prize, unveiled this week at the Magee-Womens Summit. And congratulations as well to Yoel Sadovsky, who was honored at the Summit for his 17 years of leadership of the Magee-Womens Research Institute & Foundation. Sadovsky said in his remarks that “he began his career at MWRI not wanting to disappoint the founder, wanting to create an atmosphere of intellectual excellence, and to ease the barriers to scientific research. “ The Foundation has been honored to support Sadosky and Magee in their important, life-saving work. Thank you to Paul J. Gough and the Pittsburgh Business Times for covering the Summit. #philanthropy #maternalhealth #infantmortality #healthandwellbeing Michael Annichine, UPMC Richard Beigi, MD, MSc., Leslie Davis https://lnkd.in/etiqdpSA

Greater Hazelwood’s residents went above and beyond to transform a parking lot into a vibrant community plaza that celebrates their unique history and spirit! This project was shaped from the ground up by dedicated volunteers and partners who came together to bring this vision to life. A highlight of the transformation is the ground mural, inspired by the Monongahela River and the Elizabeth Street Bridge mural, honoring Hazelwood’s story. Volunteers also helped build and install ADA-friendly Wikiblock furniture, created a communal reflection area, unveiled a custom art sculpture, activated the Better Block in a Box, and added greenery throughout the plaza, bringing warmth and pride to the space. As we wrap up, we’re reminded of the incredible impact community volunteers have in turning spaces into places. Saying goodbye is never easy, but we leave knowing the community’s vision and passion will keep growing. And that’s a #BetterBlockBop! #BetterBlock #UrbanDesign #Placemaking #ThirdSpace #TacticalUrbanism #BetterBlockInABox #Hazelwood #GreaterHazelwood #Pittsburgh #Community #Wikiblock #BetterBlockHazelwood #BetterBlockGreaterHazelwood Richard King Mellon Foundation

The Richard King Mellon Foundation, in their new office, has a mosaic comprised of the 2000+ organizations they have supported in their now 77 years of mission. I have had the privilege of serving kids in Pittsburgh for 40 years. RKMF was the very first philanthropy to take a gamble on me, and the first to fund The Pittsburgh Project. They were also an early investor in The Pittsburgh Promise. It was very moving to find both missions embedded in their new mosaic. Thank you, friends, for investing in the promise of Pittsburgh’s kids.

Pittsburgh’s saw first-hand yesterday why David Hallal is such a visionary leader, and why ElevateBio is such a promising anchor tenant in the new University of Pittsburgh BioForge at Hazelwood Green. The Foundation invested $100 million in the BioForge to help make this promising vision reality; to help make Pittsburgh a national leader in this most important industry; and to help generate lifesaving and life-changing advances in personalized medicine for the people of the region and beyond. Thank you to the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Alliance for hosting Hallal, and to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Kris Mamula for covering his important remarks. #philanthropy #biomanufacturing #economicdevelopment #healthandwellbeing #personalizedmedicine Pittsburgh Life Sciences Alliance https://lnkd.in/dTHHRxeG

Thank you to The Daily Item of Sunbury, PA for detailing the important work of Susquehanna University’s Freshwater Institute and the benefits of that work to the people and places of the Susquehanna River valley and the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Foundation has helped to enable the Institute’s work since its founding a decade ago. #philanthropy #conservation #ChesapeakeBay #SusquehannaRiver #watersheds #environment #ecology #workforcedevelopment https://lnkd.in/eY9cPUvq

Congratulations to Barbara Shinn-Cunningham on her appointment as new Dean of the Carnegie Mellon University Mellon College of Science. Shinn-Cunningham will lead the college as it readies for its 2027 move into the new Richard King Mellon Hall of Sciences, under construction at Forbes Avenue and Craig Street. The Foundation was pleased to support the college’s new home with a $75 million lead gift in 2021. It will be an interdisciplinary hub that deploys artificial intelligence, data analytics and foundational science to solve previously unsolvable scientific challenges. Carnegie Mellon University #philanthropy #science #highereducation #economicdevelopment #healthandwellbeing #artificalintelligence #dataanalytics https://lnkd.in/ej-sNuSK

Thank you to Mark Belko and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for covering the exciting news of the first affordable housing project at Hazelwood Green. The three foundations that comprise the Almono partnership long have wanted their work at Hazelwood Green to demonstrate that economic development and positive community development can proceed together hand-in-hand. And affordable housing at Hazelwood Green has been an important part of that plan. As Todd Stern said, on behalf of the Almono partners: “Establishing Hazelwood Green’s first residential development project in partnership with Pittsburgh Scholar House is a wonderful reflection of the vision that the Almono foundations and our many city, state, and community partners have had since the site was purchased more than two decades ago from the steel mills.” Tishman Speyer, The Heinz Endowments, Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, Diamonte Walker, EdD, MBA #philanthropy #economicdevelopment #communitydevelopment #affordablehousing https://lnkd.in/eytttEui