Economic Development Archives - Richard King Mellon Foundation

Our application was declined, who can I talk to about that?

Any questions about the application may be submitted via email to [email protected] We will be responsive to all thoughtful inquiries. […]

I have additional questions about the application. Can I meet with the Foundation staff prior to submission?

Any questions about the application may be submitted via email to [email protected] We will be responsive to all thoughtful inquiries. […]

Our business is headquartered outside the Pittsburgh region. Are we still eligible to apply?

Yes. You may submit an application if your company is based anywhere in the United States. Unfortunately, we are not able to entertain applications from companies not incorporated in the United States. For ideas focused on Economic Mobility, Economic Development, or Health & Well-Being, if your company is located outside the Pittsburgh region, please be sure […]

Our organization is based outside of Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, but we’d like to bring our programs to these counties. Would the Foundation still consider our application?

Yes, we consider applications from organizations that are not based in Allegheny or Westmoreland counties. In your application, you should be clear about why and in what ways the project will serve economic development in these counties. […]

Does the Foundation fund Economic Development initiatives outside of Allegheny and Westmoreland counties?

To receive Foundation funding for an Economic Development application, the initiative needs to focus on economic development in Allegheny or Westmoreland counties. If your organization has an idea to economically activate lands the Foundation has historically conserved to promote sustainable rural economic development, please consider applying through the Foundation’s Conservation program. […]

What types of arts and culture applications are you accepting?

Arts and culture organizations are pivotal economic drivers in the region. The Foundation has historically focused on enhancing the cultural experience in Downtown Pittsburgh, but will also consider applications from organizations outside of Downtown that support the region’s economic development. […]

What is the difference between the Economic Development and Economic Mobility programs?

The two programs focus on different populations and have different goals. The goal of the Economic Mobility program is to improve the social, economic and academic outcomes of children and young people, aged 0 through 24, who are living in poverty. The goal of the Economic Development program is to foster the economic prosperity of […]

Can we re-grant funds or provide technical assistance to other individuals or organizations?

The Foundation will not fund ideas that include regranting to individuals. The Foundation may fund applications that include regranting from a lead agency to other agencies who are identified in the submission as participants in a collaboration. In this case, the regranted funds are solely to support the collaborative activities described in the submission. We […]

Do you have a recommended direct/indirect expense ratio?

For organizations that are eligible to receive support for indirect expenses, we do not have a recommended ratio. […]

Can your funding be used for indirect expenses?

Yes, you can include indirect expenses in your proposed budget if your organization is not a postsecondary or research institution. We define indirect expenses as those expenses categorized as “Management and General;” “Administrative and Management;” or “Fundraising” according to the IRS and FASB functional expense allocation guidelines. […]