Grant Event Celebrates 2025 Community Impact

September 15, 2025

Community Giving Foundation welcomed nonprofit grant recipients, donors, board members, and community partners for a regional grant impact celebration on September 12th. The breakfast was a wonderful time to connect with each other and acknowledge the remarkable impact that charitable giving creates, both regionally and in individual communities across our region. During the event, guests held table conversations around the Foundation’s five impact areas: basic needs, community and economic development, culture and community interests, health and wellness, and youth and education. Discussions included honest perspectives on community needs and the incredible opportunities we have to meet those needs through the work of our nonprofit partners and collaborative community efforts.

Kara Seesholtz, Foundation President and CEO, shared an overview of grantmaking so far this year as the Foundation focuses charitable dollars on needs that benefit the community in the most impactful ways. Part of this intentional focus on impact began last year, when Becky Stugart was brought on as the Foundation’s first Impact Coordinator. Through Becky’s work in the community—meeting with nonprofits, listening, and collecting needs data—the Foundation continues to prioritize and respond to community needs effectively. And it’s just the beginning!

Presenting insights from her work, Becky explained the top ten regional needs identified through area needs assessments, nonprofit site visits, and meaningful conversations with community leaders. “Imagine what it could mean for our region if nonprofits, funders, and community leaders were all working from the same set of priorities. Where duplication is reduced, collaboration is increased, and every dollar stretches further,” she remarked. “Many of the funded projects from the [Foundation’s] 2025 competitive grant round directly address these top regional needs… This alignment between what the community needs most and what our nonprofits are building solutions for is powerful.”

The Foundation was excited to share an example of how this work can guide grantmaking decisions to maximize community impact. The Jack and Helen Wanich Fund was established last year through a sizeable estate gift by two incredibly generous donors who wanted to meet needs in Montour County. In its first year of grantmaking, the unique opportunity to focus on priority needs in Montour County was embraced by the local Danville board as they took on the responsibility and privilege of making funding decisions. Five organizations were announced as Wanich Fund grant recipients this year, chosen for their work around top needs in Montour County—affordable housing, childcare, and mental health. Megan Bair, Executive Director of Central Susquehanna Opportunities, shared how important this kind of grantmaking is to drive community change. “This funding is unique. As a community action agency, we talk with a lot of our partners about the ways needs are interconnected. To get a call that we were receiving funding for housing and mental health is truly a gift. Because we know that people are not going to be able to retain housing, even if we help them get into an apartment, if their mental health is not well… It gives me hope to see the changes that are coming, the partnerships that are truly being built, the silos that are being torn down. This grant is a great demonstration of that, and I’m looking forward to many more great things together.”

Over 235 grantmaking funds are currently administered by the Foundation, awarding over $3 million annually across the region. These grant investments are changing lives by multiplying the impact of nonprofits serving diverse community needs. View a snapshot look at Foundation grantmaking and several stories of local impact in our new handout here. Foundation grants are awarded through several types of funds and competitive grant rounds made possible by partnerships with five affiliate foundations. Click on the community below to see a full list of 2025 competitive grant recipients.

Thank you for your continued partnership and unique passions in our communities. Whether it’s your neighborhood, county, or region, your giving directly benefits the places and passions that matter to you when you partner with the Foundation. Contact us to learn more about transforming your passions into a personalized community giving legacy that maximizes impact.