Mon Valley Clean Air Fund An incident in 2018 impacting air quality and public health in 22 communities led to litigation between PennEnvironment, Clean Air Council, Allegheny County Health Department (ACHD) and U.S. Steel. An agreement was reached, and U.S. Steel is to pay $5 million in settlement funds. JRF was not part of the litigation. In 2024, the Allegheny County Health Department enlisted the Jefferson Regional Foundation to distribute half ($2.25 million) of the settlement funds. This fund at the Jefferson Regional Foundation is called the Mon Valley Clean Air Fund. These funds will be distributed by the Foundation over five years in equal annual disbursements beginning in 2025. The Jefferson Regional Foundation’s Mon Valley Clean Air Fund should NOT be confused with Allegheny County’s Air Quality program’s Clean Air Fund. This is NOT the same fund or program. Any requests for County funding should be directed to ACHDCAFGGrants@alleghenycounty.us. View a list of JRF Service Area municipalities, zip codes, and school districts. Information about the MVCAF communities can be found on the Foundation’s Community Snapshots page. Additional information about communities in the Foundation’s footprint can also be found in the Foundation’s Data Story Maps. The Mon Valley Clean Air Fund Listening Sessions Report Read the report JRF is committed to engaging and elevating resident voices. In October 2024, the Foundation hosted three listening sessions. The focus was to provide residents and stakeholders an opportunity to offer input on how the Mon Valley Clean Air Funds should be utilized. Interpretation in both Spanish and American Sign Language (ASL) was offered during all sessions. The Foundation heard from 80 people who attended the listening sessions and will use this important feedback as a guide for distributing funds beginning in 2025. Grants will be available by application to nonprofit organizations serving the aforementioned areas. Apply For Funding Organizations must hold a current 501c3 status. Applicants cannot have ever been involved in litigation against U.S. Steel. Funds can be used for initiatives focused on public health and air quality. These funds may not be used for advocacy, lobbying or any project that utilizes the services of an entity that has ever testified or served as a non-testifying expert against U.S. Steel. Grant Application Process Schedule a conversation with the Foundation staff at any time Submit a letter of intent at anytime here If invited by Foundation staff, the following estimated proposal due dates include mid-January 2025 for March 2025 grant cycle and mid-April for June 2025 grant cycle Funding decisions will be announced March 2025 and June 2025 following Board of Directors meeting. Foundation staff encourage interested organizations to schedule an introductory conversation. If interested in applying or scheduling a conversation, please contact: Kelleigh Boland, Director of Grantmaking and Strategy, via email (Kelleigh.boland@jeffersonrf.org), or call 412-990-7117. Foundation staff will begin to invite organizations to submit a proposal in December 2024/January 2025.
