Grant Eligibility Priorities Current Grant Priorities The MVCAF currently has two priorities for grantmaking. Public Health Air Quality Grant Eligibility Criteria There are four criteria for initial eligibility for grant funding: Funds can be used for initiatives focused on public health and air quality Organizations must hold a current 501(c)(3) status The MVCAF footprint has 22 communities (16 municipalities included within the JRF service area, and the six additional communities) that comprise the geographic area of the Mon Valley Clean Air Fund, which governs grant eligibility for work in that footprint. 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. When can I apply for a grant? Jefferson Regional Foundation encourages and accepts Letters of Intent online at any time during the year. The staff will work with the applicant organization to determine whether the request is appropriate or ready to be developed into a full proposal that might be considered in one of three grant cycles a year. What is the Mon Valley Clean Air Fund Footprint? In 2024, the Allegheny County Health Department enlisted the Jefferson Regional Foundation to distribute U.S. Steel settlement funds resulting from an incident in 2018 that negatively impacted the air quality of 22 communities in the lower Mon Valley of Allegheny County, PA. Sixteen of those affected communities are included within the JRF Service Area. Those 16 municipalities and the six additional impacted communities comprise the geographic area of the Mon Valley Clean Air Fund, which governs grant eligibility for work in that footprint (see list of MVCAF municipalities, zip codes, and school districts). View a list of MVCAF municipalities, zip codes, and school districts.
