The Pelusi Family Foundation concentrates its giving in the Pittsburgh area, splitting support between youth mentorship through collegiate athletics programs and faith‑based scholarship/hardship assistance for students in financial need. Its grants are highly concentrated: nearly all funding is directed to two recurring partners, reflecting a preference for local, relationship‑driven investments in youth development and access to education. The foundation appears to value practical life‑skills mentoring delivered through sports alongside targeted financial support for vulnerable students.
Highly concentrated giving with few, large grants to recurring local partners (three grants each to two organizations); focused, relationship-based funding rather than many small, diverse grants.
John H Pelusi Jr and Kathleen J Pelusi Family Foundation’s giving is centered on two recurring Pittsburgh partners: Holy Family Foundation and the University of Pittsburgh Department of Athletics. Across the recent grants listed, those relationships define a pattern of support for scholarships, hardship assistance, mentorship, and life-skills programming rather than a broad spread of issue areas. The foundation’s funding reaches students in financial need through Holy Family Foundation and supports athletics-based mentoring through the University of Pittsburgh. Both lines of grantmaking point to practical support for students, including direct aid and structured guidance. The recurring nature of these awards suggests a relationship-driven approach in which the foundation backs established local organizations carrying out clearly defined student-support work. With annual grants of $915,000 and assets of $6,856,027, the foundation operates at a level that allows sustained local commitments. Its recent grants show consistent support for educational access and youth development in Pittsburgh through faith-based and university-based channels.
In scholarship and hardship assistance, the foundation gave $155,000 in 2025 to Holy Family Foundation to fund scholarships for students in financial need and contribute to a hardship fund. A $151,000 grant in 2024 and a $150,000 grant in 2023 show the same purpose carried across multiple years. In athletics-based mentoring, the foundation supported the University of Pittsburgh Department of Athletics with $155,000 in 2025, $151,000 in 2024, and $153,000 in 2023 for mentorship and life skills programs. Those grants place student development at the center of its giving. The foundation also fits a local, student-focused pattern rather than a wide geographic or issue spread. Its recent grant history points to two clear lanes: financial help for students under strain and structured mentoring through collegiate athletics.
Typical grant size is tightly clustered, with p25 at $151,000, median at $152,000, and p75 at $154,500. That narrow range matches a steady pattern of similarly sized awards rather than highly variable checks. The recent record also shows repeat support across multiple years, including grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025 to the same two organizations. The foundation funds individuals and appears to use direct grant support for student aid and program delivery. It does not make program-related investments. The pattern suggests ongoing commitments to established local partners rather than one-off grants or an open application model.
$335K
$7.2M
$737K
$380K
Most grants fall between $151K and $155K, with a median of $152K.
25th Percentile
$151K
Median
$152K
75th Percentile
$155K
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Notable grantees: University of Pittsburgh Department of Athletics, Holy Family Foundation, Other local Pittsburgh scholarship and youth-mentoring organizations
Grantmaking is entirely in Pennsylvania, with 100% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. The most visible recipient city is Pittsburgh, where both Holy Family Foundation and the University of Pittsburgh Department of Athletics are located. The geographic footprint is local rather than regional or national, and the recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based. The grants shown all land in the same city, underscoring a narrow Pittsburgh focus.
Its recent grants support two main areas: scholarships and hardship assistance for students in financial need, and mentorship and life-skills programs through the University of Pittsburgh Department of Athletics. The grant purposes show a focus on student support and youth development.
Yes. The recent grants list shows multi-year support to Holy Family Foundation in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and to the University of Pittsburgh Department of Athletics in the same three years. That suggests an ongoing relationship with a small set of local partners.
The foundation’s typical grant size is very consistent: p25 is $151,000, median is $152,000, and p75 is $154,500. The recent grants also cluster tightly around that range, with awards such as $150,000, $151,000, $153,000, and $155,000.
All of the recent grants shown go to recipients in Pennsylvania, and the recipient city is Pittsburgh in each case. The grant distribution is 100% to the HQ state, so the foundation’s giving is local rather than broad-based.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOLY FAMILY FOUNDATION | PITTSBURGH, PA | $210,000 | 2026 | TO FUND SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS IN FINANCIAL NEED AND CONTRIBUTE TO HARDSHIP FUND |
| THE EYE AND EAR FOUNDATION | PITTSBURGH, PA | $125,000 | 2026 | RESEARCH AND EDUCATIONAL EFFORTS |
| UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS | PITTSBURGH, PA | $155,000 | 2025 | MENTORSHIP AND LIFE SKILLS PROGRAMS |
| HOLY FAMILY FOUNDATION | PITTSBURGH, PA | $155,000 | 2025 | TO FUND SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS IN FINANCIAL NEED AND CONTRIBUTE TO HARDSHIP FUND |
| HOLY FAMILY FOUNDATION | PITTSBURGH, PA | $151,000 | 2024 | TO FUND SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS IN FINANCIAL NEED AND CONTRIBUTE TO HARDSHIP FUND |
| UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS | PITTSBURGH, PA | $151,000 | 2024 | MENTORSHIP AND LIFE SKILLS PROGRAMS |
| UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS | PITTSBURGH, PA | $153,000 | 2023 | MENTORSHIP AND LIFE SKILLS PROGRAMS |
| HOLY FAMILY FOUNDATION | PITTSBURGH, PA | $150,000 | 2023 | TO FUND SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS IN FINANCIAL NEED AND CONTRIBUTE TO HARDSHIP FUND |
TO FUND SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS IN FINANCIAL NEED AND CONTRIBUTE TO HARDSHIP FUND
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS
$155,000MENTORSHIP AND LIFE SKILLS PROGRAMS
HOLY FAMILY FOUNDATION
$155,000TO FUND SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS IN FINANCIAL NEED AND CONTRIBUTE TO HARDSHIP FUND
TO FUND SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS IN FINANCIAL NEED AND CONTRIBUTE TO HARDSHIP FUND
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS
$151,000MENTORSHIP AND LIFE SKILLS PROGRAMS
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS
$153,000MENTORSHIP AND LIFE SKILLS PROGRAMS
TO FUND SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS IN FINANCIAL NEED AND CONTRIBUTE TO HARDSHIP FUND