The PAA Foundation's primary mission is to support, promote and enhance the charitable activities and good works of Pennsylvania new car and truck dealers and to help them manage and achieve their philanthropic goals through donor advised accounts and benefactor clubs.
The Pennsylvania Automotive Association Foundation’s recent grantmaking is shaped by donor-advised accounts and benefactor clubs that channel dealer philanthropy into general support for charities across Pennsylvania. Its largest listed grants include $1,794,500 to Young Life in Harlan, Iowa, and $1,500,000 to Central Pennsylvania Food Bank in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, showing both large-dollar support and a mix of in-state and out-of-state recipients when donor recommendations allow it. The foundation’s own description says its primary mission is to support, promote and enhance the charitable activities and good works of Pennsylvania new car and truck dealers and to help them manage and achieve their philanthropic goals. That dealer-linked structure is reflected in the grant list, where multi-year support appears for organizations such as Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Downtown Daily Bread, and New Hope Ministries Inc. The giving pattern is largely general support rather than project-specific funding, with many awards routed through donor-recommended grantmaking and donor-advised accounts. Recent recipients also include health, food, faith-based, and community-serving organizations, all funded through a local Pennsylvania-centered platform.
Food access is a visible theme in the foundation’s grant list. It gave $1,002,000 to Central Pennsylvania Food Bank in Harrisburg for general support and $775,000 to Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank in Duquesne for general support, with additional support to Greater Washington County Food Bank in Brownsville. Community assistance also shows up through $505,000 to Downtown Daily Bread in Harrisburg for general support and $508,000 to New Hope Ministries Inc in Dillsburg for general support. The foundation also funds health-related institutions, including $500,000 to Guthrie Clinic in Sayre and $500,000 to Central Pennsylvania Blood Bank in Hummelstown, both listed as general support. Cultural and civic grantees appear as well, such as $235,250 to Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra in Harrisburg for general support and $300,250 to Cumberland County Historical Society in Carlisle for general support.
Typical grants are mid-sized for a donor-advised platform: p25 is $10,000, the median is $16,000, and p75 is $37,000. The recent list also includes a long tail of larger awards, but the underlying structure is still donor-recommended grantmaking administered by the foundation. Recurring support is evident in several grantees appearing across multiple years, including Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Downtown Daily Bread, New Hope Ministries Inc, and Hagerstown Aviation Museum. The foundation is classified as a regular funder and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. It accepts unsolicited requests in its gift and donor-advised account programs, while donor-recommended grants are made through account-holder recommendations and PAAF policies.
$13.1M
$84.7M
$18.9M
$14.5M
Most grants fall between $10K and $37K, with a median of $16K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$16K
75th Percentile
$37K
JOHN DEVLIN
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Giving is strongly Pennsylvania-centered: 84% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state, and Pennsylvania is also the top state by grant count. Harrisburg appears repeatedly among recipient cities, alongside Duquesne, Dillsburg, Hummelstown, Carlisle, Lititz, New Castle, and Brownsville. Outside Pennsylvania, the recent list includes recipients in Harlan, Iowa, and Hagerstown, Maryland. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 537 grants to U.S. organizations.
The recent grant list shows support for food banks, health organizations, faith-based groups, cultural institutions, and community-service nonprofits. Examples include Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, Guthrie Clinic, Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra, and Cumberland County Historical Society, all funded as general support.
It uses donor-advised accounts and donor-recommended grantmaking. Account holders recommend grants to charities, and the foundation administers the payments under its policies. It also offers donor-advised accounts and a donor incentive program tied to account levels and investment returns.
The foundation’s typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $16,000 at the median, and $37,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent grants also include larger awards in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Yes. Pennsylvania is the top state by grant count, and 84% of grants go to recipients in Pennsylvania. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based in the data provided.
Several organizations appear in multiple years, which shows recurring support rather than one-time awards for some recipients. Examples in the recent list include Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, Downtown Daily Bread, New Hope Ministries Inc, and Hagerstown Aviation Museum.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA FOOD BANK | HARRISBURG, PA | $1,053,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GREATER PITTSBURGH COMMUNITY FOOD BANK | DUQUESNE, PA | $1,000,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CITY CHURCH OF NEW CASTLE | NEW CASTLE, PA | $769,404 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF FATHER JUDGE HIGH SCHOOL | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $600,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NEW HOPE MINISTRIES INC | DILLSBURG, PA | $535,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DOWNTOWN DAILY BREAD | HARRISBURG, PA | $500,770 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOPE WALKS INC | YORK SPRINGS, PA | $400,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| POCKET TESTAMENT LEAGUE | LITITZ, PA | $300,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BOROUGH OF GREENCASTLE | GREENCASTLE, PA | $300,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FOOD HELPERSGREATER WASHINGTON COUNTY FOOD BANK | WEST CANONSBURG, PA | $250,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SUMMIT HEALTH FOUNDATION | CHAMBERSBURG, PA | $250,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HARRISBURG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | HARRISBURG, PA | $230,250 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DESALES UNIVERSITY | CENTER VALLEY, PA | $225,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BISHOP GUILFOYLE CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL | ALTOONA, PA | $209,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BLAIR REGIONAL YMCA | HOLLIDAYSBURG, PA | $201,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| YOUNG LIFE | HARLAN, IA | $200,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHRISTIAN HISTORY INSTITUTE | WORCESTER, PA | $200,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| KELLEY LATTA MINISTRIES | HANOVER, PA | $163,200 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DISCOVERY CHRISTIAN CHURCH | MARS, PA | $161,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SMITHSBURG HIGH SCHOOL | SMITHSBURG, MD | $150,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WORLD RELIEF | BALTIMORE, MD | $150,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF MONTEREY PASS | BLUE RIDGE SUMMIT, PA | $150,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FREEDOM IN CHRIST CHURCH OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY | POTTSVILLE, PA | $144,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| VOICE OF THE MARTYRS | BARTLESVILLE, OK | $125,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE HOPE LINE | SPRING HILL, TN | $125,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MOUNT ALOYSIUS COLLEGE | CRESSON, PA | $121,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SECOND AVENUE GLOBAL METHODIST CHURCH | ALTOONA, PA | $111,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PROVIDENCE COMMUNITY CHURCH | SPRING GROVE, PA | $107,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PENNYPACK ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION TRUST | HUNTINGDON VALLEY, PA | $102,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CUMBERLAND COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY | CARLISLE, PA | $100,250 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHOP FOUNDATION | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $91,600 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| YOUNG LIFE CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA | HOLLIDAYSBURG, PA | $80,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MOUNT NITTANY HEALTH FOUNDATION | STATE COLLEGE, PA | $80,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GREATER PITTSBURGH AUTOMOBILE DEALERS FOUNDATION | PITTSBURGH, PA | $75,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SALVATION ARMY POTTSVILLE CORPS | POTTSVILLE, PA | $75,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BLESSINGS OF HOPE | EPHRATA, PA | $75,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ONE LIFE | MANHEIM, PA | $75,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION | STATEN ISLAND, NY | $66,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PENN STATE UNIVERSITY | STATE COLLEGE, PA | $63,150 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MASON-DIXON YOUTH FOR CHRIST | HANOVER, PA | $61,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNITED REDEEMED CHURCH | ELKTON, MD | $60,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BRIDGE 127 INC | POTTSVILLE, PA | $60,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PA FAMILY INSTITUTE | HARRISBURG, PA | $55,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MESSIAH COLLEGE | GRANTHAM, PA | $55,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOPE INTERNATIONAL | LANCASTER, PA | $52,750 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOSPITAL | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| REFUGE YOUTH NETWORK | ALTOONA, PA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SALVATION ARMY - ALTOONA | ALTOONA, PA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SUSQUEHANNA HEALTH FOUNDATION | WILLIAMSPORT, PA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ELMWOOD PARK ZOO | NORRISTOWN, PA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
CITY CHURCH OF NEW CASTLE
$769,404GENERAL SUPPORT
DOWNTOWN DAILY BREAD
$500,770GENERAL SUPPORT
BOROUGH OF GREENCASTLE
$300,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SUMMIT HEALTH FOUNDATION
$250,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BISHOP GUILFOYLE CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
$209,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BLAIR REGIONAL YMCA
$201,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CHRISTIAN HISTORY INSTITUTE
$200,000GENERAL SUPPORT
KELLEY LATTA MINISTRIES
$163,200GENERAL SUPPORT
DISCOVERY CHRISTIAN CHURCH
$161,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SMITHSBURG HIGH SCHOOL
$150,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FRIENDS OF MONTEREY PASS
$150,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FREEDOM IN CHRIST CHURCH OF SCHUYLKILL COUNTY
$144,000GENERAL SUPPORT
VOICE OF THE MARTYRS
$125,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE HOPE LINE
$125,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SECOND AVENUE GLOBAL METHODIST CHURCH
$111,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PROVIDENCE COMMUNITY CHURCH
$107,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CUMBERLAND COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$100,250GENERAL SUPPORT
MOUNT NITTANY HEALTH FOUNDATION
$80,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GREATER PITTSBURGH AUTOMOBILE DEALERS FOUNDATION
$75,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SALVATION ARMY POTTSVILLE CORPS
$75,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BLESSINGS OF HOPE
$75,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PENN STATE UNIVERSITY
$63,150GENERAL SUPPORT
MASON-DIXON YOUTH FOR CHRIST
$61,000GENERAL SUPPORT
UNITED REDEEMED CHURCH
$60,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BRIDGE 127 INC
$60,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MESSIAH COLLEGE
$55,000GENERAL SUPPORT
REFUGE YOUTH NETWORK
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SALVATION ARMY - ALTOONA
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SUSQUEHANNA HEALTH FOUNDATION
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT