The Chester County Community Foundation connects people who care with the causes that matter, so their philanthropy makes a difference now and forever.
students / scholarship recipientscommunity members served by human servicesartists and cultural organizationsenvironmental & animal conservation stakeholders
Funding Style
About Chester County Community Foundation
A defining feature of Chester County Community Foundation’s grantmaking is its mix of unrestricted nonprofit support, capacity-building awards, and donor-advised scholarship funds. Across recent grants, the foundation backs organizations that provide direct services, operate community institutions, and serve students through education and scholarship support. The largest recent grant in the list went to LCH Health & Community Services in Kennett Square for human services, followed by major awards to Kennett Area Community Service and Kennett Library. Those grants show a pattern of sizeable local support for frontline nonprofits and anchor institutions in Chester County.
The foundation also funds specific community assets through named or designated funds. Recent examples include grants to the Community Volunteers in Medicine for health care services, to the Wharton Esherick Museum for arts and culture, and to Bishop Shanahan High School for education and library support. The presence of scholarship funding, general operating support, and capacity-building grants points to a grantmaker that supports both immediate service delivery and organizational strength. Its geographic reach is local, with most grants staying in Pennsylvania and a high share going to recipients in the home state.
What Chester County Community Foundation Funds
Human services is a major theme in the foundation’s recent giving. It awarded $519,100 to Kennett Area Community Service for human services and $120,000 to County of Chester for human services, showing support for both nonprofit and public-sector service delivery.
Education and library work is another visible area. Chester County Community Foundation gave $483,447 to Kennett Library for education and library services and $350,000 to Sanford School in Hockessin, Delaware for education and library support. It also awarded $214,570 to Bishop Shanahan High School in Downingtown for education and library work.
Arts and culture appear through institutions with place-based roles. The foundation gave $148,700 to Kennett Library for arts and culture and $142,392 to Wharton Esherick Museum in Long Beach for arts and culture. Health also appears in recent support, including $126,765 to Community Volunteers in Medicine in West Chester for health services.
How Chester County Community Foundation Gives
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$5.2M
Total Assets
$136.2M
Total Revenue
$21.1M
Total Expenses
$8.9M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $8K and $25K, with a median of $13K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$13K
75th Percentile
$25K
Geographic Reach
Local20 states funded
Intensidad de financiamiento
BajaAlta
Sede
Leadership
KAREN SIMMONS
Accepts unsolicited proposals
Deep Analysis
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EIN (identificación fiscal): 23-2773822Último Formulario 990: 2026Activos totales: 136,2 M US$4 declaraciones registradasEncuentra su declaración 990 completa →
Typical grant size sits at a p25 of $8,464, a median of $13,481, and a p75 of $25,000, which indicates many grants are relatively modest even though some awards are much larger. The recent list also shows recurring support to the same organizations across multiple years, including Kennett Library, Community Volunteers in Medicine, Wharton Esherick Museum, and County of Chester. That pattern aligns with a mixed community foundation structure: grantmaking comes from charitable funds held under its umbrella, including direct-service, general operating, capacity-building, scholarship, and designated-fund support. Several pathways accept unsolicited proposals.
Where Chester County Community Foundation Makes Grants
Grantmaking is heavily concentrated in Pennsylvania, with 80% of grants going to recipients in the foundation’s home state. Recent awards cluster in Chester County communities such as Kennett Square, West Chester, Downingtown, Coatesville, and Exton. The list also includes nearby Pennsylvania recipients in Paoli and Blue Bell, plus a small number of out-of-state or regional awards such as Hockessin, Delaware; Hudson, Ohio; and Lynchburg, Virginia. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chester County Community Foundation
What kinds of organizations does Chester County Community Foundation support?
The foundation supports nonprofits, schools, scholarship recipients, and community institutions. Recent grant categories include human services, education and library services, health, arts and culture, religion, and scholarship support. It also funds capacity-building work for nonprofits serving Chester County.
What is the typical grant size?
The grant-size distribution is p25 $8,464, median $13,481, and p75 $25,000. That suggests many awards are in the low-to-mid five-figure range, with some much larger grants in the recent list.
Can nonprofits apply directly for grants?
Yes. The foundation’s capacity-building grants and program/general operating grants both accept unsolicited proposals. Its apply-for-grants guidance also routes nonprofits toward direct service, general operations, and capacity-building pathways.
Does the foundation fund scholarships?
Yes. Chester County Community Foundation administers donor-funded scholarship funds for eligible students, typically graduating high school students from Chester County or students pursuing post-secondary education. Scholarship support is one of its listed focus areas.
Where do most grants go?
Most grants go to Pennsylvania recipients, and 80% of grants are made to organizations in the foundation’s home state. Recent recipients are concentrated in Chester County communities such as Kennett Square, West Chester, Downingtown, Coatesville, and Exton.
Latest 990 Filing
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Oportunidades de Subvenciones Abiertas
Financiamiento actual y próximo de Chester County Community Foundation al que tu organización sin fines de lucro podría postularse.
Abierta ahoraCierra el 18 sept 2026
Capacity Building Grants (Coping with Cutbacks / Capacity Building Proposals)
Contingency PlanningScenario PlanningPartnerships+10 más
¿Quién puede postularse? Applicants must be charitable, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations. Funding cannot be awarded to individuals. The program is designed for nonprofits serving Chester County.
Fecha límite: Proposals are accepted year-round; the page also states all grant proposals are due September 18 in calendar year 2026.
Direct Service Programs / General Operating Grants
Arts, Culture, HeritageEducation, LibraryEnvironment, Animals+4 más
¿Quién puede postularse? Applicants must be charitable, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations. Funding cannot be awarded to individuals. The Foundation notes that proposals are considered through multiple charitable funds and donors choose which organizations to support.
Fecha límite: Proposals are encouraged throughout the year; all grant proposals due September 18 in calendar year 2026.
Arts, Culture, HeritageEducation, LibraryMunicipality/Governmental+1 más
¿Quién puede postularse? Grants can be awarded to nonprofit charities and municipalities, but not individuals or businesses. Applicants must attach a 501(c)(3) letter if applicable. Projects should include a Dare to Declare reading or related Declaration of Independence commemoration.
Fecha límite: Decisions are made on the 25th of each month; no fixed closing deadline is stated.
General operating supportArts, culture & humanitiesEducation+5 más
¿Quién puede postularse? Applicants must be charitable, tax-exempt organizations with 501(c)(3) status. Priority to nonprofits located in and serving Chester County. (Guidance notes nonprofit budgets must be $500,000 or less for certain programs—see capacity-building program.)
Fecha límite: No deadline — proposals accepted all year (no deadline)
¿Quién puede postularse? Grants can be awarded to nonprofit charities and municipalities, but not individuals or businesses. Applicants must attach a 501(c)(3) letter if applicable. Projects must relate to America250/Declaration of Independence commemoration.
Fecha límite: Decisions are made on the 25th of each month; no fixed closing deadline is stated.
Apply for Grants — Direct Service Programs & General Operations
direct service programsgeneral operationsnonprofit program support
¿Quién puede postularse? Applicants must be charitable, tax-exempt organizations with 501(c)(3) certification. Nonprofits are encouraged to submit one proposal annually.
Fecha límite: No deadline; decisions are made on a monthly basis. Proposals are accepted throughout the year.
Las fechas límite y los requisitos de elegibilidad son un resumen de fuentes públicas y pueden cambiar — confirma siempre los detalles en la página oficial de solicitud del financiador antes de postularte.
