The George R & Janet E Desko Charitable Foundation concentrates its giving on local Latrobe-area education and Catholic faith-based organizations, favoring direct donations to schools, parish ministries, and education support groups. Grants are sizable relative to the foundation's total giving, indicating targeted support for a small number of community institutions rather than broad, national grantmaking.
A defining pattern in the George R & Janet E Desko Charitable Foundation’s grantmaking is its repeated support for Catholic institutions and Latrobe-area education organizations, with several of the largest recent gifts going to the Felician Sisters, St Therese Catholic Church, and Saint Vincent College. The foundation’s recent records show direct donations to schools, parish ministries, religious orders, and related education-support organizations rather than a broad spread across many issue areas. Its giving includes a $32,000 donation to the Felician Sisters in Corapolis, a $20,000 gift to St Therese Catholic Church in Parkville, and a $15,000 grant to Saint Vincent College in Latrobe. The pattern suggests a funder that works through institution-level support, often backing organizations with a local or Catholic identity. The foundation also returns to the same recipients across multiple years, which is consistent with a focused, relationship-based approach. Recent grants to Greater Latrobe Partners in Education Foundation, Glendale School District, and Go2goal show that education support is not limited to one type of recipient; it includes both school districts and local fundraising or partnership groups. Overall, the foundation’s recent activity points to concentrated, recurring support for a small set of community institutions.
Catholic organizations are a clear part of the foundation’s giving. In 2024, it gave $20,000 to St Therese Catholic Church in Parkville, followed by additional gifts of $12,000 in 2025 and $7,000 in 2026 to the same church. Education support is another recurring area. The foundation awarded $25,000 to Greater Latrobe Partners in Education Foundation in 2023 and $8,500 in 2024, showing continued backing for a local school-support organization. It also gave $20,201 to Glendale School District in 2023 and $6,000 to Cambria Heights School in Patton. Higher education appears in the recent record as well. Grants of $15,000 in 2026, $10,000 in 2023, and $7,500 in 2024 went to Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, while Lock Haven University Foundation received $5,000 in both 2024 and 2025.
Typical grants are modest to mid-sized: the p25 is $500, the median is $1,000, and the p75 is $2,500. That distribution sits below some of the larger individual awards in the recent grants list, which suggests the foundation uses a mix of smaller gifts and occasional larger, targeted donations. The recipient list also shows repetition over time rather than one-time support only. Several organizations appear in multiple years, including Felician Sisters, St Therese Catholic Church, Saint Vincent College, Lock Haven University Foundation, and Greater Latrobe Partners in Education Foundation. The foundation is classified as a regular funder, not a donor-advised fund, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
$137K
$3M
$176K
$142K
Most grants fall between $500 and $3K, with a median of $1K.
25th Percentile
$500
Median
$1K
75th Percentile
$3K
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Highly concentrated, local-focused giving: few (four) relatively large, one-off donations to community education and Catholic organizations rather than many small grants or broad geographic distribution.
Notable grantees: Felician Sisters, Greater Latrobe Partners in Education Foundation, Glendale School District, St. Therese Catholic Church
The foundation gives nationally, but Pennsylvania receives the largest share of grants and 49% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Recent Pennsylvania recipients include Latrobe, Corapolis, Flinton, Patton, Greensburg, Lock Haven, and Pittsburgh. Outside Pennsylvania, recent grants reached Parkville, Missouri; Johns Island, South Carolina; West Palm Beach, Florida; Memphis, Tennessee; Des Moines, Iowa; Holland, Michigan; and Kirkwood, Missouri. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 206 grants in the United States.
Its recent grants show a strong tilt toward Catholic institutions and education-related organizations. Examples include Catholic churches and religious orders, school districts, school-support foundations, and colleges. The pattern is concentrated rather than broad across many sectors.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Felician Sisters, St Therese Catholic Church, Saint Vincent College, Lock Haven University Foundation, and Greater Latrobe Partners in Education Foundation. That points to recurring support rather than isolated one-time gifts.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution is relatively small on a typical basis: p25 is $500, median is $1,000, and p75 is $2,500. Recent records also include larger targeted donations, but those are above the usual middle range.
Pennsylvania is the top state by grant count, with 49% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Recent Pennsylvania recipients include organizations in Latrobe, Corapolis, Flinton, Patton, Greensburg, Lock Haven, and Pittsburgh.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAINT VINCENT COLLEGE | LATROBE, PA | $15,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| GO2GOAL | LATROBE, PA | $12,500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| FELICIAN SISTERS | CORAOPOLIS, PA | $12,500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| ST THERESE CATHOLIC CHURCH | PARKVILLE, MO | $7,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| ST THERESE CATHOLIC SCHOOL | PARKVILLE, MO | $5,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| PALEY ORTHOPEDIC & SPINE INSTITUTE | WEST PALM BEACH, FL | $5,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL | MEMPHIS, TN | $5,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| POINT PARK UNIVERSITY | PITTSBURGH, PA | $5,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| PENFED FOUNDATION | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $5,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| ST ANNE HOME | GREENSBURG, PA | $5,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| ALLEGHENY HEALTH NETWORK | MONROEVILLE, PA | $4,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| FOOD ALLERGIESORG | MC LEAN, VA | $2,500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| HOLY SPIRIT CATHOLIC CHURCH | JOHNS ISLAND, SC | $2,500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| TURNING POINT USA | PHOENIX, AZ | $2,500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | LOCK HAVEN, PA | $2,500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| GREATER LATROBE PARTNES IN EDUCATION FOUNDATION | LATROBE, PA | $2,500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| LATIN AMERICAN CHILDREN'S FUND | PITTSBURGH, PA | $2,500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| CHARLESTON COLLEGIATE SCHOOL | JOHNS ISLAND, SC | $2,500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| SACRED HEART CHURCH | YOUNGSTOWN, PA | $2,500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| LAWRENCEVILLE UNITED | PITTSBURGH, PA | $2,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| LIGHT OF LIFE RESCUE MISSION | PITTSBURGH, PA | $2,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| CANINE SERVICE PALS | CORAOPOLIS, PA | $2,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| WOMEN'S CENTER & SHELTER OF GREATER PITTSBURGH | PITTSBURGH, PA | $2,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| CAMBRIA HEIGHTS PTO | PATTON, PA | $2,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| CAMBRIA HEIGHTS FOOTBALL BOOSTERS | PATTON, PA | $2,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| WATER MISSION | CHARLESTON, SC | $2,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| KC RIVERDAWGS | PLATTE CITY, MO | $1,500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| OUR LADY OF MERCY COMMUNITY OUTREACH | JOHNS ISLAND, SC | $1,500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| HUCKLEBERRY TRAILS ANIMAL SANCTUARY | SHERMANS DALE, PA | $1,500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| MICHAEL J FOX FOUNDATION FOR PARKINSON'S RESEARCH | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| YOUNGSTOWN WHITNEY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT | YOUNGSTOWN, PA | $1,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF ELKINS | ELKINS, WV | $1,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| ST LUKE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH | BROOMALL, PA | $1,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| EDMOND MOBILE MEALS | EDMOND, OK | $1,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| SYNERGY SERVICES INC | PARKVILLE, MO | $1,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION | STATEN ISLAND, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS | CINCINNATI, OH | $1,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| EWTN GLOBAL CATHOLIC NETWORK | IRONDALE, AL | $1,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| JOHNS ISLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | JOHNS ISLAND, SC | $1,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| MCGUIRE MEMORIAL FUND | MOON TOWNSHIP, PA | $1,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| CHARLESTON AREA THERAPEUTIC RIDING | JOHNS ISLAND, SC | $1,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| ST JAMES EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH | YOUNGSTOWN, PA | $1,000 | 2026 | DONATION |
| SMEPCMIA | BETHEL PARK, PA | $700 | 2026 | DONATION |
| SOS LOW COUNTRY | MOUNT PLEASANT, SC | $500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR | PITTSBURGH, PA | $500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| SHOP WITH A COP NPO | GREENSBURG, PA | $500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| WESTMORELAND COUNTY FOOD BANK | DELMONT, PA | $500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| WEST VIRGINIA MOVEMENT DISORDER | HUNTINGTON, WV | $500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| INDIANA AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT | INDIANA, PA | $500 | 2026 | DONATION |
| RESPITE CARE CHARLESTON | CHARLESTON, SC | $200 | 2026 | DONATION |
GO2GOAL
$12,500DONATION
FELICIAN SISTERS
$12,500DONATION
ST THERESE CATHOLIC CHURCH
$7,000DONATION
ST THERESE CATHOLIC SCHOOL
$5,000DONATION
PALEY ORTHOPEDIC & SPINE INSTITUTE
$5,000DONATION
DONATION
POINT PARK UNIVERSITY
$5,000DONATION
ST ANNE HOME
$5,000DONATION
ALLEGHENY HEALTH NETWORK
$4,000DONATION
FOOD ALLERGIESORG
$2,500DONATION
HOLY SPIRIT CATHOLIC CHURCH
$2,500DONATION
TURNING POINT USA
$2,500DONATION
GREATER LATROBE PARTNES IN EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$2,500DONATION
LATIN AMERICAN CHILDREN'S FUND
$2,500DONATION
SACRED HEART CHURCH
$2,500DONATION
LAWRENCEVILLE UNITED
$2,000DONATION
LIGHT OF LIFE RESCUE MISSION
$2,000DONATION
CANINE SERVICE PALS
$2,000DONATION
CAMBRIA HEIGHTS PTO
$2,000DONATION
CAMBRIA HEIGHTS FOOTBALL BOOSTERS
$2,000DONATION
KC RIVERDAWGS
$1,500DONATION
OUR LADY OF MERCY COMMUNITY OUTREACH
$1,500DONATION
HUCKLEBERRY TRAILS ANIMAL SANCTUARY
$1,500DONATION
YOUNGSTOWN WHITNEY VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
$1,000DONATION
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF ELKINS
$1,000DONATION
ST LUKE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
$1,000DONATION
EDMOND MOBILE MEALS
$1,000DONATION
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS
$1,000DONATION
EWTN GLOBAL CATHOLIC NETWORK
$1,000DONATION
JOHNS ISLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$1,000DONATION
MCGUIRE MEMORIAL FUND
$1,000DONATION
CHARLESTON AREA THERAPEUTIC RIDING
$1,000DONATION
ST JAMES EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
$1,000DONATION
SMEPCMIA
$700DONATION
SOS LOW COUNTRY
$500DONATION
LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR
$500DONATION
SHOP WITH A COP NPO
$500DONATION
WEST VIRGINIA MOVEMENT DISORDER
$500DONATION
INDIANA AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
$500DONATION
RESPITE CARE CHARLESTON
$200DONATION