New Grant Will Help Nonprofits Stay Online, Even if the Power Goes Out

PHOTO FROM PITTSBURGH MAGAZINE ARCHIVES

If you feel like the Pittsburgh region has been impacted by a greater number of severe storms in recent years, you’re not the only one.

In fact, the Henry L. Hillman Foundation announced a new initiative that aims to ensure nonprofit organizations are prepared for severe weather and the widespread power outages that often accompany it.

The Powered & Prepared Initiative, funded by the Hillman Foundation, is seeking proposals from nonprofit service providers for backup power solutions to help them maintain service even through storm-related outages. Up to 15 selected applicants from southwestern Pennsylvania will each receive $300,000 to implement backup power solutions tailored to their particular requirements.

Interested participants must register here by 5 p.m. on Aug. 26, and submit an application by 5 p.m. on Sept. 17.

The idea for the initiative came in the wake of last year’s severe storms. In April 2025, high winds and torrential rain uprooted trees and damaged power lines and critical infrastructure, leading to more than 679,000 power outages throughout the Pittsburgh region. In many cases, these outages spanned several days, if not longer.

“After last year’s storms, our team heard from organizations that had suffered significant setbacks because of power outages,” David K. Roger, president of Henry L. Hillman Foundation, says in a statement. “Food pantries were forced to throw away perishable food. Senior centers and shelters were unable to operate without electricity to operate elevators, air conditioning or lights. Most essential service providers know how to operate without electricity for a day or two. When the outage lasts longer, the negative impact on the community increases significantly.”

Family House, a nonprofit that offers housing for people who must travel to Pittsburgh for medical care, was impacted significantly. Its 121-room Shadyside building experienced a power outage in 2025 that lasted for 38 hours, impacting more than 150 patients and families staying there. Many of those patients use wheelchairs and oxygen equipment and rely on a consistent power supply to support their mobility and recovery.

After its outage, Family House requested funding support from the Hillman Foundation to install a backup generator to help provide uninterrupted power service to its 88,000-square-foot building.  

“The generator was installed this past January, and during high windstorms in March the power went out again at Family House,” John Plante, chief executive officer of Family House, says in a statement. “However, in this instance service to our guests was never interrupted. Our backup generator kicked on immediately when normal service was interrupted, and it continued to power all of Family House throughout the duration of the outage.”

The Henry L. Hillman Foundation’s Powered & Prepared Initiative aims to help nonprofit and municipal organizations achieve similar protection against storm-related service disruptions.

 The initiative will provide funding for a range of backup power solutions, including but not limited to solar power, fixed generators, portable generators, battery systems, and innovative energy systems. 

Applications for the fifteen $300,000 grants will be evaluated by a panel of experts with final awardees selected by Henry L. Hillman Foundation and announced in by spring 2027.