Unending Promise Fund

Grants improve the quality of life for adults living with autism, primarily in Berks County. This fund also grants scholarships for adults living with autism, primarily in Berks County, who are pursuing their education.

Arthur O. and Clara M. Schlegel Memorial Fund

The Arthur O. & Clara M. Schlegel Memorial Fund provides grants that support the medical costs for children who suffer from a diagnosed condition that creates a permanent structural or superficial deviation from the normal shape or size. The condition resulting in disfigurement (this condition may be congenital or acquired) in Berks County whose guardians cannot meet such expenses.

Expenses that may be covered include direct and indirect medical expenses, such as travel costs associated with treatment.

An example of a project that was funded were two lifts for Ethan Pyles, a Reading-area teenager, who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which currently has no cure.

At a cost of $15,060, the Schlegel Fund paid for the lifts and installation to improve his quality of life.

Helping Harvest Fund

Grants support the Helping Harvest Fresh Food Bank.

Susan E. Kraus/Robert W. Gill Fund

This fund is to assist adults who were once in foster care, lived in a Berks County foster home and/or were Berks County residents at the time of their placement in foster care. Grants should assist with general transitional housing costs and/or educational expenses. Grants to each individual should not exceed $1,000 per year.

Friends of the Drug Treatment Court Fund

This fund provides financial assistance for participants of the Berks County Treatment Courts. Financial support must increase the participant’s chance of graduating from the court-appointed program. Financial support must be recommended by the judge who oversees the specific Berks County Treatment Court. The fund will also provide financial support for staff training and other legitimate purposes of the court as determined by the judge who oversees the specific Berks County Treatment Court. Grants support participants of Berks County Veterans Court when expenses are not covered by other resources.

Only Berks County Treatment Court Core Team members can apply for this fund. The Berks County Treatment Court Core Team consists of a Berks County Judge, District Attorney, Public Defender, Probation Officers, Council on Chemical Abuse (COCA) staff, Treatment Access & Service Center (TASC) staff, Connections Work staff, Forensic Case Managers from Service Access Management (SAM) and YMCA Specialty Court Case Managers and Treatment Providers. The Veterans Treatment Court Program also includes a Veterans Justice Outreach Coordinator who works for the Veterans Administration.

Hawley and Myrtle Quier Fund

Grants support the charitable, cultural, educational and scientific purposes of Berks County Community Foundation.

Read the full article on Myrtle B. and Hawley Quier by clicking here.

Power of the Purse in Berks County Fund

The Power of the Purse (POP) in Berks County Fund awards grants to programs that break the cycle of poverty by eliminating or addressing barriers for Berks County girls and/or women who want to enter or re-enter the workforce or seek the education they need to do so. For many women, employment is not only a matter of empowerment; it’s a matter of survival. Barriers such as the ability to afford adequate childcare, a lack of transportation, a gap in skills, limited access to dental care or healthcare, or a lack of information about their options keep some women and girls from reaching their full potential.

If your organization makes a difference in the lives of women and girls in Berks County by helping them discover or navigate their way to gainful employment, and ultimately, self-sufficiency, we encourage you to apply for a grant from the Power of the Purse in Berks County Fund.

All proposals will be reviewed by members of the Power of the Purse in Berks County Fund committee, who will conduct site visits as appropriate (and virtually as necessary) in March and April. Final grant decisions will be made in late April, with funds available after May 15.

The Power of the Purse (POP) committee is a women’s giving circle. The dedicated group of women meet several times a year to learn about barriers women and girls face in Berks County. They have visited local organizations that work to break down those barriers, listened to expert speakers, and made thoughtful decisions about how best to help using their own resources.

Four meetings per year:

Meeting 1 – Learn: Listen to a local expert who works directly with women and girls who are working to rise from poverty.

Meeting 2 – Review: Read reports from the previous year’s grants and begin the application review process for the current year.

Meeting 3 – Give: Hear feedback from each site visit leader, get questions answered, and vote to see which organizations will receive grants that year.

Meeting 4 – Celebrate: Gather with other members as well as representatives from the organizations that were awarded grants to honor the impact those grants will have.

7 Reasons to Join Power of the Purse

Improve the Lives of Women and Girls in Berks County

Women have a huge impact on our families, community and the next generation of both women and men.

The Power of the Purse has focused on funding programs that help break the cycle of poverty by eliminating or addressing barriers for Berks County girls and women who want to enter or re-enter the workforce or seek the education they need to do so.

Just scroll down to see the list of grants we’ve given to organizations that are doing important work.

Participate in Research-Based Philanthropy

With Power of the Purse, you can rest easy knowing your dollars are spent in a responsible, effective way. Our funding process starts with a discussion of local issues affecting women and girls and continues with an evaluation of and site visits to programs aimed at improving their lives.

Magnify Your Impact

Through the power of collective giving, your annual gift has the added impact of gifts from dozens of other women. Nowhere else can a relatively modest gift do so much to assist organizations and the women and girls they serve.

Tailor Your Involvement

Whether you prefer just writing a check or also becoming deeply involved, you’re free to do as much or as little as you like, and you can evaluate your involvement every year.

Learn About Issues and Philanthropy

Power of the Purse is an opportunity to learn about the needs of our community and how to effectively address them.

Meet Like-Minded Women

Whether you’re a newcomer or a Berks County native, Power of the Purse helps you connect with women in our community and beyond. Share your expertise, learn about pressing issues and build lasting relationships with new friends.

Leverage Operating Costs and Expertise

As an initiative of Berks County Community Foundation, Power of the Purse benefits from their years of experience and financial stewardship.

Gustav Oberlaender Fund

Grants support the charitable, cultural, educational and scientific purposes of the Community Foundation.

Kline Family Undesignated Fund