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The fourth issue of our annual magazine, 237 Court, is here.

With each 237 Court magazine publication, the communication team at Berks County Community Foundation evaluates the important work performed by our team of experts and the community; that is the work which inspires the theme of every publication and every story. This year, we’ve observed the resilient nature of Berks County nonprofits through some of the toughest funding cuts in recent history. “A Year of Strengthening Our Roots” is about more than fostering community connections—it is also about digging deep. The stories of impact and captivating images found in this issue of 237 Court magazine are a small sample of the tenacious community leaders, donors, and grantees in Berks.

 “Though the Community Foundation was established just 32 years ago—young in comparison to Berks County’s long history—we, too, are built to endure,” says Kevin Murphy, President and CEO of Berks County Community Foundation. “We intend to be here forever, faithfully honoring the charitable wishes of the donors who have entrusted us to carry their legacies forward for generations to come.”

Our mission is to promote philanthropy and improve the quality of life for the residents of Berks County. The team works hard to bring organizations and individuals together for collaboration to spark change in the community. This year’s annual magazine provides detailed stories of these achievements, underscoring the powerful impact of donor support in the community.  

To read the full magazine, read the flipbook below or click here.  

Listen to the latest episode of Sparking Change: The Official Podcast of Berks County Community Foundation, titled “Berks in the Spotlight”.

Access to reliable, regional news is the oxygen communities breathe. Local, investigative reporting improves civic engagement and helps residents make informed decisions. Spotlight PA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit dedicated to high-quality investigative journalism for Pennsylvania state government, who launched a Berks Bureau in 2025.

Spotlight PA’s Community Forums Program is an extension of this investigative work. Focused on topics that matter to the community, this interactive and educational program has helped bring the Tec Centro Workforce Network to Berks County.

Have a story you’d like to share with Spotlight PA? Visit https://www.spotlightpa.org/tips or call +1 717-418-9684 to submit a tip.

To learn more about Berks County Community Foundation, email us at info@bccf.org or call 610-685-2223.

Other ways to listen to “Berks in the Spotlight”:

Spotify

Apple Podcasts

Amazon Music

Don’t see your preferred podcast streaming platform? Reach out.

READING, PA (June 4, 2026) – The Innovation Fund of Berks County Community Foundation recently awarded $101,956 to local organizations for projects that will improve environmental health across Berks County. Funded projects include small-scale construction, such as community gardens, educational programs, large-scale planning efforts, and more.

The following projects received funding from the Innovation Fund:

“The Innovation Fund supports creative projects that can make a meaningful impact,” said Emily Smedley, Environment and Energy Program Officer for Berks County Community Foundation. “Environmental health affects everyone. We all have a role to play and can become responsible stewards of our beautiful, biodiverse region.”

To learn more about The Innovation Fund, visit https://bccf.org/funds/the-innovation-fund/.

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Berks County Community Foundation is a nonprofit corporation that serves as a civic leader for our region by developing, managing and distributing charitable funds aimed at improving the quality of life in Berks County.  

Emily

Have a question about this fund?

Email Emily Smedley, Environment & Energy Program Officer

emilys@bccf.org

    Listen to the latest episode of Sparking Change: The Official Podcast of Berks County Community Foundation, titled “Berks for School, for Good”.

    Chad Ganley, Assistant Director of Career Development at Kutztown University, and Katie Diamond Rothstein, Generation Impact Program Director at VOiCEup Berks, join the Sparking Change podcast to discuss student retention in Berks County in the latest episode of Sparking Change, titled, “Berks for School, for Good”. The idea to increase employment and internship opportunities, as well as community engagement for recently graduated college students, originated from an initiative led by Kim Sheffer, Lifelong Learning Program Officer for Berks County Community Foundation.

    You can connect with the foundation by emailing info@bccf.org, calling at 610-685-2223, or visiting www.bccf.org. Chad Ganley can be reached by emailing ganley@kutztown.edu Katie Diamond Rothstein can be reached by emailing katie@voiceupberks.org.

    Other ways to listen to “Berks for School, for Good”:

    Spotify

    Apple Podcasts

    Amazon Music

    Don’t see your preferred podcast streaming platform? Reach out.

    Listen to the latest episode of Sparking Change: The Official Podcast of Berks County Community Foundation, titled “What’s Up with Plastic, Berks?”

    Emily Smedley, Environment and Energy Program Officer, hosts a conversation with representatives from What’SUP Berks, a local initiative whose mission is to reduce and eventually eliminate the use of Single-Use Plastic (SUP) bags in all stores, restaurants, and businesses in Berks County by 2027. By providing educational opportunities, engaging with community leaders, and encourage the use of reusable bags, What’SUP Berks hopes to ultimately help pass legislation banning SUP in the Commonwealth. Listen to the episode now to learn about the environmental, health, and financial repercussions SUP has on the Berks community–and how you can join the fight against SUP. Tom Crotty, Executive Team Member, and Linda Dapcic-Angst, Treasurer of What’SUP Berks, join the conversation.

    Other ways to listen

    Spotify

    Apple Podcasts

    Amazon Music

    Don’t see your preferred podcast streaming platform? Reach out.

    Want to take a deeper dive into the effects of single-use plastic?

    Here are helpful sources to supplement the conversation on single-use plastic:

    This podcast episode was recorded at BCTV’s studio in Reading, PA, on March 24, 2026.

    APPLICATIONS FOR THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY HAVE CLOSED. The deadline to submit a proposal for this grant opportunity was August 15, 2026.

    Berks County Community Foundation, in partnership with Northern Berks Connects (formerly the Hamburg Area School District Initiative), invites proposals from schools, and nonprofit entities to support a one-year pilot program.

    The selected organization will provide and oversee staff responsible for developing and maintaining a localized resource guide for the Hamburg area and its surrounding municipalities, coordinating community networking events, and supporting collaboration among community leaders. This initiative seeks to improve access to essential resources for basic human needs – including food & water, shelter & housing, health & medical resources, transportation services and safety & security issues.

    Applicants are expected to demonstrate the capacity to carry out the following activities:

    1. Coordinate, plan, and host two to three (2–3) Northern Berks Connects networking events annually.
    2. Collaborate with the Northern Berks Connects Steering Committee to respond to identified community needs.
    3. Create and maintain a Northern Berks Connects website and localized digital and printed resource guide.
    4. Regularly update and maintain the web-based and printable resource guide.
    5. Distribute resource information to participants in Northern Berks Connects.
    6. Explore strategies to support the sustainability of the initiative over the next two to three years.

    Visit the foundation’s Grant Application Portal or click below to submit your organization’s proposal now.

    Submit a Proposal

    Before submitting an application, review the Community Foundation’s grantee standards on the website.

    Questions? Reach out!

    Email your questions to Cindy Milian, Health and Human Services Program Officer of Berks County Community Foundation at cindym@bccf.org.

    “Social Services in Rural Libraries” is the first episode of Sparking Change: The Official Podcast of Berks County Community Foundation.

    Cindy Milian, Health & Human Services Program Officer, hosts a conversation with representatives from United Way of Berks County, Friend, Inc., Bethel-Tulpehocken Public Library and Hamburg Public Library. Together, the group discusses what it means to meet people where they are and the foundation’s newest initiative.

    This podcast episode was recorded at BCTV’s studio in Reading, PA, on February 25, 2026.

    Other ways to listen to “Social Services in Rural Libraries”:

    Spotify

    Apple Podcasts

    Amazon Music

    Don’t see your preferred podcast streaming platform? Reach out.

    Our 2025 Annual Report: A Year of Connection is here

    In Fiscal Year 2025, Berks County Community Foundation distributed over $6.8 million in grants and scholarships to support the community. While grantmaking is “what we do,” connecting to the community is at the heart of our work.

    Berks County Community Foundation connects donors, grantees, and community partners to one another in the pursuit of the greater good. Our Program Team, comprised of experts in their fields of interest, made quarterly site visits to local institutions to learn about their operations, needs, and impact on Berks County. During the federal government shut down and Pennsylvania state budget impasse, the communication and program team engaged a local reporter to investigate how government cuts affect Berks nonprofits. Connecting with people, sharing expertise, and learning from one another, is how communities thrive.

     “While distributing grants and scholarships is a core part of our mission,” says Kevin Murphy, President and CEO of Berks County Community Foundation, “none of our work would be possible without the relationships we build throughout Berks County.”

    Annual Report 2025 grant distribution graphic

    The Annual Report highlights our mission of promoting philanthropy and improving the quality of life for the residents of Berks County. The team works hard to bring organizations and individuals together for collaboration to spark change in the community. This year’s Annual Report provides detailed stories and data behind these achievements, underscoring the powerful impact of donor support in the community.  

    To read the full report, take a look below or click here.  

    The Met-Ed/Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund will make grants to fund a variety of energy efficiency projects to nonprofits, government entities, and small-businesses within the Met-Ed and Penelec utility areas. Funding is only available to existing buildings (not new construction) and to organizations that own their buildings (not lease). A preliminary energy assessment must be completed to be considered for funding. If you have not had an energy assessment completed, contact fund staff to be connected with technical assistance.

    There is $500,000 available per utility area ($1,000,000 total). Grants will typically range from $25,000 to $100,000.

    Eligible projects include:

    Process timeline:

    Note: The LOI form is available online. Projects in the Met-Ed territory should fill out the form in Berks County Community Foundation’s grant portal. Projects in the Penelec territory should fill out the form in the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies’ grant portal. If invited to submit an application, applications will also be available in each grant portal.

    An advisory board will review the applications and decide which projects will receive grant funding.

    Berks County Community Foundation’s grant portal
    Community Foundation for Alleghenies’ grant portal

    Contact information

    In the Met-Ed rate district, please contact Emily Smedley: 
    Environment and Energy Program Officer, Berks County Community Foundation 
    Fund Manager, Met-Ed Sustainable Energy Fund 
    Emilys@bccf.org  

    In the Penelec rate district, please contact Mark Keim:  
    Program Officer, Community Foundation for the Alleghenies 
    Fund Manager, Penelec Sustainable Energy Fund 
    mkeim@cfalleghenies.org  

    Ed Lombardo has a connection to Berks County Community Foundation that goes back many years. A lifelong Berks resident, high school football coach, community volunteer and investment advisor, Ed recognizes the importance of philanthropy.  

    Earlier this year, Ed reflected on his history of giving, which includes the Lombardo Family Scholarship Fund and the Lombardo Family Memorial Fund. To learn more about Ed’s connections to Muhlenburg, read his feature in this year’s edition of our annual magazine, 237 Court. Click here to view the magazine; Ed’s story begins on page 3. 

    To learn more about establishing a fund at Berks County Community Foundation, click here or email mollyr@bccf.org.