Many people are not fully aware of the extent to which charitable organizations shape everyday life in our communities.
From social services to education, healthcare, and the arts, nonprofits touch nearly every aspect of quality of life. Americans give hundreds of billions of dollars to charity each year, supporting roughly 1.9 million organizations nationwide. These organizations often become even more essential during periods of economic uncertainty, when demand for services tends to rise just as resources can feel more constrained.
That dynamic is especially relevant as many are watching the markets closely this spring. Even the possibility of a downturn can influence financial decisions, including charitable giving. It is natural to feel more cautious. At the same time, history shows that community needs often increase during challenging economic periods—making it all the more important to stay engaged in philanthropy.
As you think about your charitable giving this year, this may be a good moment to step back and consider not only where you give, but also how you structure your giving for long-term impact. In particular, it is important for donors and fund holders to consider expanding their portfolio of giving to include giving to the Community Foundation itself. This can take several forms, each of which plays a meaningful role.
Unrestricted giving
Some donors choose to support the Community Foundation’s grantmaking and initiatives across generations. This type of support helps ensure that the foundation can continue serving as a trusted resource—connecting donors to causes, responding to emerging needs, and stewarding charitable funds with care and expertise well into the future. It is an investment not only in today’s giving, but also in the long-term strength of the philanthropic infrastructure in our community.
Support for existing funds
Other donors focus on increasing the Community Foundation’s grantmaking resources so that more money can flow from the Community Foundation to nonprofits that are helping those in need, especially when times are tough. Contributions to unrestricted or broadly focused funds allow the foundation’s program team to respond quickly and thoughtfully to the most pressing challenges facing our region. During periods of economic strain, this flexibility can be especially powerful, enabling support to reach the people and organizations that need it most, at the moment it matters most.
A hybrid approach
In many cases, donors adopt a dual strategy—continuing to support favorite organizations directly or through the Community Foundation’s grant programs while also allocating a portion of their giving to the Community Foundation itself or by establishing a new fund of your own. This approach can help balance personal philanthropic interests with broader community impact, creating a more resilient and adaptable giving strategy.
The Community Foundation’s unique role is what makes any or all of these approaches so effective. As a perpetual institution governed by a local board of directors, Berks County Community Foundation is designed to serve the community not just today, but across generations. Our team maintains deep knowledge of local needs, works closely with nonprofit partners, and is positioned to deploy resources where they can do the greatest good over time.
Especially in moments when the future feels uncertain, expanding your portfolio of giving in this way can provide an added layer of confidence. You can continue supporting the causes you care about while also strengthening the Community Foundation’s ability to lead, respond, and make a difference—now and in the years ahead.
We are honored to work alongside you as you consider how your philanthropy can support both immediate needs and lasting impact for our entire community.
Where the foundation’s team of experts convene with local leaders, volunteers, and change-makers to share the good work being done across Berks County.
Available to stream anywhere you listen to podcasts, including YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcast, Amazon Music, and more! Can’t find Sparking Change on your preferred podcast streaming platform? Reach out.
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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:
- What are microplastics?
- Recycling Codes and what they mean for plastic users
- Microplastics found on Mount Everest, the world’s tallest peak
- Plastic bag found in Mariana Trench, the world’s deepest ocean trench
- The effect of microplastics on human health
- The cost of litter removal in Pennsylvania towns
This podcast episode was recorded at BCTV’s studio in Reading, PA, on March 24, 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:
- Coordinate, plan, and host two to three (2–3) Northern Berks Connects networking events annually.
- Collaborate with the Northern Berks Connects Steering Committee to respond to identified community needs.
- Create and maintain a Northern Berks Connects website and localized digital and printed resource guide.
- Regularly update and maintain the web-based and printable resource guide.
- Distribute resource information to participants in Northern Berks Connects.
- Explore strategies to support the sustainability of the initiative over the next two to three years.
Proposals are due by May 18th. Visit the foundation’s Grant Application Portal or click below to submit your organization’s proposal now.
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 the need for social services in our rural libraries, 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
Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Amazon Music
Don’t see your preferred podcast streaming platform? Reach out.
Most of us can think of something we fully intend to do—someday. Organize the photos. Update the estate plan. Schedule the family meeting. Reboot the exercise routine. Charitable planning often falls into that same category.
We hear from many generous people who care deeply about their community and fully intend to “do more” with their philanthropy. But life is busy. The calendar fills up. Markets fluctuate. Family and business priorities shift. It can feel easier to wait for the perfect moment—when things feel calmer, clearer, or more certain.
If that sounds familiar, you are not alone. And it is not a sign of indifference. More often, it reflects uncertainty.
You may wonder:
- –Am I giving to the right organizations?
- –Am I committing too much too soon?
- –What if my priorities change?
- –What if I want to involve my children later?
When every decision feels permanent, it is natural to pause. The Community Foundation can help you shift gears from intention to action. Here are three principles that guide our work with donors in this situation:
Take it one step at a time.
One of the most helpful mental shifts is to think of charitable planning as a multi-step process rather than a single, all-or-nothing decision. In many cases, a tax planning need takes precedence because of concrete deadlines and tax year considerations. Our team understands!
Keep it simple.
Sometimes the hardest part of giving is not generosity—it is decision fatigue. You might be asking yourself, “Where should I give?” Often, that’s not the best question to ask right out of the gate, especially if you are new to philanthropy. The team at the Community Foundation can help you work through key threshold questions including:
- –As I look back on my charitable giving, what areas of focus seem to jump out?
- –What specific charities have I supported over the years?
- –Why have I supported those charities?
- –Is there anything about my areas of focus that I’d like to change going forward?
As we explore these questions together, our team can provide research on local nonprofits, share insights about community needs, and facilitate family conversations about values and priorities.
Adopt long-term thinking.
Community change does not happen overnight. You may find that your charitable intentions include not only providing annual support to favorite charities but also making a meaningful difference over many years or even many decades that extend well beyond your lifetime.
The team at the Community Foundation can help you structure not only a donor-advised fund to help organize your annual giving, but also other types of funds and a legacy plan. Some families, for example, establish a field-of-interest fund to support a particular cause with built-in flexibility as community needs change. Similarly, a designated fund can provide long-term support to specific organizations, and an unrestricted fund allows you to leverage the Community Foundation’s deep expertise and perpetual structure to address emerging community priorities for generations to come. You can name one or more of these funds as a beneficiary in your estate plan, whether through a gift in your will or trust or through a beneficiary designation on an IRA.
The bottom line is that the Community Foundation is here for you along your entire charitable giving journey. We’ll work together to build and implement your philanthropy plan brick by brick over the years to come, involving your tax advisors and family members at key junctures and always ensuring that your charitable intentions—even as they evolve over time—are fulfilled.
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.”
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:
- Replacement of existing lighting with more energy-efficient lighting (more information here)
- Installation of high-efficiency HVAC projects (more information here)
- Installation of commercial kitchen and refrigeration improvements (more information here)
Process timeline:
- LOIs open April 15; Due May 15
- Announcement of invitation to submit an application by May 30
- Application opens on June 1; Due July 15
- Funding decisions announced by September 30
Letter of Intent
An advisory board will review the applications and decide which projects will receive grant funding.
The LOI and application is available in Berks County Community Foundation’s and Community Foundation for the Alleghenies’ grant portals. Projects in Penelec territory should fill out the form in the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies’ portal; Projects in Met-Ed territory should fill out the form in Berks County Community Foundation’s 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
In late 2025, the program and communication teams of Berks County Community Foundation spent two days in the Kutztown area. There, they visited local institutions that contribute to the area’s vitality.
The foundation conducts these site visits to gain knowledge about the communities we serve. Some institutions have received gifts from various funds the foundation manages. Other institutions simply enrich the cultural, educational, or religious life of the county.
This blog post is part two of a two-part series on the Kutztown tour. Read part one, available here.
The second half of the Kutztown site visit started one cold November morning at Crystal Cave, one of the oldest tourist landmarks in Berks County. Discovered on November 12, 1871, our team toured the first “show cave” in Pennsylvania on the 154th anniversary of the cave’s discovery.
The cave was discovered by William Merkel and John Gehret while they were blasting for limestone. After the smoke cleared, the pair descended 125 feet into damp, underground darkness. Although the pair didn’t come to purchase the cave, their initials are etched into one of the cave’s rock formations. With some formations aging more than half a million years old, it is safe to say that Merkel and Gehret’s legacies will endure for generations to come.
Human influence—and intrusion—are common traits in Crystal Cave’s history as a “show cave”. Immediately after Merkel and Gehret’s discovery, Berks County residents began to brave the impenetrable darkness of the cave, in search of souvenirs. Frustrated with the damage, Samuel D. F. Kohler bought the cave, built an official entrance, and started charging guests 25 cents for admission.
The ancient appeal of Crystal Cave brought tourists from all over the country, which ushered in a time of economic growth for Kohler. Improvements were made inside the cave for safety purposes, a hotel was built for guests, and a stagecoach was purchased to expand access across the region.
As business expanded, the Kohler family tested the limits of the cave. Hoedowns, weddings, and baptisms took place in the “Crystal Cave Ballroom”, complete with a bar for liquor, live band, and dance floor. Amid renovations and celebrations, David Kohler (son of Samuel) sold Crytal Cave to J. Douglas Kaufman.
In more recent years, Crystal Cave, Inc. has adapted as an attraction that celebrates nature and educates visitors on the fragility of the cave’s rock formations. When touring the cave, guests are asked to not touch the rock formations, as human touch can interfere with their growth—a big change from the days of removing crystals from the cave as a souvenir.
Now, Crystal Cave attracts the public through their scenic hiking trails, educational group tours, historical museum and much more.
To learn more about Crystal Cave or plan your next excursion, visit Crystal Cave’s website.
The next stop on our tour of Kutztown was to Kutztown University, where the Indigenous Showcase with the Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center participated in a cultural exchange of music, food, dance and literature.
The Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center is a nonprofit whose mission is to promote the socio-economic development of the Native American community and others who experience similar types of economic difficulties in the Greater Pittsburg metropolitan area.
The tribes most associated with Berks County include the Susquehannock, Lenape, and Iroquois peoples. Today, only 1.4% of Berks County’s population identifies as an American Native. The impact of native lives, however, can be found all over the county: what we now know as Maxatawny, Neversink, Saucony, and Tulpehocken were once Machksithanne, Navesink, Saconk, and Tulpewahaki, respectively.
The second day of our Kutztown tour concluded with a brief visit to shops along Main Street and the surrounding Kutztown area. Find the list of shops the foundation team visited below:
- Casa de Empanada
- Saucony Creek Brewing Company
- Sorrelli Jewelry
- Kutztown Tavern
- Young Ones Records
- Paisley & Company
- Dietrich’s Meta’s and Country Store
- Firefly Bookstore
Interested in having the foundation visit your nonprofit or organization? Reach out!
Thanks to the United Way of Lancaster County, 211 services are available in Berks County.
What is 211?
211 is a free, confidential, and comprehensive informational/referential service for individuals looking for a broad range of health and human services. Dial 211, text your zip code to 898211, or live chat or search at pa211east.org to find information on a broad range of services.
The services 211 can help you locate and navigate include:
- Housing Support: access payment assistance, eviction and other landlord/tenant issues, emergency shelter and subsidized housing
- Utility Assistance: includes mediation assistance and help with water, gas, fuel, phone and electric bills
- Family Resources: find childcare, online learning resources, camps, child development and emergency family support
- Food Security: locate local food pantries, home delivered meals, sit down meals, assistance programs and pet care
- Elder care: includes in-home assistance, health and nutrition, caretaker support and transportation
- Health Services: includes physical, mental and dental health, medical transportation, vaccines and insurance
- After-school programs for at-risk children
Please note: 211 is not an emergency services provider. If your needs are emergent, call 911.
Who is 211 PA East?
211 PA East is a program of United Way of Lancaster County whose 211 services extend to all of Berks County. When Berks residents dial 211, they connect with professionally trained resource navigators, who will gain knowledge of the caller’s needs, identify solutions, and connect the caller with local services they require. Help is available in multiple languages and is completely confidential.
Why does Berks County need 211?
Here are the facts: many Berks County households require assistance accessing basic human needs. For many reasons, that existing need is growing in Berks County. While many of our community members can identify first responders who assist with emergencies, many individuals don’t know where to turn when faced with limited access to basic human needs. Now, Berks County residents can dial 211.
Dialing 211 also keeps our communities safer and healthier. When first responders react to non-emergent calls, they are unable to meet community needs as intended. By calling 211 for social service assistance, our 911 emergency dispatch system does not get overwhelmed with non-emergent calls.
211 PA East was made possible, in part, by the Home Health Care Foundation Permanent Fund of Berks County Community Foundation. If you’re passionate about improving the health and quality of life for Berks County residents, consider donating to the fund.
