Foundations Play Significant Role in Pittsburgh’s Revival

Grant makers have been key to the community and economic development of Pittsburgh as the city’s fortunes have improved over the past three decades, reports the Associated Press.

Pittsburgh has more jobs than when steel peaked in 1979, a cleaner environment, a varied economy, and poverty rates nearly 2 percentage points lower than the nation’s.

Observers attribute those successes to the preponderance of grant makers in the area: More than a quarter of Pennsylvania’s 4,109 foundations and more than a third of their $28.7-billion in assets are in Pittsburgh. The foundations also tend to collaborate on multiple projects.

The foundation-sparked recovery is a key reason President Obama chose the city to host the Group of 20 meeting next month, a gathering of key world leaders, the article says.

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