Funded Projects beginning with F

“Fabric of the Community” (2004)
Jackie Kresak, 2004 Community Murals mural

The Penn Main Business Association approached the Sprout Fund seeking a mural that would give their community a sense of identity. This area, known as the Penn Main Corridor, has struggled to distinguish itself as a unique community amidst a constant change coming from every direction. The site of the new main branch of UPMC’s Children’s hospital, only minutes from the Strip, and a stone’s throw between Bloomfield and Central Lawrenceville, Penn Main is caught between many distinct neighborhoods. Artist Jackie Kresak’s design of an unfinished quilt seemed perfectly suited to the neighborhood. Inspired by a quilt that her mother started but never had the chance to finish, the mural depicts Kresak’s hands picking up where her mother left off. Aptly symbolizing the Penn Main Corridor being bound together as a community, yet still being a work in progress, Kresak comments that “sewing a quilt is like bringing together the different kinds of people and uniting them into one whole blanket or community. The purple folded b lock with the pin in it represents that it, like a community, is still under construction and changing for the better.” The promise of the mural is that, like quilting, the growth of a community identity can take new directions and form new patterns out of the many pieces of itself.

Façade Enhancement and Activation Program
$33,000 » Northside Community Development Fund, 2016 One Northside project support

Façade Enhancement and Activation Program, a project of Northside Community Development Fund, improved the appearance of the East Ohio Street corridor to help drive business growth for the owners and landlords through a more welcoming customer experience. The project addressed problems such as a lack of permanent and attractive signage, a lack of windows and views into businesses, a lack of lighting, and a lack of character.

Faces Film Festival Works in Progress Day
$1,000 » Carnegie Mellon University, 2016 Remake Learning sponsorship

Faces Film Festival Works in Progress Day, an event hosted by Carnegie Mellon University, presented a youth engagement component of the annual Faces Film Festival. Events included film screenings, lectures, workshops, and a “Works in Progress Day” at the Faces Film Festival showcasing a documentary created by local youth. Events culminated on April 3, 2016.

Faces of Democracy
$10,000 » Humanities Center, CMU, 2006 Seed Award project support

Faces of Democracy, a project of Humanities Center and Carnegie Mellon University, brought some of the best films in contemporary world cinema to Pittsburgh. The festival screened award-winning shorts and features concerned with civil, ethnic, and human freedoms.

Fairies, Mortals, & Magic: A Midsummer Celebration
$5,000 » Avalon Productions, 2002 Seed Award project support

Fairies, Mortals, & Magic: A Midsummer Celebration, a project of Avalon Productions, reacquainted the public with the themes and rituals surrounding the celebration of midsummer solstice. The performances brought together a diverse, multicultural group of artisans, healing arts professionals, spiritual groups, businesses, and families to engage in a ritual of seasonal rejoicing.

Fallow Grounds for Sculpture
$1,050 » Neu Kirche Contemporary Art Center, 2015 One Northside project support

Fallow Grounds for Sculpture, a project of Neu Kirche Contemporary Art Center, activated a vacant lot in the East Deutschtown section of the neighborhood through a commissioned public art project that incorporated the participation of neighbors. For the first installment of the series, local artist Jesse Kauppila played a game of checkers with 71 community members ranging in age from 5 to 85. By documenting each game, the artist created a fifteen-foot brick visualization of every move made in the games, highlighting the labor required to construct relationships along with the role the built environment has in sculpting our social interactions. The art work was permanently installed for outdoor, public exhibition on Concord Street in East Deutschtown.

Family Legacy Award
$1,000 » North Side Partnership Project, 2017 One Northside project support

Family Legacy Award, a project of North Side Partnership Project, recognized the achievement of a Northside family that exceled in academics, sports, and performing arts. The second annual event used a dinner to recognize the selected family, promoting their positive activities in the community and highlighting them as role models for local youth.

Family STEM Night
$1,000 » Robert Morris University, 2015 Spark sponsorship

Family STEM Night, an event hosted by Robert Morris University, was an outreach event for elementary school students and their families to visit the RMU campus, meet instructors and professionals in STEM fields, and participate in hands-on STEM learning activities. Families were invited to engage in various interactive experiments while learning more about the exciting STEM disciplines.

Family Tent Activities at First Night
$1,500 » Assemble, 2014 Spark sponsorship

Family Tent Activities at First Night, a project of Assemble, was part of Pittsburgh’s 2013 New Year’s Eve celebration downtown. Housed in the First National Bank Family Tent, Assemble lead craft activities for youth and families to make LED bracelets. Teaching 3,000 participants about basic circuitry, the program provided both education and entertainment during the festivities, while also introducing newcomers to the city’s many maker activity opportunities. Family Tent Activities at First Night took place on December 31, 2013.

The Fantasy Black Draft
$1,000 » 7th Movement Development, LLC, 2015 Grand Ideas project support

The Fantasy Black Draft, a project of 7th Movement Development, was a live pseudo-sports draft event during which fifty Black Pittsburghers who have left to live in other cities were invited to consider returning to Pittsburgh by a diverse set of ten Pittsburgh stakeholders and leaders. Utilizing the dramaturgy of a football sports draft, The Fantasy Black Draft invited the Pittsburgh public to nominate Black former Pittsburghers who had left Pittsburgh to return and contribute to Pittsburgh’s progress via the technology, education, medical, financial development and public policy sectors based on their professional experience. The Fantasy Black Draft was a precursor to a larger project entitled The Black Draft, during which five Black former Pittsburghers were drafted to return to Pittsburgh and five Black current Pittsburghers were drafted to stay in Pittsburgh.

FEAST on Good
$750 » The Saxifrage School, 2014 Remake Learning sponsorship

FEAST on Good, a project of The Saxifrage School, was the Pittsburgh-specific arm of the national FEAST Conference, which annually gathered remarkable entrepreneurs, radicals, doers and thinkers who brought their talents to the table to make life better. At the conference for makers and visionaries, speakers didn’t just speak: they challenged the audience with some of the most important and ambitious issues in the world; and attendees didn’t just sit back: they rolled up their sleeves and created solutions in response. Involvement in Pittsburgh featured a global conversation between learning leaders via Twitter about why it is so hard to turn what you learn at school into real-world skills.

Feastival
$500 » McKees Rocks Community Development Corporation, 2015 Sprout Sponsorship sponsorship

Feastival, a project of McKees Rocks Community Development Corporation, was a community engagement celebration featuring food, music, and art in downtown McKees Rocks. Aimed at generating excitement and engagement around McKees Rocks and nearby communities, the event estimated an attendance of approximately 4,000 people on August 1, 2015.

Festival of the Salvage Arts
$7,500 » Construction Junction, 2003 Seed Award project support

Festival of the Salvage Arts, a project of Construction Junction, was the premiere event of SALVO. This two-day open house at Construction Junction’s retail warehouse in Point Breeze provided an opportunity for the community to explore their artistic and creative potential. Activities included hands-on projects for people of all ages to experiment with salvage materials, as well as an exhibition of salvage arts by Pittsburgh artists.

FETC Conference
$1,500 » Montour School District, 2016 Remake Learning conference stipend

Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC), a project of Montour School District, enabled Scott Milburn, Director of Education in the Montour School District, to attend FETC in Orlando, FL from January 24-27, 2017. FETC was the leading educational technology conference in the country, focusing on the topics of Communication and Collaboration, Digital Teaching Tools and Game-Based Learning, Online and Blended Learning, Emerging Technologies and Maker Tools, Instructional Design, Educational Policy and Leadership, Mobile Learning, and Technology Infrastructure.

FETC Conference
$1,600 » Pittsburgh Public Schools, 2016 Remake Learning conference stipend

Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC), a project of Pittsburgh Public Schools, enabled Carl Baumgart and Michael Colligan, technology educators at Pittsburgh Public Schools’ Allderdice High School, to attend FETC in Orlando, FL from January 24-27, 2017. FETC was the leading educational technology conference in the country, focusing on the topics of Communication and Collaboration, Digital Teaching Tools and Game-Based Learning, Online and Blended Learning, Emerging Technologies and Maker Tools, Instructional Design, Educational Policy and Leadership, Mobile Learning, and Technology Infrastructure.

Fighting Fear While Building Bridges
$5,000 » New Sun Rising, 2017 100 Days project support

Fighting Fear While Building Bridges, a project fiscally sponsored by New Sun Rising, faught fear in the first 100 days within Latino communities in Pittsburgh.

Find the Rivers! Words, Music, Art!
$8,500 » Hill House Association, 2006 Seed Award project support

Find the Rivers! Words, Music, Art!, a project of Hill House Association, was a community-driven urban design vision for expanding economic development in the Hill District. Capitalizing on a strategic location, green spaces, and stunning river views, the project showcased visual, musical, and performing arts in the community.

Fineview Community Garden Improvement
$1,050 » Fineview Citizens Council, 2015 One Northside project support

Fineview Community Garden Improvement, a project of Fineview Citizens Council, improved the Fineview Community Garden by replacing a broken gate, building additional raised beds, purchasing a composter along with top soil and mulch, and adding a welcome signage. The project increased the sense of community ownership of the garden and fostered community identity for the Fineview neighborhood.

Fineview Community Garden Speaker Series
$1,050 » Fineview Citizens Council, 2016 One Northside project support

Fineview Community Garden Speaker Series, a project of Fineview Citizens Council, reenergized a reclaimed vacant lot in the Fineview neighborhood through a community health speaker series. Each speaking event focused on educating community members on healthy lifestyle options, raising awareness of local businesses, and engaging diverse and historically withdrawn neighbors.

Fineview Community Picnic
$1,050 » Fineview Citizens Council, 2016 One Northside project support

Fineview Community Picnic, a project of Fineview Citizens Council, connected Fineview neighbors through a community picnic. The event kicked off a spirit building campaign to lighten the atmosphere in the neighborhood and highlight community needs, such as rehabilitating play spaces for children. The event featured screen printing t-shirts, face painting, a cardboard city, ultimate dodgeball, and playground in a bag from City of Play.

Fineview Fitness Trail
$10,000 » Fineview Citizens Council, 2012 Social Innovation Exchange project support

Fineview Fitness Trail, a project of Fineview Citizens Council, organized the stairs in the Fineview neighborhood of Pittsburgh into a formalized network of trails that provide runners, hikers, and walkers with a clearly marked course and introduce them to the challenges, vistas, and history of Fineview.

Fineview Gateway Green+Screen
$1,050, 2015 One Northside project support

Fineview Gateway Green+Screen, a project led by Robyn Doyle, beautified intersections and gateways in the Fineview neighborhood with a special focus on the intersection of Carrie and Warren where volunteers from the community, as well as hired contractors and arborists, repaired infrastructure, cleared green spaces, and restored the neighborhood’s welcome signage. To help maintain their efforts, the project team worked with Fineview Citizens Council, city government officials, and GTECH Strategies.

FIRST Championship Conference
$1,000 » Carnegie Mellon University, 2015 Remake Learning conference stipend

FIRST Championship Conference, a project of Carnegie Mellon University, enabled Theresa Richards, team leader, to take the entire Girls of Steel team to the conference by bus to compete at this national robotics and engineering event. Pittsburgh’s Girls of Steel won the Chairman’s Award at the Buckeye Regional FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) in Cleveland, which qualified the team to compete in the FRC Championship in St. Louis.

First Company Fort McIntosh Garrison Revitalization Request
$5,000 » Beaver Area Heritage Foundation, 2008 Community Connections project support

First Company Fort McIntosh Garrison Revitalization Request, a project of Beaver Area Heritage Foundation, helped equip a regiment of re-enactors representing the garrison stationed at Fort McIntosh in 1778. The First Company Fort McIntosh Garrison was outfitted with uniforms as well as with gunpowder for muskets and cannons. The Fort, on the bank of the Ohio River in Beaver, was the first permanent peacetime post of the U. S. Army and is a Beaver County connection to the Revolutionary War.

First Night Make-N-Take
$1,500 » Assemble, 2014 Spark sponsorship

First Night Make-N-Take, a project of Assemble, provided an evening of hands-on STEAM & Maker learning activities for up to 3,000 children, youth, and families attending First Night Celebrations in downtown Pittsburgh on December 31, 2014.

First Steps In Coding
$10,000 » ASSET STEM Education, 2015 Spark project support

First Steps In Coding, a project of ASSET STEM Education, was a pilot program to form an educator/parent-friendly teaching framework that fostered young children’s skills in visual memory, basic number sense, problem solving, and language through play. In partnership with daycares, early childhood centers, and parents, the project equipped educators of children ages 3-5 with the knowledge and skills needed to facilitate age-appropriate learning around coding/programming.

First Take: Mobile Media Classroom
$12,000 » Dreams of Hope, 2014 Spark project support

First Take: Mobile Media Classroom, a project of Dreams of Hope, was an art education experience that offered low-cost, high-quality media art making to young students. Offered through Pittsburgh area arts organizations, the program was a collaborative effort between Dreams of Hope, its fiscal sponsor, and Gateway to the Arts teaching artist Paul Kruse. It brought learning 21st Century skills and media literacy to students through the creation of short animations, videos, sounds and images. With each arts-integrated residency that took place in an area grade school or middle school, students were exposed to new ways of thinking about technology and media creation and taught not only to create, but to understand how to seize control of their own experiences in our media-saturated world.

First Waves
$5,000 » Paddle Without Pollution, 2014 Hive project support

First Waves, a project of Paddle Without Pollution in partnership with SurfSUP Adventures, taught teens facing adversity about surfing, filmmaking and conservation all at once. Teens recruited from Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh took paddleboards out to surf the Stonycreek River at Greenhouse Park, using GoPro cameras to document their adventures. Then, the project moved downtown for a river clean-up event on the shores of the City of Pittsburgh with further filming. Finally, on the project’s third day, teens visited Pittsburgh Filmmakers for a video editing workshop to complete their short films about how pollution threatens our waterways and our community’s quality of life.

Fisherman’s Tale
$5,000 » Lemington Community Services, 2008 Community Connections project support

Fisherman’s Tale, a project of Lemington Community Services, organized fishing trips along Pittsburgh’s rivers and in rural creeks surrounding the city for an underserved population of African American senior citizens. Participants were able to enjoy the outdoors and establish new social connections.

Flamenco Pittsburgh
$5,000 » Flamenco Pittsburgh, 2009 Seed Award project support

Flamenco Pittsburgh, a project of Flamenco Pittsburgh, was a cultural community resource devoted to promotion, presentation, and education related to flamenco music and dance. In collaboration with community partners including the Guitar Society of Fine Art, Latin American Cultural Union, and the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Flamenco Pittsburgh provided connections and resources to help meet the needs of a growing population young flamenco aficionados in Pittsburgh.

Flicks on Bricks
$7,000 » Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project (PUMP), 2003 Seed Award project support

Flicks on Bricks, a project of Pittsburgh Urban Magnet Project (PUMP), introduced film buffs, young people, and community members to Pittsburgh’s rich cinematic tradition and compelling urban venues. The series offered creative presentations of films in different Pittsburgh neighborhoods, highlighting the unique character of each community and presenting films to a diverse audience.

FlipCon 14
$1,000 » Flipped Learning Network, 2014 Remake Learning sponsorship

FlipCon 14, a project of Flipped Learning Network, was an annual conference that focused on engaging students by “flipping” instruction and putting learners in charge of their own education, bringing together nearly 70 keynotes, panels, and presentations by Flipped Learning practitioners. The 7th annual event took place at the Mars Area School District, reaching an audience of approximately 500 conference attendees and 500 additional virtual participants.

flipDESK
$5,000 » Chartiers Valley School District, 2014 Hive project support

flipDESK, a project of Chartiers Valley School District, was a project focused on providing a compelling solution for the current intersection of technology and learning in educational environments. Led by a team of high school students, the flipDesk prototype offered educational institutions a cost-effective, durable, multi-functional student desk that combined both a traditional desk workspace with a powerful, built-in, touch interface computer with cloud-based content connectivity. Through a prototyping experience, participating youth took a product idea through the entire process of research and development, building and manufacturing, testing, refining, and, finally presenting to the public. The prototype building experience also provided fellow students with educational opportunities as they assisted with photo documentation, parts manufacturing, product testing, and generation of informational and promotional materials.

Flock Parties
$4,500 » Flock of Cycles, 2011 Seed Award project support

Flock Parties, a project of Flock of Cycles, were slow paced, family friendly group bicycle rides that focused on having fun while encouraging and exemplifying safe road use. Accompanied by music, groups pedaled through easy, pre-planned routes and concluded with post-ride parties at a different location each month. Flock Parties brought people together from many different neighborhoods, cultures, and socioeconomic classes with the shared goal of wanting to ride bikes in a safe, supportive, fun environment.

Flowfest
$7,500 » PA Cleanways of Allegheny County, Inc., 2007 Seed Award project support

Flowfest, a project of PA Cleanways of Allegheny County, Inc., was an art, music, and ecology festival that fostered an awareness of Pittsburgh’s rivers, celebrating the waterways as part of the landscape and promoting engagement in their stewardship.

The Flying Destructicate New Visual Language Panel
$1,000 » Encyclopedia Destructica, 2007 Grand Ideas project support

The Flying Destructicate New Visual Language Panel, a project of Encyclopedia Destructica and Josh Tonies, included a live performance and video screening. The project additionally brought together the interdisciplinary artists whose work was featured in The Flying Destructicate New Visual Language, a book by Encyclopedia Destructica. The panel contextualized the content of the book and allowed artists to discuss critical issues within their disciplines.

Food City Sustainability
$1,050 » Community Alliance of Spring Garden - East Deutschtown, 2016 One Northside project support

Food City Sustainability, a project of Community Alliance of Spring Garden - East Deutschtown, expanded the functionality of the Garden at Food City with improved equipment. By purchasing the equipment and tools, the garden worked to become self-sustainable for years to come.

For the Birds
$1,000 » Tucker Marder, 2014 Grand Ideas project support

For the Birds, a project of artists Dan Allende and Tucker Marder, was a two-night performance featuring a stunning combination of video, live music, puppetry and live birds. Produced in collaboration with the National Aviary to celebrate National Migratory Bird Day, the performance was a visual symphony where the movements of the birds dictated the direction of the show. With an aim to inspire audiences to appreciate the importance and beauty of our natural world, For the Birds presented the Aviary’s feathered friends in a way they’ve never been seen before, as they conducted the music and choreography of the show with their actions.

Fossils: Evidence of Queer Life in Pittsburgh
$1,500, 2011 Seed Award project support

Fossils: Evidence of Queer Life in Pittsburgh was a week-long extravaganza of queer history, storytelling, creating, and dreaming. Participants unearthed and explored Pittsburgh’s GLBTQ past and experienced the community’s pivotal role in challenging contemporary social issues. Fossils spotlighted a number of queer artists, performers, activists, and community members and exhibited “fossils,” visual representations submitted by visitors to document their presence and the existence of queer life in Pittsburgh. Part of Future Tenant Gallery’s “Trespass” residency series, “Fossils” was curated by Pittsburgh-based artist Dani Lamorte.

Foster Care: The Coffeehouse Tour
$5,000 » Family Services of Western Pennsylvania, 2008 Seed Award project support

Foster Care: The Coffeehouse Tour, a project of Family Services of Western Pennsylvania, instilled awareness of child welfare issues in young adults. Through educational campaigns in coffeehouses and community centers, the program provided a nontraditional point of access to information and challenged young adults to meet the increasingly diverse needs of children in foster care.

Fotograffiti
$1,000, 2005 Grand Ideas project support

Fotograffiti was a photography exhibition and installation at The Shadow Lounge in East Liberty that featured portraits of some of Pittsburgh’s most creative young artists, musicians, poets, deejays, models, and emcees, all shot by Vanessa German. The exhibit also included an installation of stenciled questions posed to engage viewers in a larger dialogue surrounding art and the creative life in Pittsburgh.

Fred Chats
$2,500 » Fred Rogers Center, 2014 Remake Learning sponsorship

Fred Chats, a project of Fred Rogers Center, was a platform for fresh voices working to improve the lives of children, coinciding with the 2014 Fred Forward Conference. Fred Chats gave young people a chance to give fifteen-minute talks on the conference’s opening night, focusing on Great Ideas, Great Causes or Great Legacies and inspired by the innovative spirit, passion and values of Fred Rogers. As a generation of kids who grew up with Mr. Rogers, the young Fred Chatters offer a great insight into where learning is now headed as they themselves become the educators and parents of the next generation of early learners.

FREE-STYLE
$5,000, 2006 Seed Award project support

FREE-STYLE was a free one-day festival of hip-hop music, art, and culture. The first local festival of its kind, the event featured Pittsburgh-based music groups, performers, graffiti artists, and dancers. Designed to showcase the collective potential of an often-maligned art form, FREE-STYLE hosted a roster of talent to represent the potential within Pittsburgh’s hip-hop community.

Free4All Music Festival
$6,000 » Project 53 Musician Resource Center, 2010 Seed Award project support

Free4All Music Festival, a project of Project 53 Musician Resource Center, was a weekend-long music performance and workshop festival in Polish Hill. The festival coincided with Polish Hill’s Art What You Got festival and featured local and national bands, as well as interactive, family friendly performers.

Friend-Field Postcard
$1,000, 2012 Social Innovation Exchange project support

Friend-Field Postcard, a project by Felipe Castelblanco and James Southard, was a participatory art project that invited all the residents of Friendship, Bloomfield and Garfield to pose for neighborhood group portraits. Developed by Carnegie Mellon University visual artists Castelblanco and Southard, these portraits were then printed and distributed throughout the community as postcards, encouraging residents to reach out to each other across neighborhoods, developing relationships that tie the bordering communities closer together. The postcards were also available in the neighborhoods as a souvenir to represent the conviviality of collective action and community-building.

From Camp to Care
$1,000 » Keep it Real, 2014 Grand Ideas project support

From Camp to Care, a project of Keep it Real, was a simulation targeted at university students that addressed their lack of understanding and knowledge about refugees worldwide. The focus was on the experience inside of refugee camps as advised by Keep it Real’s connections within the Somali refugee population of Pittsburgh. Follow-on activities and a potluck event were used to further dialogue and learning.

From Co-Op to Cup: Conversations over Coffee
$1,000 » Building New Hope, 2014 Grand Ideas project support

From Co-Op to Cup - Conversations over Coffee, a project of Building New Hope, was a series of pop-up coffee tent events connecting the coffee farmers of El Porvenir, Nicaragua to Pittsburgh consumers through videoconferencing technology. The project encouraged consumers to contemplate the source of their products and to make informed decisions.

From Ignorance to Action
$5,000 » A Jewish Voice for Peace, 2017 100 Days project support

From Ignorance to Action, a project of A Jewish Voice for Peace, spread solidarity and respect for the Muslim and refugee experience through canvassing, education, and community-building.

From Intolerance to Understanding
$6,000 » Pittsburgh Filmmakers, 2006 Seed Award project support

From Intolerance to Understanding, a project of Pittsburgh Filmmakers, was an art exhibition and community conversation project. Images produced by photographer Lynn Johnson documented the impact of intolerance and hate crime within city communities and advocated for overcoming barriers of difference. The project included a symposium discussion and a presentation to students and members of Pittsburgh Filmmakers.

From Note to Finish
$12,000 » Ion Sound Project, 2014 Hive project support

From Note to Finish, a project of IONsound Project, supported music students from North Allegheny and Pittsburgh CAPA high schools in collaborative composition and performance of their own music both in their schools and in the community. Students were mentored by Pittsburgh-based professional composers and educators in a student-led, collaborative learning environment.

From Pantry to Plate
$1,000 » Infinite Lifestyle Solutions, 2017 One Northside project support

From Pantry to Plate, a project of Infinite Lifestyle Solutions, hosted food demonstrations at the Greater Allen AME Church as a way to provide health and wellness education in a fun atmosphere. Nutritionists from the community food bank helped plan the 6-week program, using food available at the food bank. A wellness coach or nurse additionally served as a guest speaker at each workshop to provide information on topics such diabetes and heart disease before attendees sat down to share a healthy meal together.

Front Door Campaign
$1,000 » Northside Common Ministries, 2017 One Northside project support

Front Door Campaign, a project of Northside Common Ministries, created a dignified entrance to the Northside Food Pantry through the installation of a sign, lighting, and new paint for the door. The professionally made sign was lit with LED bulbs in order to raise visibility and increase safety while the overall updates worked to maintain the sense of dignity volunteers and staff want all patrons to feel when they are there.

Front Street
$1,000 » Sara McCool, 2012 Social Innovation Exchange project support

Front Street, a project of filmmaker Sara McCool, was an interactive arts and culture talk show shot live and broadcasted on the internet. Each episode revolved around a particular issue and showcased guests whose work was relevant to that topic, highlighting the vibrant artistic and activist communities in Pittsburgh and creating deeper discussions on topics of importance to the area. Recorded in front of a live audience in the comfort of McCool’s apartment, guests like Shadow Lounge’s Justin Strong, Assemble’s Nina Barbuto, and comedian Davon Magwood discussed their personal experience with the confounding realities of racial humor, political artwork, gentrification, and more—all from their seat in the show’s iconic, overstuffed pink couch.

Ft. Bedford Park Riverfront Trail Promenade
$5,000 » Borough of Bedford, 2008 Community Connections project support

Ft. Bedford Park Riverfront Trail Promenade, a project of Borough of Bedford, constructed the first phase of a non-motorized recreational hiking and biking trail along the Raystown Branch of the Juniata River. The trail connects three noteworthy historic interpretive centers in Bedford, each of which offers a different approach to the interpretation of the rich history found there. The trail also provides a needed off-road hiking and biking opportunity for families with young children and serves as a symbolic joining of efforts and resources to increase tourism in the Bedford area.

Funding to a Tea
$500 » Healcrest Urban Farm, LLC, 2015 Sprout Sponsorship sponsorship

Funding to a Tea, a project of Healcrest Urban Farm, LLC, was a gathering of women entrepreneurs to learn about fundraising strategies, share ideas, and build connections with other young women leaders. Approximately 100 women attended the event on June 9th, 2015 at Healcrest Urban Farm.

“Fursonas”
$10,000 » Dominic Rodriguez & Pittsburgh Filmmakers, 2013 Film & Video project support

Fursonas, a documentary by Dominic Rodriguez and project of Pittsburgh Filmmakers, was a documentary that explored the lives of furries in Pennsylvania. The furry community referred to a diverse network interested in anthropomorphic animals. Many of these people purchased or created fursuits— life-size animal costumes of their “fursonas”. The film offered intimate portraits of a variety of fursuiters, attempting to understand the person behind the costume. While locals were familiar with the display of hundreds of furries in the street during Anthrocon each summer, they seldom looked past their preconceived notions about the fandom. Other documentaries about furries focused on providing an easy answer for the phenomenon, but Fursonas was more interested in taking a humanistic approach, allowing the subjects to speak for themselves, and the audience to decide for themselves.

Furthering Student Unity
$500 » The Good Peoples Group, 2016 Change Machine project support

Furthering Student Unity, a project of 18-year old Rori Cain, brought together youth to examine the role racism plays in various aspects of their lives in order to amplify the voices of youth of color and help them heal. Weekly meetings took place at the Carnegie Library in Oakland and Freehand Craft studio in Bloomfield.

Future Makers Symposium
$1,000 » Kelly Strayhorn Theater, 2016 Sprout Sponsorship sponsorship

Future Makers Symposium, an event hosted by the Kelly Strayhorn Theater, was a component event of the Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Summit focusing on neighborhood leadership and personal agency. The symposium engaged educators, entrepreneurs, community leaders, and others with a stake in the future of Pittsburgh communities.

Future Tenant Education Program Spring 2016
$3,500 » Carnegie Mellon University, 2015 Hive project support

Future Tenant Education Program Spring 2016, a project of Carnegie Mellon University, consisted of a Mentorship and Speaker Series that helped prepare high school students to launch a successful career in the arts industry. The Speaker Series brought local artists, arts management professionals, and business owners to Future Tenant to provide workshop-style learning experiences for youth outside of the traditional classroom setting.