FISA Foundation is proud to support out grantee partners in improving the lives of women, girls, and people with disabilities in southwestern Pennsylvania. See below some of the great work our grantee partners are accomplishing.
Grantee Spotlight
Autism Urban Connections
Autism Urban Connections is the first and only African American, minority, family focused Autism nonprofit in Pennsylvania. The organization was founded by Jamie Upshaw, a Black woman whose Autistic son was misdiagnosed as a young child, thereby missing key opportunities for early intervention. Her experience is not unique; research demonstrates that for African American children, there is an average 3-year delay between first parental developmental concern and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis.
“Our grantee partners are integral to igniting community change. We want to uplift and support them with the tools they need to positively impact women, girls, and people with disabilities.
Kristy Trautmann, Executive DIrector of FISA Foundation
Gwen’s Girls
For the last twenty years, Gwen’s Girls has focused on empowering girls and young women to have productive lives through holistic, gender-specific programs, education, and experiences.
Pennsylvania Health Law Project
As PHLP uncovers individuals’ barriers to healthcare, it uses this information as it monitors and analyzes proposed policy changes and legislation. PHLP then works with its clients and other advocates to push for policy and program changes to improve access to healthcare for people with disabilities, and other low-income populations.
STANDING FIRM
FISA’s support helped to launch and scale STANDING FIRM’s efforts to engage employers to Recognize the warning signs of abuse, Respond with support, and Refer employees to get free and confidential help through community-based services.
Latest Articles on Grantees
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FISA Awards February 2024 Grants to Uplift Women, Girls, and People with Disabilities
In February, FISA Foundation awarded $429,000 in grants to 14 organizations serving women, girls, and people with disabilities in southwestern Pennsylvania. The grantees represent a variety of direct services and social issues. Kristy Trautmann, Executive Director of FISA Foundation, stated, “We need strong partnerships between philanthropy and nonprofits to create real change. FISA aims to […]
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FISA Foundation Invests in Bringing Disability Lead to Southwestern PA
For many years, disability advocates in southwestern PA have worked to support the visible, diverse leadership of people with disabilities. While strides have been made, there are still challenges around elevating disabled leaders to positions of power and influence, and to creating a culture where established leaders can openly acknowledge living with chronic conditions and […]
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FISA Awards October 2023 Grants
For its October 2023 grant cycle, FISA Foundation awarded $795,000 in grants to 9 organizations serving women, girls, and people with disabilities. Kristy Trautmann, Executive Director of FISA Foundation, stated, “We are proud to invest in local organizations working on-the-ground and meeting the needs of our region’s most vulnerable populations.” She added, “Our grantee partners […]
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Grantee Spotlight
Black Women’s Policy Center
Pittsburgh is often lauded as among the most livable cities in the country. While this may be true for some, it is certainly not the case for Black women. Rochelle Jackson, a Black woman with decades of public policy experience, is well aware of the racial and gender inequities that Black women experience in Pittsburgh. She launched the Black Women’s Policy Center to change systems and policies to ensure that Black women don’t just survive but thrive.