The Heinz Endowment is composed of two endowments founded over four decades apart, the Howard Heinz Endowment and the Vira I. Heinz Endowment. These endowments were the product of a family commitment to community that began with H.J. Heinz.


The mission of the endowments is to help Southwestern Pennsylvania thrive as a whole community, economically, ecologically, educationally, and culturally, while advacning the state of knowledge and practice in the fields of their work.



They focus more on general philanthropy. They have five grant-making programs which include Arts & Culture; Children, Youth & Families; Community & Economic Development; Education; and Environment.