Heinz Programming Areas

The Heinz Endowments strives to improve the quality of life for all, focusing its grantmaking primarily on the southwestern Pennsylvania region and in addressing many challenges that we share with communities across the United States, and globally.

The Heinz Endowments gives grant funding in three Heinz Programming Areas (HPAs): Creativity, Learning, and Sustainability. Awardees in the VIH Program select one of the three HPAs. The VIH awardees use the HPAs as a framework to articulate academic, professional, and personal goals for their International Experiences as well as for their Community Engagement Experiences.

Creativity
  • Channel creativity
  • Develop alternative cultural activities that lead to cultural exchanges
  • Utilize existing cultural resources.
learning
  • Encourage learning as a life-long pursuit
  • Increase involvement in schools and organizations that improve instruction and learning
  • Cultivate effective leadership skills
Sustainability
  • Promote sustainable transformation of systems and/or habits
  • Support efforts to reduce the damage currently being done by unsustainable practices, especially where people and nature are directly affected.
  • Seek to reduce disparities, protect vulnerable populations and environments, and promote equitable outcomes