This matching grant, facilitated by the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, aligns with ARC’s goal of building Appalachia’s Workforce Ecosystem.
Media Contact:
Gigi Saladna
media@pghscholarhouse.org
PITTSBURGH, PA (January 7, 2026) Pittsburgh Scholar House (PSH) announced today that the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has awarded it $287,210 in grant funding for expansion of its Wayfinders Residential programming and Ready2Prosper – a new workforce development initiative designed to prepare students nearing graduation for success in both their careers and personal lives.
“Pittsburgh Scholar House is incredibly grateful to ARC and the Southwestern PA Commission (SPC) for this generous funding to support the creation of Ready2Prosper, our workforce readiness initiative,” said PSH CEO Dr. Daren Ellerbee. “The ARC award will establish and strengthen career and college pathways for our single-parenting scholars, setting the stage to advance cycles of generational prosperity for them and their families.”
The PSH is a nonprofit dedicated to creating lasting, generational prosperity for single-parent families by leveraging higher education attainment. Through its Wayfinders Program, PSH partners with single parents enrolled in post-secondary programs, providing comprehensive support services to address the unique challenges these students face, including housing insecurity, transportation, and financial barriers.
Modeled after the successful Family Scholar House in Louisville, KY, PSH’s Residential Program offers safe, affordable housing for single-parent families, ensuring a stable foundation for academic and professional success.
“Pittsburgh Scholar House is doing important work for the Western PA community with proven initiatives that build on stable housing, breaking cycles of poverty, and strengthening our workforce,” said Senator Fetterman. “When we give people the resources they need, we make sure no community is left behind. I was proud to support Pittsburgh Scholar House’s Ready2Prosper initiative earlier this year, and I’m confident this funding will prove to be an investment in our commonwealth’s economic future.”
The new Ready2Prosper program seeks to equip participants with the essential skills and knowledge required to thrive in their professional journey. Key components of the program include job search assistance, career readiness, personal development, and housing support.
The $287,210 grant will support key activities for PSH, such as:
- Hiring an Economic Mobility Manager to guide 40 Program participants in workforce readiness.
- Expanding transportation access through Pittsburgh Regional Transit passes for participants.
- Launching Ready2Prosper in 2026.
PSH will match ARC funding from its reserves, supporting:
- Additional personnel costs.
- Tuition assistance for participants in Residential and Wayfinders Programs.
- Emergency financial aid to address critical barriers to degree completion.
“Every family in Western Pennsylvania deserves the chance to build a stable and thriving future, and that starts with ensuring single parents have the tools, support, and opportunity to succeed. Pittsburgh Scholar House is doing life-changing work to break cycles of poverty and create real, lasting pathways to prosperity that are rooted in care, dignity, and education. I was proud to support this project because when we invest in our people, especially those who have been too often left out, we strengthen our workforce, our neighborhoods, and the future of our entire region,” said Congresswoman Summer Lee.
“I was proud to support Pittsburgh Scholar House’s grant application, and I look forward to seeing their work to help hardworking Allegheny County families build a stronger economic future,” said Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17). “This program’s plan to build our workforce, grow opportunity, and help families provide for themselves will make life better for a lot of Western Pennsylvanians.”
Since 1965, ARC has invested with local, regional, and state partners to transform Appalachian communities, create jobs and strengthen the regional economy. It aims to expand and strengthen community systems that help Appalachians obtain a job, stay on the job, and advance along a financially sustaining career pathway.
“When we invest in workforce development programs, we create a more skilled, productive, and adaptable Appalachian workforce,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “By boosting the career opportunities of single parents, this program will increase regional labor participation and help financially-sustain multiple generations of Appalachian families.”
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About Pittsburgh Scholar House:
Pittsburgh Scholar House is a pioneering nonprofit organization dedicated to building generational prosperity for single parents and their children through post-secondary education and housing support. By combining affordable housing with comprehensive support services, including academic advising, workforce development, and child development programs, PSH empowers families to build brighter economic futures. We are committed to fostering a community where education and housing stability can ensure long-term economic mobility and a higher quality of life for the families we serve. More information is available at www.pghscholarhouse.org.
About the Appalachian Regional Commission:
The Appalachian Regional Commission is an economic development entity of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 423 counties across the Appalachian region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation.
About Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission:
The Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission, more commonly known as SPC, is the cooperative forum for regional collaboration, planning, and public decision-making for the ten counties of Southwestern Pennsylvania including the City of Pittsburgh. SPC develops plans and programs for public investment and fulfills federal and state requirements for transportation, economic development, and local government assistance programs.