In March 2022, Susanne Cole, President and CEO of Pittsburgh-based non-profit Pressley Ridge, received what she thought was a SPAM e-mail stating that the organization was being awarded a $10 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. Thankfully, Cole followed up on the message and learned that Pressley Ridge would be receiving the largest gift in their nearly 200-year history, completely unsolicited.
Considering the possibilities of such a gift, Susanne and the Board of Directors wanted to be thorough and meticulous in their planning. They undertook a deep-dive analysis of the social service sector to determine the best use of the dollars to sustain critical services for the future. Recently, the organization unveiled its new five-year strategic plan.
“This generous investment in Pressley Ridge’s mission has been instrumental in allowing us to build a strategic plan designed to enhance our ability to serve the increasingly complex needs of youth and families in our communities. The unrestricted nature of this gift has allowed us to thoughtfully develop a strategy for growth over the next five years,” said Cole.
The new strategic plan focuses on advancing equity, strengthening families, and improving community-based care to support youth and families facing significant challenges. Key initiatives include being a national leader in foster care, expanding into kinship care, and increasing family preservation services. By 2029, Pressley Ridge aims to increase its impact and improve outcomes for thousands more children by being able to keep families together with increased supports.
The plan reflects Pressley Ridge’s commitment to adaptability and innovation, ensuring that vulnerable children and families receive the support they need to stay connected to healthy relationships and community resources. As the child welfare system continues to evolve, Pressley Ridge seeks to lead by example, creating a more equitable and family-centered approach to care.
“We recognize that for all children to thrive, our impact must extend far beyond the current scope of Pressley Ridge programs and services. By embracing this comprehensive strategic plan, we aim to seize opportunities to educate, advocate, and champion initiatives that enhance the system of care, ensuring that all children, youth, and families can benefit,” stated Cole.
The organization plans to raise an additional $25 million through a comprehensive fundraising initiative titled “We R… The Campaign for Pressley Ridge.” However, the $10 million gift from Scott serves as the catalyst for the plan, enabling Pressley Ridge to enhance its services to impact more youth and families while addressing systemic issues such as racial equity, which directly align with MacKenzie Scott’s giving priorities.
In 2019, Scott signed the Giving Pledge, vowing to give away more than half of her wealth over the course of her lifetime. Since then, she has donated a total of $17.3 billion in unrestricted gifts to more than 2,300 organizations. Unrestricted gifts support an organization’s overall mission with no specific requirements on how the money can be spent. Through Yield Giving, Scott conducts rigorous research to identify worthy non-profit beneficiaries that serve under-supported needs. Once the money is given, she trusts the organizational leadership to make decisions on how and when to spend the funds.
Unrestricted giving, although uncommon in philanthropy, can be transformational for non-profit organizations. Without constraints, organizations can be innovative with programming or choose to fund overhead costs such as staff recruitment, retention and training and purchasing necessary equipment. Most importantly, unrestricted gifts provide stability for long-term planning and goals. Fiscally strong non-profit organizations like Pressley Ridge, which is debt-free and foundation-backed, need the financial flexibility to develop and adapt program structures as necessary.
Susanne Cole hopes that more funders will consider following MacKenzie Scott’s example and begin providing organizations with funding without strict limitations. “MacKenzie Scott is an example for all of us,” Cole said. “Her generosity sets a high bar for other philanthropists. I’m grateful that she recognizes that nonprofits are doing incredible work and supports them in a way that allows for growth and innovation.”
Over the next five years, Pressley Ridge is committed to making strategic investments that not only address current challenges within the communities they serve but also lays a strong foundation for sustained future growth. Their vision is to build a more responsive, supportive, and effective child welfare system that keeps families together and ensures that every child has the opportunity to thrive within their own community.