Funding a $9.6 Million Community Health Transformation

The Uniontown Area YMCA serves as a critical community health and wellness hub in Fayette County — a historically underserved region of southwestern Pennsylvania.

The challenge

The facility faced serious infrastructure problems: aging mechanical, electrical, and life-safety systems; limited ADA accessibility; and outdated interior spaces that could no longer meet growing demand for childcare, senior wellness, aquatics, and community health programming.

The path forward was complex. A prior feasibility study had determined the original $17 million campaign goal was overly ambitious, estimating a realistic private fundraising range of $2–3 million supplemented by $2 million in public funding. Existing RACP grants totaling $15 million were tied to separate governmental sponsors with unclear execution status. The board needed a unified campaign strategy, grant infrastructure was minimal, and the organization needed experienced guidance to navigate multi-source public funding, build stakeholder alignment, and translate community need into competitive applications.

What we did

NDCS was engaged as Capital Project Consultant, providing end-to-end grant strategy, compliance management, stakeholder engagement, and campaign infrastructure development.

Strategic assessment and campaign planning

A landscape analysis of existing funding commitments, state and federal grant status, feasibility findings, and donor prospects. From it, a phased capital campaign strategy aligning private fundraising, public grants, and federal financing into one executable plan — plus a board activation roadmap with education, training, and a defined fundraising role for each member.

Grant writing and federal appropriations

Authored and submitted FY2027 Congressionally Directed Spending applications to three congressional offices — Senator John Fetterman, Senator Dave McCormick, and Congressman Guy Reschenthaler — each requesting $1,000,000 toward critical infrastructure. Managed the full submission lifecycle: narrative, budget documentation, and compliance with each office’s requirements.

Letters of support and stakeholder coordination

Ran a coordinated outreach campaign for letters of support from PA state senators and representatives, the County Board of Commissioners, a local hospital partner, the Economic Development Council, and the County’s Community Foundation — drafting the outreach, managing response timelines, and compiling everything for submission.

USDA Rural Development and RACP management

Prepared the USDA Community Facilities pre-application package, including SF-424 forms, board resolutions, conflict disclosures, and credit-elsewhere certifications. Coordinated with USDA Rural Development to secure a letter of interest confirming eligibility for roughly $3.36M in Community Facilities financing. Kept RACP and LSA grant alignment consistent with the original grant purposes as the scope evolved.

Case for support and campaign materials

Developed the Case for Support articulating mission, community impact, project scope, and investment rationale. It is a living document, and it underpins board presentations, donor conversations, and public outreach throughout the campaign.

Prospect development and donor strategy

Built a Top 25 prospect cultivation plan from the feasibility study’s confidential prospect data, board member input, and one-on-one interviews with community leaders. Identified key donor families and institutional partners, mapped EITC and NAP opportunities, and developed a naming rights framework for facility spaces.

Ongoing results

Since April 2025 the project has moved forward across every funding and campaign dimension at once:

• Three FY2027 congressional appropriations applications submitted, each requesting $1,000,000.
• Six letters of support secured — local government, healthcare, economic development, and philanthropy, anchoring the submission in a well-rounded base.
• USDA Community Facilities pre-application advanced, establishing eligibility for roughly $3.36M in federal loan financing.
• RACP grants clarified and aligned with current project scope across two governmental sponsors.
• Case for Support developed and in active use for board engagement and donor cultivation.
• Board activation roadmap implemented, turning a tentative board into an engaged campaign asset.
• Capital campaign strategy established with phased public and private targets and a clear path from quiet phase to public launch.
• EITC and NAP tax credit strategies identified for discrete program elements including childcare and equipment.