History

As the founding affiliate of First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania, Williamsport Lycoming Community Foundation is one of the oldest community foundations in the United States. Local bankers Albert F. Young, James B. Krause, James B. Graham and Edward L. Taylor were inspired to form the Williamsport Foundation—also known as the Community Trust—after learning about a model foundation established in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1914. Our foundation was launched in 1916 with just $33 in donations.

With prudent stewardship, our foundation grew and prospered. By 1930, in the darkest days of the Great Depression, we were prepared to make our first grants to the community. Today the WLCF has 215 funds and assets of approximately $50 million. Over the years, we have granted out approximately $42 million to charitable causes in the Williamsport Lycoming County area.