Pittsburgh, PA – June 6, 2023. The Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI) is pleased to announce the receipt of a $1 Million Grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation. The grant, which was recently approved, will help TALI to continue moving forward its mission to prepare Black leaders for executive advancement. While TALI recently announced its national expansion plans, the new funds will support TALI’s operations in the Pittsburgh region.
According to Evan Frazier, President and CEO of The Advanced Leadership Institute, “It has always been our vision to create a sustainable model that addresses an important need to promote Black leadership diversity. This tremendous contribution comes at a pivotal time and will help to anchor our work in the Pittsburgh region.” Frazier also added, “We are truly grateful to the Richard King Mellon Foundation for this grant and their strategic investments in TALI at critical times over the years.”
The Foundation continues to demonstrate their support and confidence in the work done at the Institute. In 2018, the Foundation provided TALI with a $100,000 grant to pilot its flagship program, The Executive Leadership Academy. In 2020, it bolstered its support with a $1 Million Grant and now it is doing it again with another $1 Million to support TALI’s operations in the Pittsburgh region. This ongoing support has helped TALI continue to grow as it works to advance the presence of Black professionals in executive leadership roles.
“Supporting diverse leadership has been an ongoing focus for us,” said Richard King Mellon Foundation Director Sam Reiman. “That’s why we seeded TALI with its first six-figure grant in 2018 and a $1 Million Grant in 2020. And now, we are making another large grant of $1 million, in hopes that TALI can continue to build on and generate even greater private-sector enthusiasm for the critical work they are doing in Pittsburgh. TALI has enjoyed noteworthy support already, from corporate leaders such as BNY Mellon, Highmark, PNC and UPMC. But even more private-sector partners are essential for the Institute to achieve its full potential.”
The Advanced Leadership Institute operates three leadership programs delivered in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business, including:
- The Executive Leadership Academy (ELA) – Its flagship program targeting the Pittsburgh region; ELA is a seven-month, world-class executive education program that prepares Black senior-level managers for executive advancement.
- The Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) – ELP prepares Black professionals to transition from an early manager or individual contributor to broader leadership roles.
- The new National Executive Leadership Academy – Modeled after Pittsburgh’s ELA program, this national program is for Black executives and mid-level managers from across the country who have higher level career aspirations.
For more information about each program, visit taliinstitute.org.
About The Advanced Leadership Institute (TALI)
The mission of The Advanced Leadership Institute is to cultivate Black executive leadership to strengthen companies, institutions, and communities.
The Advanced Leadership Institute is supported by major corporations and foundations in the Pittsburgh region, including Founding Underwriters: BNY Mellon Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Highmark Foundation, and Richard King Mellon Foundation; Excellence Partners: Henry L. Hillman Foundation and Highmark; Lead Contributors: BNY Mellon, Eden Hall Foundation, and The Heinz Endowments. Presenting Sponsors: FHLBank Pittsburgh, Giant Eagle, Highmark Health, PNC, and UPMC. Gold Sponsors: American Eagle Outfitters, Bank of America, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC, The Buhl Foundation, CNX, Covestro, Duquesne Light Company, Dollar Bank, Erie Insurance, Koppers, The Pittsburgh Foundation, Pittsburgh Penguins, PPG, and Wabtec Corporation; Silver Sponsors: Highmark Wholecare, Northwestern Mutual, and Pittsburgh Legal Diversity and Inclusion Coalition; and Bronze Sponsors, which can be found on TALI’s website.
About the Richard King Mellon Foundation
Founded in 1947, the Richard King Mellon Foundation is the largest foundation in Southwestern Pennsylvania, and one of the 50 largest in the world. The Foundation’s 2021 year-end net assets were $3.4 billion, and its Trustees in 2022 disbursed more than $152 million in grants and program-related investments. The Foundation focuses its funding on six primary program areas, delineated in its 2021-2030 Strategic Plan.