News & Events

Explore news, upcoming events, and highlights of our work in scholarships, grants, and community engagement across Northwestern Pennsylvania.

Preserving the History of the Venango County Fair For generations, the Venango County Fair has brought people together around agriculture, education, competition, and community traditions. A new...
A Tionesta Life. A Lasting Local Legacy. A new Pennsylvania law will allow approximately $170,000 from the estate of a Tionesta resident to remain local, creating a permanent source of support for...
Gage Haniwalt has been named the first recipient of The Denny Hickman – Get Outside and Do Stuff Memorial Scholarship. Gage received a $4,000 award to support his studies at Bloomsburg University,...
For Denny Hickman, the outdoors was more than a place to visit. It was where he worked, explored, and built a life. His connection to the woods shaped his career, his family’s lumber business, and...
In rural communities, access to dependable healthcare often depends on a small number of local providers and facilities. Keeping those facilities equipped to serve patients safely and comfortably is...
Some skills are best learned by doing. Through Keystone SMILES Community Learning Center’s House of Trades program, participants gain hands-on experience while completing projects that local...
Few people leave the kind of lasting impact that Coach Pat Patterson did in the Oil City community. As an educator, coach, and mentor, his influence extended far beyond the classroom and the field—he...
Since its founding in 1997 by the former Venango Area Community Foundation (now an affiliate of Bridge Builders Community Foundations), the Venango County Arts and Culture Endowment has played a...
Today, April 30, 2025, Bridge Builders Community Foundations (BBCF) proudly marks a major milestone—50 years of philanthropic service and transformational community impact across the Oil Region....
Bridge Builders Community Foundations is officially turning 50—and we’re celebrating in a big way! Since 1975, we’ve been connecting people who care with causes that matter, and in 2025, we’re...
For nearly five decades, the William H. Locke Memorial Scholarship has been opening doors for students in Oil City, Pennsylvania—helping them pursue education beyond high school and build meaningful...
For families of individuals with autism, navigating everyday challenges can feel overwhelming—especially when it comes to securing basic necessities that align with their unique needs. That’s where...