# Lancaster County Community Foundation

Lancaster County Community Foundation is an Endowment / Foundation based in Lancaster, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation
- **Headquarters:** Lancaster, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** 24 W King St, Suite 201, Lancaster, PA 17603, United States
- **Founded:** 1924
- **Assets under management:** $137 million (Altss estimate)
- **Website:** lancfound.org
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/lancaster-county-community-foundati-on

## About

The Lancaster County Community Foundation was established in 1924 in partnership with the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, creating a permanent philanthropic vehicle for the county. President and CEO Sam Bressi has led the organization since 2008, overseeing its evolution into a multi-asset endowment. The foundation's board draws heavily from local family offices and operating businesses, with High Family Office Executive Director Steve Nieli serving as vice chair and treasurer, and The Steinman Foundation's president Lauren Frick holding a board seat. The foundation manages its endowment through a mix of fund commitments and direct investments. Its strategy spans buyout, growth, venture, distressed debt, secondaries, and special situations. Real estate exposure includes ownership of the Lancaster Trust Building at 24 West King Street, the foundation's headquarters and a commercial asset on its balance sheet. The foundation's president sits on the board of the Council on Foundations and is a past chair of the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations, while Executive Vice President Tracy Cutler serves on the board of the Pennsylvania Association of Community Foundations. These roles embed the organization in the governance layer of institutional philanthropy, providing direct line-of-sight into regulatory and strategic shifts. The foundation also operates the ExtraGive, an annual community-wide giving event presented by High Foundation. The foundation's architecture combines a traditional community endowment with the investment posture of a multi-strategy allocator. The foundation is an accredited member of the Council on Foundations since 2005.

## Sectors

- Real Estate
- Secondaries & Special Situations
- Private Credit

## People

- Sam Bressi — President and CEO
- Steve Nieli — Vice Chair and Treasurer
- Lydia Henry — Board Chair
- Wayne Groff — Chief Financial Officer

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at Lancaster County Community Foundation?

President and CEO Sam Bressi has led the foundation since 2008 and is the senior executive responsible for strategy. The board includes investment professionals such as Vice Chair and Treasurer Steve Nieli, who serves as Executive Director of High Family Office, and CFO Wayne Groff. This structure points to a board-level investment committee with direct family-office expertise.

### What is the ExtraGive and who runs it?

ExtraGive is an annual community-wide giving event operated by the Lancaster County Community Foundation to rally donations for local nonprofits. High Foundation is listed as a presenting sponsor, connecting the event to board member Steve Nieli's family-office infrastructure.

### Where does the foundation's endowment capital come from?

The foundation is not tied to a single wealth origin. It has amassed its endowment over a century through contributions from Lancaster County families, civic organizations, and named funds. Specific vehicles within the foundation include the John J. Snyder, Jr. Fund for Historic Preservation, the Katherine Gaeth Fund, and the BB&T Economic Growth Fund.

## Related profiles

- [Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation](https://altss.com/profile/findlay-hancock-county-community-foundation)
- [Lenoir-Rhyne University](https://altss.com/profile/lenoir-rhyne-university)

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Last updated: 2026-08-11T02:43:31.692Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/lancaster-county-community-foundation

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