Pamela Armstrong-Pautz
Vice President of Development
Pamela Armstrong-Pautz is the Vice President of Development at the Commonwealth Foundation.
Pam leads the fundraising strategy that fuels the organization’s mission to advance policy change, expand opportunities, and protect freedom for all Pennsylvanians.
Pam brings more than 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience, with a record of building high-performing teams, expanding major gift and foundation support, and designing strategies that drive sustained growth.
Before joining the Commonwealth Foundation, she served as Vice President of Development at Hope Rises International, formerly American Leprosy Missions, where she guided a global team through a brand transformation, launched a five-year digital fundraising strategy, and expanded donor engagement worldwide.
Previously, she served as Executive Director of the North Star Initiative, where she increased revenue sevenfold and spearheaded Central Pennsylvania’s first human-trafficking task force. She also served as CEO of the Integrity for Life Foundation, where she pioneered innovative social enterprises, including Pennsylvania’s first nonprofit grocery store.
Pam holds a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University and also serves as a Senior Fellow with the Social Enterprise Group.
Op-Ed: The Tax Bill Benefitted All Pennsylvanians. Will that Matter on Election Day?
To be sure, these numbers preceded the COVID-19 pandemic and economic lockdowns, which devastated job growth and earnings. Pennsylvania hit its lowest unemployment rate ever in 2019, but then skyrocketed to…
Commentary
Read More: Op-Ed: The Tax Bill Benefitted All Pennsylvanians. Will that Matter on Election Day?
Philly PD—and all public employees in Pa.—need transparency and accountability
Philadelphia City Council recently approved an accountability measure for police union contract negotiations, prompting praise from good government officials and a lawsuit from the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5…
Media
Read More: Philly PD—and all public employees in Pa.—need transparency and accountabilityEducation
Op-Ed: Pennsylvania’s Catholic Schools Face Uncertainty in the Pandemic Era
In a shutdown-induced economic downturn, however, many can’t afford private school tuition, and the donations that kept Catholic schools afloat are dropping off. About 150 Catholic schools nationwide have closed permanently…
Commentary
Read More: Op-Ed: Pennsylvania’s Catholic Schools Face Uncertainty in the Pandemic Era
Op-Ed: Schuylkill County and coal country keep Pa. politics unpredictable
Schuylkill’s “Outs” are all in for Trump in a county that has markedly declined since O’Hara’s stories. In northern Schuylkill, a conveyor over Route 54 declares in black letters: “Coal…
Commentary
Read More: Op-Ed: Schuylkill County and coal country keep Pa. politics unpredictable
And Then What? Reforms Beyond the Current Budget
In any case, the budget will get balanced. For Pennsylvanians, the real question is: “And then what?” Pennsylvania’s budget problems preceded the virus shutdown and will continue long after it without real reform. Listed below are areas where lawmakers…
Backgrounder
Read More: And Then What? Reforms Beyond the Current Budget
Nurse Practitioners Are the Heroes Our Healthcare Needs
Through HB 100, a pilot program would duplicate this year’s rule suspension within the limits of location- and population-based Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA), a federal designation of provider shortages.
Commentary
Read More: Nurse Practitioners Are the Heroes Our Healthcare Needs
Op-Ed: Could Pennsylvania’s Democratic governor deliver Trump the election?
In September, almost 450 Pennsylvanians — accustomed to waking up to an alarm and going to work — abruptly lost their jobs at Shop-Vac, a Williamsport-based manufacturer of wet/dry vacuums.
Commentary
Read More: Op-Ed: Could Pennsylvania’s Democratic governor deliver Trump the election?Education
Scholarships would help Erie students during pandemic
It’s time to form the same public-private partnerships in education. Fortunately, an innovative proposal in Pennsylvania’s General Assembly would enable students to get the help they need.
Commentary
Read More: Scholarships would help Erie students during pandemic
More from the Senate Education Committee Hearing
When schools closed last spring—and with many still not fully open—parents across Pennsylvania have seen their children lose ground while having to pick up the additional costs of at-home education.
Commentary
Read More: More from the Senate Education Committee HearingHealth Care
How to Vote in PA Q&A
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. In Pennsylvania, voters are navigating how to cast their ballots during this pandemic era. …
Fact Sheet
Read More: How to Vote in PA Q&APublic Union Democracy
Protecting the Rights of Pennsylvania Public Employees
Key Points Pennsylvania state law grants unions exclusive bargaining rights in government workplaces, makes it difficult for workers to leave their union, and allows taxpayer collection of union political money.Through…
Backgrounder
Read More: Protecting the Rights of Pennsylvania Public Employees
Education Stimulus Bill Subject of Senate Hearing
Oct. 5, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — Today, the Senate Education Committee will hold a hearing on a bill that would make a $1,000 per-student stimulus available to eligible families to help…
Press Release
Read More: Education Stimulus Bill Subject of Senate Hearing
Regulatory Reform: Three Ways to Jumpstart the Post-COVID Economy
At the beginning of April, over 80% of small businesses were at risk of closing if the shutdown continued for five more months. As of July, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce…
Backgrounder
Read More: Regulatory Reform: Three Ways to Jumpstart the Post-COVID Economy
How to Balance the Budget: Revenue Options
Pennsylvania’s partial-year budget to fund the government through November relied on federal emergency aid to patch a prospective deficit. The state cannot count on such extra resources in the future.
Backgrounder
Read More: How to Balance the Budget: Revenue Options
State Halts Unemployment Payments Due to Mass Fraud
Pennsylvania delayed Pandemic Unemployment Assistance payments after a 300% increase in applications. Over 10,000 inmates were illegally submitting unemployment applications from behind bars. Once again, the multimillion-dollar modernization project for…
Media
Read More: State Halts Unemployment Payments Due to Mass Fraud
Op-Ed: Now is the time to rebuild Pennsylvania
By passing these ambitious, though necessary, reforms to help Pennsylvania rebuild its economy, lawmakers can start bridging the gap between what the people need and what government is focused on.
Commentary
Read More: Op-Ed: Now is the time to rebuild Pennsylvania
Lawmakers can Help Students get Back on Track
Funded with a portion of Pennsylvania’s reserved federal CARES Act funding, the proposal would establish scholarship accounts that families can use for educational necessities, similar to EBT cards used for supplemental…
Commentary
Read More: Lawmakers can Help Students get Back on TrackHealth Care
Preserving Medicaid Before It’s Too Late
Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program is a national leader in all the wrong ways. Sub-standard access to care and soaring enrollment, costs, and fraud crowd out services for people with intellectual disabilities and low-income…
Backgrounder
Read More: Preserving Medicaid Before It’s Too Late
Pennsylvania’s Mail Ballot Fight Could Go to U.S. Supreme Court
The Pa. Republican Party has applied for a stay of a controversial Pa. Supreme Court ruling regarding mail-in ballots, indicating that it intends to appeal the case…
Media
Read More: Pennsylvania’s Mail Ballot Fight Could Go to U.S. Supreme CourtEducation
Global Education Report Confirms Pa. Parents’ Experiences
COVID-related disruptions in education could mean a $14 trillion hit to the U.S. economy in the long term. Helping kids get the individualized help they need—through Back on Track scholarship accounts—could…
Commentary
Read More: Global Education Report Confirms Pa. Parents’ ExperiencesHealth Care
Free-market Face Lift: How to Make Health Care More Affordable
Excessive restrictions on health care providers limits access to care. …
Commentary
Read More: Free-market Face Lift: How to Make Health Care More Affordable