Thomas Cusmano
Regional Director, Strategic Partnerships
Thomas (Tom) Cusmano is Regional Director, Strategic Partnerships at the Commonwealth Foundation.
Prior to joining the Commonwealth Foundation in early 2022, Tom spent twelve years at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) and its student journalism subsidiary, the Collegiate Network (CN). Both ISI and CN educate, train, and mentor America’s most promising principled student leaders, scholars, and future journalists.
Tom has spent three decades facilitating development support for national, regional, and statewide charitable organizations. He says, “The greatest blessing of my professional life has been to assist an inspiring group of dedicated, patriotic, and generous Americans with their philanthropy. I now have the opportunity to return that inspiration for my home state of Pennsylvania through the worthy endeavors of the Commonwealth Foundation.”
Tom has been a Pennsylvania resident since 1994 and proudly proclaims another great blessing, living in Amish Country, where he, his wife, and family “found home.”
Health Care
COVID-19 Could Change the Way Pennsylvania Does Business
Small business owners like Elvira, Jessa, and Andy deserve a fighting chance to keep their business dreams alive. That’s the only way to heal Pennsylvania’s economy.
Fact Sheet
Read More: COVID-19 Could Change the Way Pennsylvania Does BusinessState Budget
Marijuana Money Can’t Fix the Budget
The dollars involved are small and legalization would create new expenses.
Memo
Read More: Marijuana Money Can’t Fix the Budget
Federal Ruling: Wolf Admin Not Above the Constitution
W. Pa. Counties Successfully Counter Wolf’s Shutdown Order Sept. 14, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa.
Press Release
Read More: Federal Ruling: Wolf Admin Not Above the Constitution
Wolf Proposes Band Aid for Small Business? Broken Leg
Sept. 10, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — Governor Tom Wolf called on the legislature to provide more taxpayer funding to bail …
Press Release
Read More: Wolf Proposes Band Aid for Small Business? Broken LegTaxes & Economy
Lawmakers Fight Wolf on Cap and Trade Plan
Governor Wolf is determined to pull Pennsylvania into a multi-state compact that restricts carbon dioxide emissions and raises the cost of power. But thanks to the natural gas revolution Pennsylvania…
Commentary
Read More: Lawmakers Fight Wolf on Cap and Trade Plan
Op-Ed: To fix Philadelphia’s “bad cops” problem, end special privileges for unions
Reforms that expose the current system will usher in the transparency and accountability needed to reestablish the trust upon which public safety depends.
Commentary
Read More: Op-Ed: To fix Philadelphia’s “bad cops” problem, end special privileges for unionsEducation
Ways to Ease Substitute Teacher Shortages?
Now more than ever, we need flexible policies to ensure schools have enough substitute teachers. We trust school leaders to keep kids safe and manage large budgets. Shouldn’t we trust them to…
Commentary
Read More: Ways to Ease Substitute Teacher Shortages?
Commonwealth Foundation Receives 2020 Biggest Win for Freedom Award
Sept. 3, 2020, Harrisburg, Pa. — The Commonwealth Foundation is honored to have earned the 2020 Bob Williams Award: Biggest Win for Freedom, presented by the State Policy Network.
Press Release
Read More: Commonwealth Foundation Receives 2020 Biggest Win for Freedom AwardHealth Care
Lawmakers Push to Do Better, Rebuild Our Economy
Today the Republicans in the Pa. House attempted to override the Governor’s veto of HR 836, the bill that would end Pennsylvania’s 6-month long state of emergency and the…
Commentary
Read More: Lawmakers Push to Do Better, Rebuild Our Economy
Send a Note to the Team
If you'd like to share a note or word of encouragement to the team, enter it below. BWA Notes…
Commentary
Read More: Send a Note to the Team
Op-Ed: ‘Back on Track’ proposal would help parents pay for alternative education during COVID-19
State Rep. Clint Owlett, a Republican representing District 68, is sponsoring HB 2696, and state Sen. Judy Ward, a Republican representing District 30, is pushing a companion bill, SB 1230. If enacted,…
Commentary
Read More: Op-Ed: ‘Back on Track’ proposal would help parents pay for alternative education during COVID-19Regulation
Lawmakers Try to Stop Restaurant Catastrophe
Bars and restaurants in Pennsylvania are sounding the alarm, warning that mass closures are on the horizon due to unnecessarily strict government regulations. A new report from the …
Media
Read More: Lawmakers Try to Stop Restaurant CatastrophePublic Union Democracy
Biden Would Subject Entire Economy to Unions’ Demands
If Joe Biden is elected president, he would move to eliminate right-to-work laws now operative in 27 states. The current Democratic nominee for president, would also turn the Naitonal Labor…
Commentary
Read More: Biden Would Subject Entire Economy to Unions’ DemandsTaxes & Economy
Wolf Takes More Federal Money, Complains About It
Governor Wolf is focused more on wrangling over unemployment aid than lowering unemployment.
Commentary
Read More: Wolf Takes More Federal Money, Complains About It
Op-ed: Parents Deserve Funding to Get Students Back on Track
Back on Track ESAs will enable parents—rather than government bureaucrats—to determine what help their children need. But the benefits don’t stop there. The scholarships will help address many of the education…
Commentary
Read More: Op-ed: Parents Deserve Funding to Get Students Back on TrackTaxes & Economy
Preserving Medicaid: How to Stop Shortchanging Patients and Bankrupting Taxpayers
Pennsylvania is a Medicaid leader in all the wrong ways. Enrollment has skyrocketed beyond population growth, and the state ranks fourth in the share of the state budget consumed by Medicaid.
Report
Read More: Preserving Medicaid: How to Stop Shortchanging Patients and Bankrupting Taxpayers
Op-Ed: Transparency Victory a Call to Action for Lawmakers
Wolf’s pattern of lawlessness must be stopped—and lawmakers’ transparency victory could be the turning point that reins him in. …
Commentary
Read More: Op-Ed: Transparency Victory a Call to Action for Lawmakers
Op-Ed: Education Innovation Needed Now More than Ever
Programs like tax credit scholarships and education scholarship accounts (ESAs) empower families to choose the education options that fit their needs. They help parents afford to look beyond the government-run system to…
Commentary
Read More: Op-Ed: Education Innovation Needed Now More than Ever
Always Prepared
Pennsylvania's health care system should be always prepared, no matter the crisis. But regulations block qualified nurses and health professionals from stepping in when they're needed most. By permanently eliminating…
Commentary
Read More: Always PreparedTaxes & Economy
Unleashing Educational Opportunity
Applying cautious estimates, this study finds that the two private school choice programs in Pennsylvania are expected to provide billions in long-run economic benefits from higher lifetime earnings, fewer high…
Report
Read More: Unleashing Educational Opportunity