Meet the Founder
Bo Rains
Welcome! I’m Bo Rains, and the story of PhilanthroPA is really the story of my own winding path through music, teaching, the wine industry, and ultimately discovering my passion for helping organizations thrive.
Giving back has always been a part of who I am. Growing up, I was an active member of the Youth United Way and volunteered when and where I could. For five years, I organized and performed in fundraising concerts benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Those early experiences planted the seeds for what would later become a career devoted to helping mission-driven organizations succeed.
I started out as a professional musician, and those early years gave me a do-it-yourself education in marketing, web design, and creative problem-solving. From there, I became a private music teacher, which led to a role as a music director at a local private school. When that school eventually closed, I took on a completely different challenge: working at a winery where I had performed. Within six months, I went from serving tables to becoming the general manager.
For seven years, I managed many aspects of the winery’s operations, from bookkeeping and staffing to inventory, events, and festivals. It was hands-on, all-encompassing, and a crash course in understanding the intricacies of running a business. When I became pregnant with my son, I knew I needed a role that didn’t require 50+ hours a week on the floor, so I launched Rains Beer Media, a beverage marketing company.
That business soon evolved. I became the Executive Director of the Two Bridges Wine, Beer, & Spirits Trail, where I managed grants and realized I had a knack for grant writing. In fact, my first big success during the pandemic—winning $3 million for an early intervention program—showed me that I could help organizations secure the funding they needed and help make a bigger impact on the community.
By 2025, I rebranded as PhilanthroPA to focus fully on helping nonprofits and social entrepreneurs. My journey from musician to teacher to winery manager to grant writer is at the heart of what makes PhilanthroPA unique: a blend of creativity, real-world business insight, and a lifelong commitment to giving back.