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Philadelphia Foundation

Annual Giving
$63.8M
Grant Range
$10K - $0.1M
Decision Time
1mo

Philadelphia Foundation - Funder Overview

Quick Stats

  • Founded: 1918
  • Annual Giving: $63.8+ million (2022)
  • Geographic Focus: Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties (PA); Camden and Burlington counties (NJ)
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $50,000 (competitive grants)
  • Decision Time: Approximately 1 month from application processing
  • Application Cycles: Typically Spring and Fall (Note: No competitive grant applications in 2025)

Contact Details

Address: 1835 Market St, Suite 2410, Philadelphia, PA 19103-2909
Phone: 215-563-6417
Email: info@philafound.org
Website: www.philafound.org
Office Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday

Overview

Established on December 20, 1918, by William P. Gest and the Fidelity Trust Company, the Philadelphia Foundation is one of the world's first community foundations and the largest devoted to improving lives in Greater Philadelphia. Over its century-plus history, the foundation has awarded over $800 million in grants and scholarships to community organizations. The foundation manages more than 1,100 charitable funds established by donors and makes over 1,000 grants and scholarship awards annually. In 2022 alone, the foundation distributed over $63.8 million in grants. The foundation's mission is to strengthen the economic, social, and civic vitality of Greater Philadelphia by growing effective philanthropic investment, connecting individuals and institutions across sectors and geography, and advancing civic initiatives through partnerships and collaboration. Under the leadership of President and CEO Pedro A. Ramos since 2015, the foundation has redoubled its focus on racial equity, economic mobility, and supporting organizations serving marginalized communities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Competitive Grants (Note: Not accepting applications in Spring or Fall 2025; providing continued support to 2024 grantees)

  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $50,000
  • Application Frequency: Organizations limited to one application per calendar year
  • Recent Awards: $2.9 million to 97 organizations (December 2024); $2.6 million to 101 organizations (July 2024)
  • Application Method: Typically two competitive cycles annually (spring and fall), though 2025 is providing unrestricted general operating support to existing grantees

Grant Categories:

  • Advocacy Grants: For nonprofits utilizing advocacy and community organizing best practices toward policy change on behalf of marginalized and low-income communities
  • Direct Service Grants: Supporting organizations providing essential services to vulnerable populations
  • Impact Grants: For nonprofits with a strong history of direct service programming to high-poverty and marginalized populations
  • Leadership Grants: Supporting organizational capacity and leadership development
  • Fund for Children: Supporting youth development programs for ages 0-18

Special Initiative Grants:

  • GSK IMPACT Awards: Annual awards of $50,000 in unrestricted funding to up to ten local nonprofit organizations contributing to a healthier Greater Philadelphia
  • Forman Family Fund: Grants of $5,000 to $40,000 annually for organizations serving youth aged 11-18 through in-school or out-of-school-time programs
  • Henrietta Tower Wurts Memorial: Modest grants for programs where a small award can make significant impact

Fund for Children: Established through $1 million annual contributions from both the Philadelphia Eagles and Philadelphia Phillies (totaling $2 million per year for 30 years), this fund supports programs improving the quality of life for children in Philadelphia. Grants range from $10,000 to $50,000.

Priority Areas

  • Vulnerable Populations: Priority given to nonprofits with operating budgets under $5 million serving those who are disconnected, disenfranchised, disempowered, and underrepresented
  • Equity and Racial Justice: Recipients must demonstrate ongoing commitment to implementing equity at organizational and programmatic levels
  • Economic Mobility: Partnerships that increase economic mobility for all residents (recent $8.35 million workforce investment announced)
  • Human Services: Ensuring access to essential services and support, including serving immigrant and disabled populations and addressing poverty
  • Gun Violence Prevention: Active leadership through the Civic Coalition to Save Lives
  • Food Security: Regional Food Fund addressing food security crises
  • Arts & Culture, Health & Medical, LGBTQ, Community Development, Education

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions not publicly documented; focus is clearly on Greater Philadelphia regional nonprofits serving vulnerable populations with operating budgets typically under $5 million.

Governance and Leadership

President and CEO: Pedro A. Ramos (joined August 2015)

Pedro Ramos has articulated his vision for the foundation as "an exciting hub where needs, information, ideas and resources join the nonprofit, business and government sectors around real and lasting solutions." He emphasizes "partnerships that increase economic mobility for all, strengthen the safety net and improve civic capacity." In June 2020, addressing racial justice, Ramos stated: "As a community foundation that is foremost about the wellbeing of all our neighbors, we will redouble our efforts as a funder, fundraiser, partner, civic leader, a supporter of justice and equity."

Senior Leadership Team:

  • Orlando C. Esposito - Chief Financial Officer (joined April 2019)
  • Philip Fitzgerald - Chief Impact Officer
  • Jake Marini - Chief Advancement Officer
  • Sophie Bryan - Director of External Affairs and Civic Initiatives
  • Nell Booth - Chief of Staff (joined January 2016)

Board of Managers includes diverse leaders from business, nonprofit, and civic sectors:

  • Sharmain Matlock-Turner - CEO, Urban Affairs Coalition
  • Kathleen (Kate) S. Allison - CEO, The Karma Agency
  • Evan Urbania - CEO, ChatterBlast Media
  • Lawrence J. Beaser - Former Board Chair (2009-2016)

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Current Status (2025): The Philadelphia Foundation is NOT opening applications for Competitive Grants in Spring or Fall 2025. Instead, they are making unrestricted, general operating support grants to most organizations that received Competitive Grants in 2024. The grants team will communicate recommendations and next steps via email to Executive Directors by April 30, 2025.

Standard Application Process (when cycles are open):

  • Applications typically accepted through two competitive grant cycles annually (spring and fall)
  • Organizations limited to one application per calendar year
  • Grant amounts range from $10,000 to $50,000
  • Applications submitted online through the foundation's grant portal
  • Contact the foundation prior to creating an application for guidance on the right grant option

Pre-Application Contact: The foundation encourages organizations to contact them before applying, given the variety of grant programs and special initiatives available.

Decision Timeline

Applicants can expect to hear from the Philadelphia Foundation within one month of when they begin processing applications. Notifications are typically sent via email to Executive Directors.

Success Rates

While specific acceptance percentages are not publicly available, recent data shows:

  • December 2024: 97 organizations received funding
  • July 2024: 101 organizations received funding
  • Organizations receiving grants demonstrate strong alignment with foundation priorities

Reapplication Policy

Unsuccessful applicants may reapply at the start of the next calendar year. However, organizations can only apply once per year per discretionary category. For example, if an organization applies for a leadership grant in the spring and is denied, they can apply again in the fall, but must do so in a different category (they could not apply for leadership grants again in the fall).

Application Success Factors

The Philadelphia Foundation has articulated specific criteria that successful applicants must demonstrate:

1. Deep Community Connection (Responsiveness to Community)

  • Demonstrate deep knowledge of and connection to the service population(s)
  • Maintain ongoing mechanisms to gather input and feedback to shape services
  • Clearly define the community you serve (can be geographic, racial, artistic, social, residential, or a combination)
  • Show how you engage folks from that community in structuring, implementing, and evaluating your organization

2. Transformative Lens (Theory of Change)

  • Services driven by a clear theory of change connecting activities to desired outcomes
  • Focus on long-term impact, not just short-term outputs
  • Evidence of how programs create lasting change

3. Commitment to Equity

  • Demonstrate ongoing efforts to implement equity at organizational and programmatic levels
  • Show work to operationalize equity beyond aspirational statements
  • Evidence of equity as a lived practice throughout the organization

4. Organizational Characteristics

  • Priority given to nonprofits with operating budgets under $5 million
  • Service to vulnerable, disconnected, disenfranchised, disempowered, and underrepresented populations
  • Strong organizational infrastructure and leadership

Recent Grantee Examples: While specific project examples were not detailed in available sources, the foundation emphasizes funding organizations working on breaking the cycle of poverty, strengthening community connections, and making a difference in partnership with marginalized individuals and groups.

Foundation Guidance: "You should thoroughly review each application's criteria to determine what it covers and who is eligible before applying." The foundation also notes the importance of contacting them prior to application to ensure you're pursuing the right grant opportunity.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • 2025 is a closed year: No competitive grant applications will be accepted in Spring or Fall 2025; focus is on supporting existing 2024 grantees with unrestricted funding
  • Demonstrate deep community connection: Show meaningful mechanisms for community input and engagement in program design and evaluation
  • Equity must be operationalized: Go beyond mission statements to demonstrate how equity is implemented at organizational and programmatic levels
  • Theory of change is critical: Clearly articulate how your activities connect to long-term impact, not just outputs
  • Contact before applying: When applications reopen, reach out to foundation staff to ensure you're pursuing the appropriate grant opportunity
  • Budget size matters: Priority is given to organizations with operating budgets under $5 million serving vulnerable populations
  • One shot per year: Organizations can only apply once per calendar year per grant category, so choose strategically
  • Reapplication is possible: Unsuccessful applicants can reapply in a different category or wait until the next calendar year

References

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