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Quarterly Digest
AUGUST 2025 NEWS
Announcing
$31.6 million
in grants
We are pleased to announce we recently awarded 79 grants
totaling $31.6 million across our five grantmaking programs, supporting efforts to expand access to resources and opportunities that promote a more vital and just city and region for all.
One Year In:
Update Since Our New Program Launch
Last summer, we implemented significant changes to our funding programs and practices that we believed would help us better achieve our mission of expanding access to resources that will enable the Philadelphia region – and particularly its residents who have been historically excluded from opportunities – to thrive. One year in, we’re looking back on our grantmaking since launching these changes. Our Chief Philanthropy Officer Elliot Weinbaum shares his reflections.
Program News and Perspectives
Arts and Culture
2025 Report Elevates Progress, Risks, and Needs of Pennsylvania's Arts and Culture Sectors
PA CultureCheck is a statewide research and advocacy collaboration that documents and amplifies the experiences, strengths, and concerns of Pennsylvania’s cultural sector. Led by PA Humanities, with regional support from Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the recently released 2025 report includes feedback from over 70 of WPF’s Arts and Culture grantees and highlights trends related to audience attendance, community engagement, and federal funding. Check out the report to learn more.
Children and Families
Newly Launched Coalition for Improving Mental Health Services
Strong Minds, Bright Futures: A Partnership for Child Mental Wellbeing is a growing statewide coalition committed to building a stronger future for Pennsylvania’s children. Led by over seventy partners including WPF grantees, the effort seeks to transform how government supports children's mental health in our schools, communities, and care systems.
International Day of Play Celebrated at New Live and Learn Installations
In June, families, community members, and project partners joined together to celebrate the unveiling of two Live and Learn Initiative sites in the Sharswood and North Central neighborhoods. Funded by the William Penn Foundation, the initiative is an exciting step forward in the national movement to bring Playful Learning into the everyday spaces where families live, gather, and grow. Watch a video of the celebration above, and click below for a look book of Live and Learn installations.
Democracy and Civic Initiatives
Funders pool $15 million to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary
The Philadelphia Funder Collaborative for the Semiquincentennial, a group of foundations, companies, and trusts committed to funding the nation’s semiquincentennial, has announced 125 grants totaling $15 million to support Philadelphia-area nonprofits as they prepare and implement programs commemorating the 250th birthday of the United States next year. We are proud to join other Philadelphia institutions to make next year's celebrations exciting, inclusive, and educational.
Nonprofit Repositioning Fund: Helping nonprofits survive and grow
We were proud to join grantmaking peers, led by the Philadelphia Foundation and the Philanthropy Network, to help launch Philadelphia’s Nonprofit Repositioning Fund a decade ago to support the region’s nonprofit ecosystem. The Fund supports sustained collaborations between nonprofits — which could include things like strategic planning, mergers, administrative resource sharing, program transfers, and more. Ultimately, how can we ensure Philadelphia’s nonprofits are as fiscally strong and positioned for success as they can be? Read on for a feature of this important program in The Philadelphia Citizen.
Environment and Public Space
Public Space: the Infrastructure of Democracy
Our right to gather and express support or dissent for government decisions and policies in public spaces was hard earned over many decades. The erosion of those rights through inadequate or inequitable access to high-quality public space, privatization of the public sphere, or intentional under-investment and neglect of public space maintenance, represent real and fundamental threats to our democracy. In an opinion piece for Next City, our Executive Director Shawn McCaney shares why our constitutional right to gather starts with parks and public spaces that are open and accessible.
No Time to Slow Down: Sustaining Momentum on Climate Resilience
Despite recent setbacks at the federal level, the work of building climate resilience continues. Local and regional organizations in Philadelphia are stepping up with renewed purpose and determination. In July, we hosted a conversation with climate resilience leaders who are navigating these challenges with creativity and courage to discuss how communities can continue to protect themselves and build a more sustainable future.
Workforce Training and Services
Southeastern Pennsylvania Economic Collaborative
As part of a collaboration with economic and workforce development leaders across the region, Brookings Metro recently published an evidence-based, regionwide Market Assessment focused on growing opportunity industries and economic mobility.
Upcoming Dates
Important Survey Coming September 2
As a WPF grantee or as someone who applied for a WPF grant in the past, your perspective matters deeply to us. The Foundation conducts a perception survey every three years, and the time has come where we are seeking your insights. We have engaged the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP), a nonprofit organization that helps funders learn from their grantees and applicants and improve their practices, to conduct a confidential survey on our behalf. Your honest anonymous feedback – on what's working well and what could be better – will help us become a more effective grantmaker and partner.
Please stay tuned! On September 2, CEP will send an email with a link to the brief survey to grantees and organizations that applied for a grant between July 2024 and July 2025. We are asking for responses by Friday, September 26.
New RFPs Will Launch on September 10
The Foundation will release nine new Requests for Proposals (RFPs) on Wednesday, September 10, focused on Arts and Culture Capital Support; Arts and Culture Programming; Arts Education Programming; Mental and Behavioral Health Services; Out-of-School Learning; Climate Resilience Planning; Reducing Illegal Dumping; Urban Gardens; and Urban Trees.
During the week of September 15, we will host informational webinars on each RFP covering details on:
- Funding eligibility and criteria
- Application and review process
- Timeline and key dates
On August 27, we’ll be sending an email with registration details for the upcoming webinars. For more information, please visit williampennfoundation.org/funding/funding-opportunities.
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