Dear Friend of the Philadelphia City Fund,

As we close out the year, I am grateful for the many ways our city continues to come together during challenging times. This year has underscored more than ever how vital it is to invest in our community. 

Our focus this year has remained the same: to be a reliable steward of public and philanthropic resources, and to direct support where it can have the greatest impact.

Through our partnership with the City of Philadelphia as its dedicated fiscal sponsor, we have continued to facilitate City-led initiatives that are committed to addressing the needs of Philadelphia’s residents and neighborhoods. At the same time, we have directed our own resources towards helping to sustain critical community efforts, using our Community Fund to provide general operating support to organizations during a particularly challenging time for nonprofits. We also joined other philanthropic partners in contributing to the Regional Food Fund, helping to provide relief for local food banks at a time when food insecurity is a concern for so many in our region.

We remain grateful for the many people and organizations working every day to strengthen our city, and for the chance to support that work in meaningful ways. I hope you’ll enjoy reading more about our shared impact below.

With warm wishes for the holidays,

Jody Greenblatt, Esq.
Executive Director

Responding to Emergent Needs

2025-26 AmeriCorps Program cohort members attend this year's launch event.

AmeriCorps Financial Assistance Fund

Office of Community Empowerment & Opportunity

The Mayor's Office of Community Empowerment Opportunities (CEO) is proud to support the work of the AmeriCorps Program through the administration of the Financial Assistance Fund, which awards emergency funds to AmeriCorps members experiencing financial hardship during their term of service. This year, when many of the program's participants faced an uphill battle amidst federal funding losses for programs like SNAP, the Financial Assistance Fund experienced a significant increase in requests from members for emergency support, surging from just a few requests per month to more than 30 per month.

Working through these challenges, CEO is excited to continue supporting AmeriCorps volunteers as they aid City agencies, non-profits, and community-based organizations. To welcome the new cohort of 2025-2026 AmeriCorps members, a launch event was held in October. Hosted by CEO's Senior Director of Coalitions for Racial Equity Melissa Robbins, the event was attended by more than 350 people, including State Representatives Danilo Burgos and Jordan Harris, as well as City Controller Christy Brady.

A community garden stewarded by Empowered CDC in Southwest Philadelphia

Thriving Communities Bridge Fund

Office of Sustainability

Earlier this year, the City’s Office of Sustainability launched the Philadelphia Thriving Communities Bridge Fund to provide a total of $250,000 in general operating grants to Philadelphia community organizations who are part of the Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program (TCGM), which was created by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and is administered by the Environmental Protection Agency. Supported by the William Penn Foundation, these Bridge Fund grants will help to reduce barriers in the federal grants process by providing flexible funding as the awardees await reimbursement from regional grantmaker Green & Healthy Homes Initiative. 13 Bridge Fund grants have been awarded to date. 

“The IRA has been the federal government’s largest ever investment in climate action and environmental justice. Equitable deployment of this funding is critical to ensure benefits reach those most impacted by climate and environmental injustice. The Philadelphia City Fund is proud to support Philadelphia CBOs in overcoming the remaining barrier of federally funded grants being reimbursement-based,” said Emily Gowen, Deputy Director of the Philadelphia City Fund.

Addressing Illegal Dumping

200 volunteers join City staff and United by Blue to clear over 4,000 tires from Tacony Creek Park. Photo by Ken Conly.

Community Supports

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PPR) and key partners at Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Education Center (CCCEEC), Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership (TTF), and The Water Center at Penn are working to end illegal dumping in public spaces through an innovative program made possible by the William Penn Foundation.

This program takes a multi-pronged approach to invest in community leadership, expand analysis of  dumping hot spots, and apply prevention, enforcement, and abatement practices for targeted areas. Working with community partners and local leaders, the group aims to strengthen efforts to eliminate illegal dumping across the city.

An illegal dumping site in Philadelphia

Root Cause Investigation

Office of Clean & Green

Thanks to funding from the William Penn Foundation, the City’s Office of Clean and Green Initiatives partnered with SEAMAAC and the Overbrook Environmental Education Center in an initiative that seeks to uncover the root causes of illegal dumping. Working together to develop more tailored, neighborhood-focused solutions, the hope is to address challenges specific to the underserved areas, empowering residents to protect their streets and open spaces.

This program isn’t just about cleaning up today’s waste; it’s about building a cleaner future for all Philadelphians. Join us in the fight against illegal dumping as we take another crucial step towards making our home the safest, cleanest, and greenest city in the country.

Reinvesting in the Community

Pam Superville, PRC Deputy Director; Assata Thomas, Executive Director, Division of Reentry; Sappho Fulton, Executive Director, Womxn Beyond Borders; and Kierra Nocho, PRC Coordinator

Reentry Micro-Grants

Office of Public Safety’s Division of Reentry

The Division of Reentry’s Microgrants fuel the grassroots organizations within the Philadelphia Reentry Coalition (PRC) that uplift people returning home from incarceration. By investing in community-rooted programs, the Division of Reentry (DOR) strengthens the PRC and helps ensure reentry services remain dignified, responsive, and accessible across the city. This year’s awardees—Recovery Space, Community Forgiveness and Restoration Initiative, Defy Ventures, Redemption House, and Womxn Beyond Borders—are using this support to expand capacity and deepen impact. Recipients describe the funds as essential for “sustainable pathways,” “cost coverage,” “materials and stipends,” and sustaining the heart of their programming. DOR remains committed to stewarding this initiative.

Attendees at the 2nd annual CREJ Grantee Convening held in December 2025

Community Resilience & Environmental Justice Fund

Office of Sustainability

The City’s Office of Sustainability (OOS) announced the 2025 grant recipients of the Community Resilience & Environmental Justice (CREJ) Fund, which is dedicated to resourcing frontline and fenceline communities experiencing environmental injustice to advance their vision of an equitable and resilient future. 

Grants of $15,000 were awarded to 20 community groups to support their ongoing work to advance long-term environmental justice in Philadelphia. The grantees are also eligible to receive capacity building support, including strategic planning, facilitated community conversations, project planning, stakeholder perspectives development, team coaching, conflict mediation, and grant writing.

The CREJ Fund is supported by OOS, Philadelphia Water Department, and William Penn Foundation, and steered by the Philadelphia Environmental Justice Advisory Commission.

Bringing Community Events to Life

At the 2025 VIP Reception to kick off race weekend, Consul General Iphigenia Kanara presented golden wreaths to Adam Thiel, Managing Director; David G. Wilson, Deputy Managing Director; Kathleen Titus, Philadelphia Marathon Race Director; Amanda Gamble, Chief of Staff – General Services.

2025 Philadelphia Marathon Weekend

The Philadelphia Marathon celebrated a successful race weekend over November 21 – 23. This year’s half and full marathon races sold out at the quickest rate yet, welcoming about 37,000 runners from 60 countries total to the city.

The Marathon Weekend unites athletes and spectators from near and far together year after year – but this race weekend included an esteemed guest: Greek Consul General Iphigenia Kanara, who gifted the Marathon bespoke gold olive wreaths to honor the Greece and Philadelphia’s connection as birthplaces of democracy. Of course, Greece is the birthplace of the Marathon race tradition, as well.

The 2025 race weekend welcomed even more exciting, fresh partnerships. Philadelphia’s own Triple Bottom Brewing hosted the official Beer Garden, featuring their custom-brewed pale ale for the weekend called the Philly Finisher. The Charity Village and program received a boost of energy and attention, welcoming individuals and groups who chose to race as a fundraising effort for various charities. The 2026 Charity Program will return more robust than ever – stay tuned!

Most importantly to the Fund, a portion of the Marathon’s revenues supports our annual grant making program, the Community Fund. This grant opportunity allows the participation, effort, and energy of the Marathon weekend to sustain year-round through charitable and social impact.

Attendees at the 10th Anniversary Party of the Indego Bike Share Program

10th Anniversary of the Indego Bike Share Program 

A longtime partner of the Fund celebrated a milestone earlier this year— happy 10th birthday to the Indego Bike Share! 

Today, Indego is a collaboration run by the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems, with operation support from Bicycle Transit Systems and Independence Blue Cross. The Fund served as the original home for Indego Bike Share during its 2015 launch and still serves as a fiscal sponsor. 

The Fund supports some of Indego’s best work—providing mini grants and community ambassador opportunities to Philadelphians, with a goal of strengthening the connection between the citizens and the Bike Share program. The bi-annual mini grants allow organizations to incorporate Indego Bike Share Resources into a community event, while the community ambassador program provides individuals the tools needed to promote and uplift the Bike Share citywide. 

The Fund celebrates 10 years of success with the whole Indego Bike Share team!

Attendees at the 2025 Birth Justice Philly Summit enjoy the keynote speech by Monica Raye Simpson. Photo by Rian Watkins.

Birth Justice Philly Summit

Department of Public Health

On October 9, 2025, more than 300 women, birthing people, healthcare professionals, government agencies, maternal support organizations, policy advocates, social-determinants-of-health experts, and community networks gathered for the second Birth Justice Philly Summit.

Guided by the theme, “Improving Perinatal Outcomes Through Education, Access, and Autonomy Across the Life Course,” the Summit served as a platform to celebrate progress and advance action toward reproductive equity. Speakers and workshops focused on four core goals: advocating for policy change; supporting clinical practices that reduce maternal mortality; addressing social determinants of health; and elevating community storytelling for awareness and healing.

A nurse practitioner from grantee Education Plus Health give a thumbs up to a student.

PCF awards $253,000 to Community Fund grantees

Each year, we award grants through our Community Fund to nonprofit organizations that are working to improve the quality of life for all Philadelphians.

As part of our grantmaking in 2025, general operating grants of $11,000 each were awarded to recent Community Fund grantees in good standing to recognize their ongoing efforts to strengthen our Philadelphia community and to help sustain their work at a time of uncertainty for nonprofit organizations.

We’re looking forward to sharing updates on our 2026 grants process and theme when they become available.

The Community Fund is made possible through our partnership with the Philadelphia Marathon Weekend, which allocates a portion of its annual revenues toward this grant opportunity.

PCF contributes $50,000 to the Regional Food Fund

Our Board of Directors recently approved a $50,000 contribution to the Regional Food Fund, an emergency initiative established this fall by the Philadelphia Foundation in partnership with the William Penn Foundation and United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.

The Regional Food Fund has been developed in partnership with and will support the region’s four largest food banks—Bucks County Opportunity Council, Chester County Food Bank, Philabundance, and Share Food Program—which collectively serve the five-county region and were all significantly impacted by the federal funding cuts. 

We are proud to join the City of Philadelphia and philanthropic leaders in the region to help sustain access to food for families in our community in the short term while creating the runway needed to adapt and strengthen distribution over the long term.

City employees collaborate during the 2023 cohort of the Innovation Academy

Launching the Academy for Civic Exchange and Design

This fall, our Board of Directors approved an allocation of $50,000 towards the Spring 2026 Academy for Civic Exchange and Design (formerly the Academy of Municipal Innovation), a program administered by the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer to equip municipal employees with the tools and training needed to solve public challenges creatively and collaboratively. In partnership with Thomas Jefferson University, the Academy provides City employees with formal training in design and systems thinking, hands-on practice using design thinking tools, and opportunities to work across departments on real-world problem solving. 

Each year, a cohort of 20 City employees is selected through a competitive application and interview process. The program plays a crucial role in building a culture of creativity within the City workforce, leading to the more effective delivery of services to residents. More than 200 City employees have completed the program to date, emerging with a deeper understanding of systems, new approaches to improving services, and a strong network of peers committed to innovation in government.

We’re excited to help invest in the next generation of innovative public leaders.

Orisha Pringle-Barnes, Trudi Wright, Emily Gowen, Yvonne Boye, Tu Huynh, and Christine Piven

Saying farewell to Trudi

This summer, we said farewell to Trudi Wright, who retired after 25 years of dedicated service to the Fund as our Finance Director. Trudi played at important role on our team, working behind the scenes to support the financial and accounting needs of the many programs and initiatives facilitated by the Fund. We remain deeply grateful to Trudi for her many years of service and continue to wish her all the best in her retirement.

Welcoming Natasha to the team

The Philadelphia City Fund wishes you
a happy and healthy holiday season!