The William Penn Foundation’s Democracy and Civic Initiatives program is designed to support collective and collaborative action toward a more engaged, participatory city and state.
Donor Name: William Penn Foundation
State: Pennsylvania
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 07/25/2025
Size of the Grant: $500,000 to $1 million
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
WPF seeks to support nonpartisan efforts that will increase the number of eligible Philadelphians who vote, increase voting in Pennsylvania’s communities of color to be at a level similar to overall voter turnout, or both. The most competitive proposals will focus on people who are underrepresented in the electorate, including by race, age, income, educational attainment, disability status, geography, or other factors that have been shown to predict lower rates of voter participation.
Funding Information
- WPF has allocated $3.5 million
- At least $1 million awarded under this RFP will be reserved for grants to organizations that have budgets under $2 million per year and/or are led by individuals who are members of groups with a history of discrimination or exclusion.
Grant Period
The Foundation is requesting proposals for up to 24 months of funding for activities taking place December 2025 – December 2027.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must be recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as 501(c)3 public charities or operate under a public charity fiduciary. Public charities include community-based organizations, schools and educational institutions, and other types of public-serving groups. Government entities are also eligible to apply.
- In addition, applicant organizations must have an established history of working with the communities they propose to reach with WPF funds. Projects may occur in any part of Pennsylvania.
For more information, visit WPF.
