The William Penn Foundation seeks to support efforts that expand the effectiveness of high-quality workforce training by reducing the barriers to accessing and completing workforce programs, transitioning to employment, and successfully completing the first year of employment.
Donor Name: William Penn Foundation
State: Pennsylvania
County: Bucks County (PA), Chester County (PA), Delaware County (PA), Montgomery County (PA), Philadelphia County (PA)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 07/25/2025
Size of the Grant: More than $1 million
Grant Duration: 3 Years
Details:
Through this funding opportunity, they seek to support initiatives and programs that will result in career entry and advancement for populations facing significant barriers (e.g., historically disadvantaged populations, young people aged 16-24 who are not in school and not working; individuals with justice system involvement; and immigrants) to achieving economic mobility for themselves and their families. Initiatives serving in-school youth are also eligible to apply for funding, but these programs must directly lead to youth obtaining full-time employment after obtaining a high school diploma.
Workforce development practitioners point to a range of barriers that often prevent individuals from accessing and completing training programs that could lead to higher-paying jobs and economic mobility. These barriers can include access to childcare and transportation, the inability to forgo income during training, language barriers, and past involvement with the justice system. These barriers can also impact employment retention. Experts suggest that an effective approach to addressing these barriers is for workforce programs to combine paid career training with “wraparound” supportive services, which are non-training supports such as childcare, transportation, or counselling/coaching that can help job seekers overcome their challenges in completing job training and finding and maintaining family sustaining employment.
Funding Information
WPF and its funding partners anticipate awarding a total of $8.35 million.
Grant Period
The Foundation is requesting proposals for projects up to three years to reduce workforce training barriers in the Philadelphia region.
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.
- All projects must focus on supporting individuals in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia counties.
For more information, visit WPF.
