$16 Million in New Grants Awarded to Philadelphia-Area Organizations

Publication Date: February 9, 2012

PHILADELPHIA (February 9, 2012) – This week, the Board of Directors of the William Penn Foundation approved 37 grants totaling approximately $16 million for a variety of organizations and projects benefiting the Greater Philadelphia region.

The Foundation also announced changes to its board. Janet Haas, M.D. will serve as chair, with David Haas serving as vice chair. Two new directors will join the board: Judith Freyer, chief investment officer with the Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church, and Edward (Ned) Montgomery, Jr., a volunteer executive with the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Among the grants awarded:

• The Foundation will invest $300,000 in the Philadelphia Schools Project, which seeks to increase the number of high-quality schools serving the city’s students by supporting the expansion of successful schools.  Janet Haas noted the “very promising sense of momentum” stemming from the Project’s success in uniting key players around the Great Schools Compact reform agenda.  Haas acknowledged the challenges of achieving reform in a difficult political and fiscal environment, but stressed the urgency of increasing the supply of quality schools. “We realize this is a significant bet, but when we weigh the risks against the social consequences of continued academic failure, there is no question that action is the right approach.”
  
  
• Drexel University will receive $1.2 million to support its merger with the Academy of Natural Sciences. The grant will help to create a new department of Biodiversity, Earth, and Environmental Sciences, which will provide significant support for the integration of the two organizations. Foundation president & CEO, Jeremy Nowak called the alliance “a brilliant example of two institutions that have found common purpose in adapting to the changing realities of the economy.” Nowak said the Foundation is eager to see the merger succeed because “it holds great promise not only for Drexel and the Academy, but also as a model for our region’s nonprofit organizations.”
  
  
• The Philadelphia Live Arts Festival was awarded $610,000 for general operating support, planning, and the continued development of its new facility in an historic water department building located on Columbus Boulevard, across from the Race Street Pier. When complete, the renovated pumping station will include a 250-seat performance venue, two multipurpose studios, a gastropub, and seasonal outdoor dining. “The Live Arts Festival has consistently demonstrated excellence, not only as an arts presenter, but as an engine for creativity in our region. We’re eager to see the organization continue to evolve while taking a significant role in creating an exciting destination that will enliven the Central Delaware Waterfront,” said Olive Mosier, WPF’s program director for Arts & Culture.
  
  
• The Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children was awarded $1,089,550 to continue its work on a business model that helps child care providers to share back-office services, harness collective buying power, and conduct administrative tasks more efficiently, allowing them to focus on providing the highest quality child care. According to Ronnie Bloom, WPF’s program director for Children, Youth, & Families, the shared services program gives child care centers a “powerful means to attain economies of scale that help them with the double bottom line of maintaining quality and staying in business in this tough economic climate.“
  

A list of all 37 grants is located here. The Foundation’s next round of major grants is scheduled for late June.

Nonprofit organizations seeking funding are encouraged to review the Foundation’s grantmaking guidelines here, but should be aware that the Foundation is in the course of a strategic planning process that will re-align its funding objectives for the next decade. The process is expected to conclude this spring, with implementation of new grantmaking priorities to begin in July 2012. Updates on the planning process are periodically published on the Foundation’s website.


The William Penn Foundation, founded in 1945 by Otto and Phoebe Haas, is dedicated to improving the quality of life in the Greater Philadelphia region through efforts that foster rich cultural expression, strengthen children’s futures, and deepen connections to nature and community.  In partnership with others, the Foundation works to advance a vital, just, and caring community. With assets of nearly $2 billion, the Foundation distributes approximately $80 million in grants annually.

Note to editors/reporters:  When referring to our organization, “William Penn Foundation” (or “the Foundation” on second reference) is preferred over “Penn Foundation” to avoid confusion with the University of Pennsylvania, with which we are not affiliated. Thanks very much.