Foundation Mourns the Passing of John C. Haas It is with sadness that the William Penn Foundation marks the passing of John C. Haas, the last surviving son of its founders, Otto and Phoebe Haas. He was 92.
Momentum Builds on the Central Delaware Waterfront New projects help to advance the public’s vision of better access to the river.
Nonprofit Fiscal Health and Operating Reserves Leaders of fiscally healthy nonprofits need to have a good understanding of their organization’s capitalization structure and operating reserve needs. A workgroup led by the Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy at The Urban Institute has developed a toolkit to help.
Welcome to Our New Site! Out with the old, in with the new for 2011...
Measuring Philadelphia's Creative Vitality New report measures the city’s arts-related creative sector and compares Philadelphia with national benchmarks using the Creative Vitality Index.
Awards made for 14 collaborative news projects J-Lab, a center of American University’s School of Communication announced today that 14 innovative news collaborations will receive small grants under a pilot program funded by the William Penn Foundation.
Artists We Admire: Works from Abington Art Center An exhibition of artworks curated by Abington Art Center is currently on display at the William Penn Foundation's offices.
Children’s Stability and Well-Being Study Researchers at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute are studying the effects of placement stability on kids in Philadelphia's foster care system.
Schuylkill River Watershed Cluster Assessment A close study of the Foundation's watershed program finds successes, but challenges too.
Children’s Literacy Initiative – Model Classroom Evaluation Evaluating the success of the Children's Literacy Initiative's kindergarten and first grade Model Classrooms program in the School District of Philadelphia.
Foundation announces president's planned retirement in 2011 Feather Houstoun has decided to retire from her position as president in mid-2011. The Foundation will begin the process of identifying a new president, and Houstoun will remain through a period of transition after a successor is selected.
Help Philadelphia plan its future The Philadelphia City Planning Commission, with support from the Foundation, is creating PHILADELPHIA2035 a new comprehensive plan to guide Philadelphia’s growth and development for the next several decades. This will be a public process with many opportunities for citizens to participate.
Enterprise Reporting Fund to offer $5,000 awards for collaborative news projects The Philadelphia Enterprise Reporting Fund will award ten $5,000 reporting project awards under a pilot program funded by the William Penn Foundation and administered by J-Lab, a center of American University’s School of Communication. NOTE: The deadline for applications has closed.
Greater Philadelphia Food System Study The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission recently completed the Greater Philadelphia Food System Study, a project that evaluates the food system comprising the nine-county region. This study looked at a broad range of food supply issues, such as agricultural production trends, natural resource constraints, the origins and destinations of food imports and exports, and the significance of the food economy.
Diverse coalition secures $23 million to create a world-class network of trails $23 million in federal stimulus funding will help to establish a bi-state regional trail network. Once complete, a well-connected regional trail system will enhance mobility within the region, helping to connect residents to economic opportunities, including jobs, shopping, and local tourism.
Foundation Receives $747 Million John C. Haas, the senior member of the Haas family, has directed $747 million to the Foundation, with instructions that it be used in perpetuity for the advancement of the Greater Philadelphia region.
Capitalization in Philadelphia's Nonprofit Cultural Sector A new report released by TDC of Boston underscores the need for Philadelphia’s arts and culture groups, service organizations, and funders to address capitalization needs within the nonprofit sector.
Philadelphia Public Art: The Full Spectrum Breathtaking public art is a defining feature of Philadelphia’s urban and civic fabric. Whether it’s a world-renowned Calder sculpture on the Parkway, an exhibition of local artists in City Hall, or a mural that tells the story of a neighborhood, public art shapes how we experience our fellow citizens’ cultural expression and it is a primary signal to visitors that they are in a unique and special place.
Bringing the Arts Back to Philadelphia's Children "Imagine a city and region that commits to the arts as a key tool in transforming communities and keeping youth engaged and successful in and out of school..."
Pennsylvania's Tax Burden Examined in New Report Pennsylvania ranks favorably among states in overall taxation and spending levels, but the Commonwealth’s tax system is highly regressive, placing a greater burden on the poorest 20 percent of our citizens.
Nonprofit Executive Leadership Program Now Accepting Applications for 2010 The Nonprofit Executive Leadership Institute (NELI) of Bryn
Mawr College is accepting applicants for its 2010 Executive Leadership
Certificate program
Commercial Corridors: A Strategic Investment Framework for Philadelphia
What makes commercial corridors successful? How can Philadelphia use investments in these corridors to greater effect? A new study explores the drivers of success in areas with commercial concentration.
Seizing Opportunities to Maximize the Value of Philadelphia's Housing Stock A coalition of housing advocates has released two policy briefs making the case that Philadelphia should repair and weatherize its older housing stock, and target its new affordable housing construction dollars to make neighborhoods stronger and jumpstart private activity.
Thoughts on the Economic Recession
With a struggling national economy, we’re finding that many of our grantees, partners, and regional decision-makers are interested in knowing more about our fiscal health and strategic focus. What follows is a snapshot of our current circumstances and a view into our thinking about how the economy may affect our grantmaking.
Philadelphia's Changing Immigrant Population – Opportunities and Policy Challenges
Greater Philadelphia is once again becoming a key hub for immigration, and now has the largest and fastest-growing immigrant population of its peers.