Philly Counts 2020 Action Fund
The Corporate and Philanthropy Subcommittee of Mayor Jim Kenney’s Complete Count Committee and Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia are pleased to announce guidelines for the Philly Counts 2020 Action Fund, which will accept grant proposals between August 2019 - Spring 2020 from Philadelphia organizations prepared to support the promotion and completion of the 2020 Census in Philadelphia.
Accurate census data is essential for the fair distribution of political representation and the equitable distribution of resources. Census data also allows for the planning and decision-making for all sectors. Although philanthropy can’t and shouldn’t supplant the government’s responsibility to conduct a proper census, funder engagement in support of the constitutionally required count is more important than ever. The Mayor has allocated $975,000 in FY20 budget to fund the Philly Counts 2020 office and operating costs. The Philly Counts 2020 Office is a unit within the Managing Director’s Office in the City of Philadelphia.
Overview of Grant Opportunity
Proposals for the Philly Counts 2020 Action Fund should promote census awareness and completion in a hard to count community within Philadelphia. Examples include:
Alleviating language barriers in promoting census awareness and completion
Building trust in communities regarding protected Census data
Unique marketing campaigns designed to encourage Census participation
Building organizational capacity through technology and training
Typical grant requests will be between $2,500 and $10,000. Higher grant requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Grant Eligibility and Timeline
To be eligible for a grant from Philly Counts 2020 Action Fund, applying organizations must meet the following criteria:
Organizations applying for grants must be based in and primarily serve Philadelphia county
The application must be for a grant that will be fully spent by July 31, 2020
If awarded funding, the organization must agree to complete a grant completion report and potentially a presentation to the Philly Counts 2020 Corporate and Philanthropy subcommittee
Funding will not be approved for general operating costs. Only project-specific support is available through this fund.
Applicants must have a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status
To learn more and apply, click here.