The Foundation’s Family Recovery Fund is a one-year initiative supporting both direct grantmaking and matching funds to organizations working with students and families impacted by the pandemic.
This fund temporarily expands the Foundation’s areas of support and operates alongside our Creative Communities, Great Learning, and Watershed Protection programs.
In the first half of 2021, the Foundation awarded grants to dozens of organizations providing access to healthy food, support for families to stay in their homes, and enhanced K-12 learning opportunities.
The final grantmaking cycle for the Family Recovery Fund is focused on connecting Philadelphians to jobs and career advancement opportunities.
Call for Proposals – August 30, 2021
The William Penn Foundation will distribute $2.5-3 million in grant funds to nonprofit organizations that help connect Philadelphians to quality employment opportunities.
One-time, one-year grants of $100,000-$250,000 are available for the following priorities:
Job training and placement
Philadelphia-based job training programs offering relevant skills, certifications, or credentials; and connection to an identified pipeline of in-demand jobs that pay a living wage and offer opportunities for upward mobility.
Grant funds may be used to serve additional participants, enhance existing programming, and/or offer additional “wrap around” supports (e.g., childcare, transportation, technology, etc.) to participants.
Priority will be given to shorter training programs (up to six months) that culminate in a connection to job opportunities offered by partner employers, but longer-term programs that lead to career ladders will also be considered.
Transitional employment
Philadelphia-based programs offering immediate employment to individuals with barriers to overcome, such as individuals involved with the justice system or individuals in recovery from substance abuse.
Grant funds may be used to serve additional participants, enhance existing programming, and/or offer additional “wrap around” supports (e.g., childcare, transportation, technology, etc.) to participants.
Priority will be given to programs offering “wrap around” supports and connections to longer-term employment opportunities.
Eligibility for all areas:
Organizations must have prior experience providing related programming and successfully connecting people to employment.
Priority will be given to:
Programs offered in partnership with employers and/or unions.
No/low-cost programs in BIPOC communities impacted by poverty.
Organizations with BIPOC leadership and that reflect and engage the communities they serve.
“Green collar jobs” in climate and conservation that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources, to include landscaping/horticulture, waste management/sanitation, and home weatherization/solar.
Programs that serve students in high school or young people (18-24) not in high school, under- or unemployed.
Applicants must be a 501(c)(3) or an organization with a fiscal sponsor.
Services and programming must take place in the City of Philadelphia (note: virtual programming is eligible, but must be offered by an organization based in Philadelphia).
Groups of organizations are welcome to apply together.
We are unable to make grants to individuals.
Application: Please submit applications for the priority areas above by October 7, 2021. We expect to get back to applicants in mid-November. Grants will be awarded by the end of the calendar year 2021.
Please fill out an application form online here. You can preview the application questions here. Please refer to this guide for tips and information about how to submit your application through the WPF Grantee Portal. If you have any issues applying online, please email portal@williampennfoundation.org for assistance. If difficulties using the online portal cannot be resolved quickly, you can submit a short application to familyrecoveryfund@williampennfoundation.org using the Microsoft Word document linked above.
Please see our list of Frequently Asked Questions below. If you have unanswered questions about eligibility or the application process, please email us at familyrecoveryfund@williampennfoundation.org.