Resources

April 2024 Newsletter This monthly publication provides an up-to-date list of Philadelphia-specific funding opportunities. The newsletter is emailed to District employees during the school year and can be found here.

Guide to Fundraising and Grantwriting for Schools — We’ve prepared this guide to help principals, teachers, parents and non-profits secure funding for their schools via grants, fund-raising or in-kind donations.

The Fund for the School District of Philadelphia builds partnerships between Philadelphia public schools and private businesses, philanthropic organizations and individuals. Check out there new crowdfunding site as well Philly FUNDamentals. 

Office of Strategic Partnerships is a School District department that coordinates partner and volunteer resources. Details about partnership coordination is described well by the William Penn Partnership Toolkit.

Office of Research and Evaluation works with groups that want to conduct research within the School District.

Action Plan v3.0 details the School District’s priorities. It’s meant to align employee work with the District’s Anchor Goals and Actions. It is a “living document” that is subject to change over time.

External Sources

PhilaSoup is a local non-profit that funds projects with monies raised from dinner events. Guests pay a set amount of money and enjoy a simple meal while educators pitch projects that need funding. The guests then vote on which project should get the largest portions of the evening’s proceeds. Every educator leads with some funding. Since it was founded four years ago, Philasoup has held 24 dinners, raised almost $20,000 and funded more than 35 teacher- or student-led projects.

Get Ed Funding is an outside website that has an updated list of available grants, examples from successful grant applications and “tips and tricks” for applicants. The site’s primary funder is a technology company.

DonorsChoose is a crowd-funding website created by a New York teacher who was looking for a way to buy copies of “Little House on the Prairie” for his students. Now any public school teacher can post details about a classroom project or need and donors can contribute funds towards those projects. The projects are carefully vetted.

Pennsylvania DCED Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program is a state program that gives tax credits to eligible businesses that contribute to scholarship organizations and educational improvement groups. “Link Text”/Link To

The City of Philadelphia’s Office of Grants’ mission is to increase the City’s ability to compete for grants & help manage them with integrity & transparency. @phillygrants 

Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia is the region’s membership association for organizations and individuals active in philanthropy. Our 150+ members represent a broad spectrum of funder types, interests and approaches that reflect the increasing diversity of philanthropy. Our purpose is to educate and inspire members to do their best giving.

The Regional Foundation Center at the Free Library informs the local nonprofit sector through research, resources, and workshops. The RFC houses Philadelphia’s largest publicly accessible collection of print and electronic resources on fundraising, nonprofit management, general philanthropy, and institutional advancement. The RFC also provides free access to the Foundation Directory Online—the most comprehensive database of U.S. grantmakers and their grants. Through its comprehensive collection and professionally certified staff librarians, the RFC promotes responsible nonprofit management and successful fundraising by nonprofit groups at all levels—from grassroots startups to established institutions.

PHENND a network of over 30 colleges and universities that strengthens service-learning, civic engagement, and community partnership in Philadelphia, connecting academics with community involvement.