Funding search · EIN 231503488 · Philadelphia, PA

The William Penn Foundation

A private foundation (files IRS Form 990-PF). Most private foundations do not take unsolicited applications; the route in is usually a program officer.

4,421
grants reported
$589.0M
total given
2022–2024
filing years
$40,000
median grant

Based on grants this organization reported to the IRS for tax years 20222024. This is what they filed, not a complete record of their giving, and recent years may be incomplete because filings lag.

What they fund

phasedrwiphiladelphiacommunityartsliteracymatchingculture

Funder website ↗Full IRS filings ↗How this is builtReport an error

Funding pattern

What this funder pays for, at what size, and how to position adjacent work. Read from their filings, with every number checked against the record.

Where the money goes

  • Delaware River Watershed protection, restoration, and stormwater advocacy
  • Philadelphia parks, trails, and public space capital construction
  • Early childhood education quality, curriculum, and state advocacy
  • K-3 literacy and out-of-school learning in Philadelphia
  • Arts and culture capital campaigns for Philadelphia institutions
  • Climate justice, green jobs, and federal climate funding coordination

Typical grant

Median grant is $40,000 and half of all grants fall between $2,500 and $140,625, so most of the volume is small and mid-size project support. The seven- and eight-figure checks go almost entirely to capital construction (Penn's Landing Park, FDR Park, Kimmel Center, Philadelphia Zoo) and to pooled funds run through intermediaries like National Philanthropic Trust and Philadelphia City Fund. Multi-year and repeat giving is common, with organizations like Fairmount Park Conservancy, Philadelphia City Fund, Open Space Institute, and Public Health Management Corporation appearing more than once.

Their words

Phrases from their own grant descriptions, worth speaking back to them.

  • DRWI
  • CIRCUIT TRAILS LEADERSHIP
  • CAPITAL CAMPAIGN 2024
  • EARLY CHILDHOOD ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN
  • CLIMATE JUSTICE
  • GREEN STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE

Positioning adjacent work

  • Tie watershed or stormwater work explicitly to DRWI framing and to existing coalition partners like Stroud, OSI, or NWF.
  • Ask in the $300,000 to $500,000 range for a multi-year project; that is their comfortable band below capital.
  • Pair technical analysis with community organizing and advocacy; they fund both together, rarely research alone.
  • For education-adjacent work, connect to K-3 literacy or early childhood teacher professional development, not general school reform.

Worth knowing: This is a Philadelphia funder first and a Delaware River basin funder second: 3,108 of 4,421 grants went to Pennsylvania recipients, and out-of-state grants almost always serve the watershed or Philadelphia. A meaningful share of the largest dollars flows through intermediaries and pooled funds (National Philanthropic Trust, Philadelphia City Fund, Culture Trust, Reinvestment Fund), which means getting into an existing collaborative can matter more than a direct request.

37 grants matching “audubon · $3.0M

  • $200,000

    National Audubon Society - Audubon Pennsylvania · New York, NY · 2024

    In partnership with philadelphia outward bound center, sustain discovery center as resource for environmental education

  • $200,000

    Philadelphia Outward Bound Center · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

    In partnership with national audubon, sustain discovery center as a resource for environmental education

  • $150,000

    New Jersey Audubon Society · Bernardsville, NJ · 2024

    Keep it green coalition for state watershed protection funding in new jersey

  • $133,334

    New Jersey Audubon Society · Bernardsville, NJ · 2024

    Phase 2+ drwi - new jersey audubon society (kirkwood-cohansey)

  • $100,000

    National Audubon Society · New York, NY · 2024

    Audubon 2023 ? Policy advocacy, caucus

  • $73,334

    National Audubon Society - Audubon Pennsylvania · New York, NY · 2024

    Phase 2+ drwi - national audubon society - pa (upper lehigh)

  • $62,334

    New Jersey Audubon Society · Bernardsville, NJ · 2024

    Phase 2+ drwi - new jersey audubon society (nj highlands)

  • $33,334

    National Audubon Society - Audubon Pennsylvania · New York, NY · 2024

    Phase 2+ drwi - national audubon society - pa (schuylkill highlands)

  • $300

    National Audubon Society · New York, NY · 2024

    General support

  • $100

    Audubon Fire Department · Audubon, NJ · 2024

    Pledge drive

  • $200,000

    National Audubon Society - Audubon Pennsylvania · New York, NY · 2023

    Sustain discovery center as resource for environmental education

  • $166,595

    New Jersey Audubon Society · Bernardsville, NJ · 2023

    2023 nj keep it green coalition

  • $133,333

    New Jersey Audubon Society · Bernardsville, NJ · 2023

    Phase 2+ drwi - new jersey audubon society (kirkwood-cohansey)

  • $100,000

    National Audubon Society · New York, NY · 2023

    Audubon 2023 policy advocacy, caucus

  • $73,333

    National Audubon Society - Audubon Pennsylvania · New York, NY · 2023

    Phase 2+ drwi - national audubon society - pa (upper lehigh)

  • $62,333

    New Jersey Audubon Society · Bernardsville, NJ · 2023

    Phase 2+ drwi - new jersey audubon society (nj highlands)

  • $33,333

    National Audubon Society - Audubon Pennsylvania · New York, NY · 2023

    Phase 2+ drwi - national audubon society - pa (schuylkill highlands)

  • $1,000

    New Jersey Audubon Society · Bernardsville, NJ · 2023

    General support

  • $300

    National Audubon Society · New York, NY · 2023

    General support

  • $133,333

    New Jersey Audubon Society · Bernardsville, NJ · 2022

    Phase 2+ drwi - new jersey audubon society (kirkwood-cohansey)

  • $133,333

    New Jersey Audubon Society · Bernardsville, NJ · 2022

    Phase 2+ drwi - new jersey audubon society (kirkwood-cohansey)

  • $114,780

    New Jersey Audubon Society · Bernardsville, NJ · 2022

    2021 nj keep it green coalition

  • $114,780

    New Jersey Audubon Society · Bernardsville, NJ · 2022

    2021 nj keep it green coalition

  • $100,000

    National Audubon Society - Audubon Pennsylvania · New York, NY · 2022

    Audubon 2021 - basin-wide policy work

  • $100,000

    National Audubon Society - Audubon Pennsylvania · New York, NY · 2022

    Discovery center programming, management, and community engagement

  • $100,000

    National Audubon Society - Audubon Pennsylvania · New York, NY · 2022

    Audubon 2021 - basin-wide policy work

  • $100,000

    National Audubon Society - Audubon Pennsylvania · New York, NY · 2022

    Discovery center programming, management, and community engagement

  • $73,333

    National Audubon Society - Audubon Pennsylvania · New York, NY · 2022

    Phase 2+ drwi - national audubon society - pa (upper lehigh)

  • $73,333

    National Audubon Society - Audubon Pennsylvania · New York, NY · 2022

    Phase 2+ drwi - national audubon society - pa (upper lehigh)

  • $62,333

    New Jersey Audubon Society · Bernardsville, NJ · 2022

    Phase 2+ drwi - new jersey audubon society (nj highlands)

  • $62,333

    New Jersey Audubon Society · Bernardsville, NJ · 2022

    Phase 2+ drwi - new jersey audubon society (nj highlands)

  • $33,333

    National Audubon Society - Audubon Pennsylvania · New York, NY · 2022

    Phase 2+ drwi - national audubon society - pa (schuylkill highlands)

  • $33,333

    National Audubon Society - Audubon Pennsylvania · New York, NY · 2022

    Phase 2+ drwi - national audubon society - pa (schuylkill highlands)

  • $1,000

    New Jersey Audubon Society · Bernardsville, NJ · 2022

    General support

  • $1,000

    New Jersey Audubon Society · Bernardsville, NJ · 2022

    General support

  • $300

    National Audubon Society · New York, NY · 2022

    Annual support

  • $300

    National Audubon Society · New York, NY · 2022

    Annual support

Top recipients

Repeat recipients are the strongest signal of whether a funder has an open door or quietly re-funds the same organizations.

  • National Philanthropic Trust12 grants · $61.0M
  • National Wildlife Federation12 grants · $10.0M
  • National Nurse-Led Care Consortium4 grants · $9.7M
  • Philadelphia City Fund24 grants · $9.0M
  • Fairmount Park Conservancy9 grants · $8.7M
  • Reinvestment Fund9 grants · $8.2M
  • Delaware River Waterfront Corporation5 grants · $8.0M
  • Open Space Institute Land Trust8 grants · $7.6M
  • Fund for Philadelphia18 grants · $7.0M
  • Project Home15 grants · $6.4M

Giving over time

$287.0M
2022
$153.2M
2023
$148.8M
2024

Grant history

The 100 largest of 4,421 grants.

  • $14.4M

    National Philanthropic Trust · Jenkintown, PA · 2022

    Implement the rebuild initiative

  • $14.4M

    National Philanthropic Trust · Jenkintown, PA · 2022

    Implement the rebuild initiative

  • $11.0M

    National Philanthropic Trust · Jenkintown, PA · 2023

    Implement the rebuild initiative

  • $7.8M

    National Philanthropic Trust · Jenkintown, PA · 2024

    Implement the rebuild initiative

  • $7.0M

    Delaware River Waterfront Corporation · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

    Construction of penn's landing park

  • $6.1M

    Project Home · Philadelphia, PA · 2023

    Transitional housing support

  • $5.0M

    Philadelphia Orchestra and Kimmel Center · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

    Capital campaign 2024

  • $5.0M

    Share Food Program · Philadelphia, PA · 2023

    Share capital campaign

  • $4.0M

    National Philanthropic Trust · Jenkintown, PA · 2022

    2026 collaborative fund

  • $4.0M

    National Philanthropic Trust · Jenkintown, PA · 2022

    2026 collaborative fund

  • $3.5M

    Fairmount Park Conservancy · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

    Capital improvements and planning for fdr park

  • $3.1M

    National Nurse-Led Care Consortium · Philadelphia, PA · 2023

    Basic needs fund for home visited families

  • $3.0M

    Zoological Society of Philadelphia · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

    Capital campaign 2024

  • $2.7M

    Open Space Institute Land Trust · New York, NY · 2022

    Phase 2 drwi land protection capital re-grant fund

  • $2.7M

    Open Space Institute Land Trust · New York, NY · 2022

    Phase 2 drwi land protection capital re-grant fund

  • $2.6M

    Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia · Philadelphia, PA · 2023

    Home repair program

  • $2.5M

    Fairmount Park Conservancy · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

    Centennial gateway at the welsh fountain

  • $2.3M

    National Nurse-Led Care Consortium · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Basic needs fund for home visited families

  • $2.3M

    National Nurse-Led Care Consortium · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Basic needs fund for home visited families

  • $2.1M

    National Wildlife Federation · Reston, VA · 2022

    Alliance for watershed education

  • $2.1M

    National Wildlife Federation · Reston, VA · 2022

    Alliance for watershed education

  • $2.0M

    John Bartram Association · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Build a new 12,000 square foot ecosystems education center

  • $2.0M

    John Bartram Association · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Build a new 12,000 square foot ecosystems education center

  • $2.0M

    Center City District Foundation · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

    Reading viaduct acquisition & design

  • $2.0M

    Mann Center for the Performing Arts · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

    Capital campaign 2024

  • $2.0M

    National Nurse-Led Care Consortium · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

    Basic needs fund for home visited families.

  • $2.0M

    Pennsylvania Ballet Association · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

    Capital campaign 2024

  • $2.0M

    Philadelphia Clef Club of the Performing Arts · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

    Capital campaign 2024

  • $2.0M

    Pennsylvania Horticultural Society · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    General operating funds to support the philadelphia horticultural society?s community programs

  • $2.0M

    Pennsylvania Horticultural Society · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    General operating funds to support the philadelphia horticultural society?s community programs

  • $1.9M

    Reinvestment Fund · Philadelphia, PA · 2023

    Phase 3: planning and capital to support high quality early learning facility expansion

  • $1.9M

    Reinvestment Fund · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Phase 3: planning and capital to support high quality early learning facility expansion

  • $1.9M

    Reinvestment Fund · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Phase 3: planning and capital to support high quality early learning facility expansion

  • $1.9M

    Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission · Philadelphia, PA · 2023

    Regional trails program

  • $1.9M

    National Wildlife Federation · Reston, VA · 2024

    Alliance for watershed education (for 23 centers)

  • $1.8M

    Lenfest Institute for Journalism · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Every voice, every vote implementation

  • $1.8M

    Lenfest Institute for Journalism · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Every voice, every vote implementation

  • $1.6M

    National Fish and Wildlife Foundation · Washington, DC · 2022

    Phase 2+ drwi - capital re-grant fund

  • $1.6M

    National Fish and Wildlife Foundation · Washington, DC · 2022

    Phase 2+ drwi - capital re-grant fund

  • $1.6M

    Fund for Philadelphia · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Spring garden street greenway design/engineering

  • $1.6M

    Fund for Philadelphia · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Spring garden street greenway design/engineering

  • $1.6M

    Philadelphia Energy Authority · Philadelphia, PA · 2023

    Catalyzing federal climate investment through coordination and home repair

  • $1.5M

    Kaboom · Bethesda, MD · 2023

    Play everywhere challenge round 2

  • $1.5M

    Philadelphia Soccer 2026 · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

    Lemon hill world cup capital project

  • $1.5M

    Reinvestment Fund · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

    Fund for quality to increase supply of quality early childhood education seats.

  • $1.5M

    First Step Staffing · Philadelphia, PA · 2023

    Expansion of second step program and pilot resource navigation

  • $1.5M

    National Philanthropic Trust · Jenkintown, PA · 2022

    America's cultural treasures initiative

  • $1.5M

    National Philanthropic Trust · Jenkintown, PA · 2022

    America's cultural treasures initiative

  • $1.5M

    Philadelphia Foundation · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Civic coalition to reduce gun deaths

  • $1.5M

    Philadelphia Foundation · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Civic coalition to reduce gun deaths

  • $1.4M

    Whyy · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Create literacy focused children's television programming

  • $1.4M

    Whyy · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Create literacy focused children's television programming

  • $1.4M

    National Wildlife Federation · Reston, VA · 2023

    Alliance for watershed education

  • $1.4M

    Sand County Foundation · Madison, WI · 2022

    2022 epic funding navigator

  • $1.4M

    Sand County Foundation · Madison, WI · 2022

    2022 epic funding navigator

  • $1.3M

    Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation · Philadelphia, PA · 2023

    Phl rentassist-direct

  • $1.3M

    Philadelphia City Fund · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

    The chinatown stitch: reconnecting philadelphia's chinatown

  • $1.3M

    Philadelphia Energy Authority · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

    Catalyzing federal climate investment through coordination and home repair

  • $1.2M

    The Corps Network · Washington, DC · 2023

    Tcn 2023 drcc transition

  • $1.2M

    Cobbs Creek Restoration and Community Foundation · West Conshohocken, PA · 2022

    Cobbs creek golf course and education center

  • $1.2M

    Cobbs Creek Restoration and Community Foundation · West Conshohocken, PA · 2022

    Cobbs creek golf course and education center

  • $1.2M

    Philadelphia Works · Philadelphia, PA · 2023

    Coordinated family support to access full snap benefits

  • $1.1M

    Philadelphia Works · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

    Coordinated family support to access full snap benefits

  • $1.1M

    New Jersey Conservation Foundation · Far Hills, NJ · 2023

    Solar vessel

  • $1.1M

    Bread and Roses Community Fund · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Climate justice fund

  • $1.1M

    Bread and Roses Community Fund · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Climate justice fund

  • $1.1M

    Fairmount Park Conservancy · Philadelphia, PA · 2023

    Capital improvements and planning for fdr park

  • $1.1M

    Hace - Hispanic Association of Contractors and Enterprises · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Complete construction of rail yard park

  • $1.1M

    Hace - Hispanic Association of Contractors and Enterprises · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Complete construction of rail yard park

  • $1.1M

    Rodale Institute · Kutztown, PA · 2023

    Rodale stroud soil health

  • $1.0M

    Lenfest Institute for Journalism · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

    Post-election accountability

  • $1.0M

    Jastech Development Services · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

    Greater philadelphia tctac

  • $1.0M

    National Philanthropic Trust · Jenkintown, PA · 2024

    2026 collaborative fund

  • $1.0M

    Philadelphia City Fund · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

    Urban agriculture plan implementation

  • $1.0M

    Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University · Philadelphia, PA · 2023

    Phase 2+ drwi - science support

  • $1.0M

    Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission · Philadelphia, PA · 2023

    Regional climate funding planning and coordination

  • $1.0M

    National Philanthropic Trust · Jenkintown, PA · 2023

    America's cultural treasures initiative

  • $1.0M

    New Venture Fund · Washington, DC · 2023

    Culture and community well-being

  • $1.0M

    Philadelphia Soccer 2026 · Philadelphia, PA · 2023

    World cup 2026

  • $1.0M

    Welcome America · Philadelphia, PA · 2023

    Coordination for 2026

  • $1.0M

    Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Phase 2+ drwi - science support

  • $1.0M

    Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Phase 2+ drwi - science support

  • $1.0M

    Cp2023 · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Calder philadelphia

  • $1.0M

    Cp2023 · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Calder philadelphia

  • $1.0M

    Delaware Riverkeeper Network · Bristol, PA · 2022

    2022 drn - stream designations/ research based advocacy

  • $1.0M

    Delaware Riverkeeper Network · Bristol, PA · 2022

    2022 drn - stream designations/ research based advocacy

  • $1.0M

    New Venture Fund · Washington, DC · 2022

    Culture and community well-being

  • $1.0M

    New Venture Fund · Washington, DC · 2022

    Culture and community well-being

  • $1.0M

    The Corps Network · Washington, DC · 2022

    2021 tcn - del riv climate corps implementation

  • $1.0M

    The Corps Network · Washington, DC · 2022

    2021 tcn - del riv climate corps implementation

  • $1.0M

    William Way Lgbt Community Center · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Renovate and rebuild community center

  • $1.0M

    William Way Lgbt Community Center · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Renovate and rebuild community center

  • $984,500

    Called To Serve Cdc · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Construct the reverend leon h. Sullivan community impact center

  • $984,500

    Called To Serve Cdc · Philadelphia, PA · 2022

    Construct the reverend leon h. Sullivan community impact center

  • $971,000

    Philadelphia Foundation · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

    Philadelphia community gift fund

  • $971,000

    Sand County Foundation · Madison, WI · 2023

    2022 epic funding navigator

  • $954,100

    Philadelphia City Fund · Philadelphia, PA · 2024

    Philly joy bank

  • $933,530

    Rodale Institute · Kutztown, PA · 2022

    Rodale stroud soil health

  • $933,530

    Rodale Institute · Kutztown, PA · 2022

    Rodale stroud soil health

  • $932,000

    Congreso De Latinos Unidos · Philadelphia, PA · 2023

    Exito k-3 literacy strategy

View all 4,421 grants →

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Source: IRS Form 990-PF, Part XV, as filed by the foundation. These are grants already paid — a record of what this funder backs, not an open call.