Increasing Voter Participation

The William Penn Foundation (WPF), based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) under its Democracy and Civic Initiatives program. The Foundation has a longstanding commitment to improving quality of life in the Philadelphia region and aims to foster increased civic engagement and democratic participation. This RFP specifically seeks to fund nonpartisan efforts to increase voter participation in two target areas: general voter turnout in Philadelphia and voter turnout among communities of color in Pennsylvania, aiming for parity with overall turnout rates by the 2031 and 2032 elections, respectively. Applicants are invited to propose projects that support this goal through diverse approaches such as outreach, organizing, education, advocacy, communications, polling, journalism, or research. The RFP explicitly prohibits the use of funds for voter registration activities due to legal constraints applicable to private foundations. The funding will cover activities implemented between December 2025 and December 2027. Only organizations that have not already received a 2025 grant under this initiative are eligible to apply. Partnerships are encouraged and evaluated individually. The total funding available under this opportunity is $3.5 million, with specific allocations: at least $1 million for smaller organizations (with annual budgets under $2 million or those led by individuals from historically excluded groups), and at least $750,000 for civic education initiatives targeting youth who are not yet eligible to vote. Budgets may span up to 24 months and should be comprehensive, including any consultant or partner fees. General operating support may be considered in exceptional cases where an organization’s entire mission aligns with the grant’s objective. Eligibility is limited to 501(c)(3) public charities, public charity fiduciaries, and government entities. Eligible projects must be based in Pennsylvania, and applicant organizations must demonstrate prior experience working with the targeted communities. The Foundation emphasizes community engagement, partnership, equity, and clear alignment with the RFP objectives in its evaluation criteria. Applicants must demonstrate organizational capacity and effective collaboration. Projects with regional coordination, measurable effectiveness, and alignment with other WPF goals may receive priority consideration. Interested applicants are encouraged to attend a voluntary informational webinar on June 25, 2025, at 1:00 PM EST. The proposal deadline is July 25, 2025, at 5:00 PM ET. Selected applicants will be notified between August 6–11, 2025, and invited to participate in site visits held through early September. Final funding decisions will be made by the WPF Board by late October, with grant-funded work commencing in November 2025. For inquiries, applicants may contact Program Officer Steve Preston at spreston@williampennfoundation.org.

The RFP process is designed to be transparent and responsive to feedback from past applicants, with an emphasis on reducing application burdens and providing clear information about funding opportunities and evaluation criteria.