The Henrietta Tower Wurts Memorial is a charitable foundation established to honor the wishes of Henrietta Tower Wurts, who passed away in 1933. The foundation is dedicated to supporting nonprofits that serve disadvantaged children, youth, and the elderly within the City of Philadelphia. Its funding philosophy focuses on providing modest grants that can play a significant role in achieving meaningful programmatic goals relative to the organization's total resources.
The Philadelphia Foundation provides administrative and management services for the Wurts Memorial, handling the receipt of applications and distribution of grants approved by the Memorial’s Board of Directors. The grants can support either specific programs or provide general operating support, with an emphasis on organizations where a small grant would have a notable impact.
Applicants must have an operating budget under $2.5 million, hold a valid 501(c)(3) status, and be able to provide at least one year of financial data. Priority is specifically given to organizations serving disadvantaged children, youth, or the elderly populations within Philadelphia.
Grant awards range between $1,000 and $5,000. Applications are currently open, and the deadline to submit is May 19, 2025. All applications must be submitted online through the Philadelphia Foundation's grant portal. Once applications are reviewed, program staff may contact applicants for further discussion or clarification.
At the conclusion of the grant period, funded organizations are required to submit a one-page narrative report detailing how the funds were used and the impact they had on the organization. For any questions regarding the grant application process, applicants are encouraged to reach out to grantmakingservices@philafound.org.
