Arts And Culture General Operating Support

The William Penn Foundation (WPF) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) titled "Arts and Culture General Operating Support" to provide multi-year general operating support to arts and culture organizations in the Philadelphia region. The Foundation has a history of investing in the arts to create vibrant, dynamic, and accessible cultural experiences. This RFP aims to support organizations that play a meaningful cultural and civic role in their communities by offering flexible resources to sustain their mission. Eligible organizations must have received an Arts and Culture grant from WPF within the past 10 years, and first-time grantees must have completed at least one year of their grant. The funding scope includes three years of unrestricted operating support, with a total of $4 million available. The maximum grant amount is $675,000, calculated as a proportion of the organization's operating expenses from its most recently completed audit or financial statements. The Foundation seeks to support organizations that provide high-quality arts and culture experiences, engage with historically marginalized communities, and contribute to the development of vibrant, inclusive communities. Eligible organizations must be recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)3 public charity and have a mission dedicated to arts and culture. Proposals will be evaluated based on several criteria, including artistic and cultural practice, orientation to equity, inclusion, and access, understanding and engagement of intended beneficiaries, community contribution, planned activities, board engagement, and partnership. Organizations must demonstrate a commitment to addressing barriers to engagement and ensuring their programs are welcoming and usable for diverse audiences. The Foundation encourages organizations to describe their mission and activities in ways that reflect artistic merit, cultural relevance, and community impacts. The application process includes submitting a proposal through the WPF online submission system by July 25, 2025. An informational webinar will be held on June 25, 2025, for interested organizations. Selected applicants will participate in site visits with WPF staff to provide additional information about their work. The Foundation will notify applicants if they have been selected to move forward in the review process by August 6-11, 2025, and site visits will occur between August 11 and September 5, 2025. The WPF Board will review selected proposals on October 24, 2025, and project implementation can begin in November 2025. The Foundation will not consider proposals from fiscally sponsored projects, higher education institutions, youth-focused arts and arts education organizations, or annual festivals. Most funding will be awarded to organizations in Philadelphia, but proposals from Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties, and Camden, NJ, will also be considered. Organizations currently supported through a William Penn Foundation general operating support grant are ineligible for this RFP. For questions regarding the application process, applicants can contact Senior Program Officer Lindsay Tucker So at lso@williampennfoundation.org. The RFP process is designed to be transparent and responsive to feedback from past applicants and grantees, aiming to reduce the burden of the application process and provide clear information about funding availability and selection criteria.

The RFP process is designed to be transparent and responsive to feedback from past applicants and grantees, aiming to reduce the burden of the application process and provide clear information about funding availability and selection criteria.