Pennsylvania Social Advocacy Grants

READY Community Foundations, part of ARC's READY Appalachia initiative, offers no-cost training to community foundations in Appalachia. Participants will build skills in financial management, fundraising, grantmaking, and strategic planning. Eligible foundations can apply for up to $25,000 in funding to implement capacity-building projects post-training. Applications are due by July 5, 2024.

The Media Artist + Activist Residency (MAR) provides grants of $25,000 to women, trans, and gender nonconforming media artists working in close collaboration with social justice/cultural organizations to document, reframe, and/or amplify the issues and campaigns addressed by the organization. Donor Name: Leeway Foundation State: Pennsylvania County: Bucks County (PA), Chester County (PA), Delaware County (PA), Montgomery County (PA), Philadelphia County (PA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/24/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The residency aims to reveal and extend the ways that artists and artistic processes can work within cultural and social justice organizations to achieve social change. Media artists and organizations apply collaboratively with proposals for a project that embeds the artist in the work of the organization for one year. Impact of Art With Vision Art for social change is art with a vision and an intentional analysis. It is an artistic or creative cultural practice that may operate in traditional or nontraditional mediums, modes, or disciplines. Art with a vision impacts people in many ways. It can: Raise consciousness Alter how they think about themselves, their society, or their culture Create a vision of a more just world Be a tool for organizing and movement building Preserve or reclaim traditional cultural practices using your artistic practice as a form of resistance or empowerment Create space for expression and build a sense of community Challenge racism, classism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, ageism, ableism, or other oppressions Question mainstream culture and beliefs Shifts or transform the perception of power and/or privilege and the dynamics associated with justice, equality, and/or accountability Value healing justice practices focused on strengthening communities, not just individuals Engage and utilize a reciprocal process where there is teaching and learning simultaneously and consent for engagement is mutual, as is the benefit for yourself as an artist and the community you are engaging. Leeway understands Media Arts as an expansive category including but not limited to: film and video (narrative, documentary, experimental) audio podcast  installation/projection animation interactive design digital art games/gaming web-based content multimedia/multi-disciplinary work Funding Information Three residencies will be awarded, with each residency providing a $15,000 grant to the artist, and a $10,000 grant to the organization. Eligibility for Artists You are eligible to apply if you: Are a media artist Live in Bucks, Camden, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia County Are at least 18 years old Identify as a woman, trans, and/or gender nonconforming person Are working collaboratively with a social justice/cultural organization Eligibility for Social Justice/Cultural Organization You are eligible to apply if your organization is: A social justice/cultural organization with a 501(c)3 status or fiscal sponsor Located in Bucks, Camden, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia County Working with an operating budget less than $1.5M Collaborating with a media artist For more information, visit Leeway Foundation.

The Ridgway Borough Charitable Fund, established by Sara-Jane Stackpole, provides financial support to non-profit organizations serving the residents of Ridgway Borough. The fund has an Advisory Board consisting of five individuals representing various groups in the borough, who make grant recommendations to the Foundation's Board of Directors. The average awards range from $3,000 to $5,000, but can go as high as $10,000. The application deadline is September 15th. Link to Application: https://elkcountyfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Ridgway-Borough-Grant-Application-fillable-10-14-19-1.pdf

The Trans Resilience Fund is a grant program of Gender Justice Fund to support regional trans communities. Donor Name: Gender Justice Fund State: Pennsylvania County: Bucks County (PA), Chester County (PA), Delaware County (PA), Montgomery County (PA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/21/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The Fund uses a participatory grantmaking process in which a committee of trans and non-binary community members sets guidelines and makes funding decisions. The Trans Resilience Fund is a pooled fund supported external funding partners. The 2024 funding partners are: the Claneil Foundation, the Collective Future Fund, the Homeless Assistance Fund, the Patricia Kind Family Foundation, and the Valentine Foundation. Priorities  The grantmaking committee will prioritize: Groups working in Philadelphia Groups serving BIPOC trans communities. Groups with trans and/or BIPOC leadership. Groups serving trans youth and/or disabled and/or elderly trans individuals. Funding Information Applicants may apply for grants of $5,000 or $10,000. Uses of funds  Organizations/ groups may use funds for different purposes, depending on their size and who they serve. Organizations with budgets of under $250,000, who also exclusively serve trans communities can apply to use funds for the following: Direct financial support for trans individuals via food, cash or transportation assistance; covering medical, housing, or utility costs; or payment of other expenses related to health and safety. Providing services to trans individuals. Organizing and advocacy for the trans community. General operating support. Organizations with budgets of under $250,000, who do not exclusively serve trans communities can apply to use funds for the following: Direct financial support for trans individuals via food, cash or transportation assistance; covering medical, housing, or utility costs; or payment of other expenses related to health and safety. Providing services to trans individuals. Organizing and advocacy for the trans community. Organizations with budgets of over $250,000, can ONLY apply for funds to be used for the following: Direct financial support for trans individuals via food, cash or transportation assistance; covering medical, housing, or utility costs; or payment of other expenses related to health and safety. Organizations applying in this category may use 10% of their grant to cover the cost of administering funds. Eligibility Criteria  Applicants must be non-profit groups/organizations (two or more individuals working collectively to provide services to the broader community), not individuals or for-profit entities. Applicants do not have to be incorporated as a 501 (c) (3) organization but must certify that their work meets IRS criteria for funding. Applicants must be located in and serving Philadelphia and/or Chester, Bucks, Montgomery, or Delaware Counties. Both new and established groups/organizations are welcome to apply. Traditional nonprofit organizations as well as grassroots groups, including those with non-hierarchical leadership structures can apply. Applicants who received funding in 2023 are eligible to reapply but MUST complete a report on their previous grant in order to be considered. For more information, visit Gender Justice Fund.

The Sarah Ralston Foundation's Innovative Project Support grants target organizations that develop novel solutions for the aging population in Philadelphia, focusing on serving older adults residing in Philadelphia County. Grants range from $25,000 to $125,000 annually, with potential multiyear support up to 3 years. The foundation encourages projects that offer new approaches to care, support, and socialization for older adults, including co-funding opportunities with other funders. Grant renewed every year. Annual deadline: September 1st

The van Ameringen Foundation provides grants exclusively in the five boroughs of New York City and within the city limits of Philadelphia, as well as advocacy support at the national level. Donor Name: van Ameringen Foundation State: New York and Pennsylvania County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 07/26/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: 3 Years Details: Within its broad focus on mental health, the Foundation encourages innovative and practical grant proposals in areas which: increase the accessibility of mental health services to people and communities with limited financial means and opportunities; offer preventive and early-intervention strategies; advocate for systemic change with local or national impact. Types of Grant The van Ameringen Foundation provides general support and project specific grants in two overall categories: Direct Service Grants The Foundation funds programs and projects that provide a direct service, such as case management, assessment, counseling, psychotherapy, psychiatric care, training, or jobs, housing, and other supports to people and communities confronting significant mental illness. Non-Direct Service Grants Advocacy The Foundation funds strategies that seek to create changes in the law, public policy, or in the perceptions and practices of the public and private sectors responsible for improving mental healthcare, particularly in unserved or underserved communities. Media/Dissemination The Foundation funds efforts which seek to share research findings, best practices, and knowledge related to improving the mental health safety net and system. This may be in the form of a publication, training, or media project using traditional or new forms of communication. Training The Foundation funds activities that provide learning and skill-building opportunities for mental health providers, advocates, people living with mental illness, policymakers, and family or community members who are seeking to deepen their understanding, knowledge, treatment, or social change efforts. Funding Information Direct Service Grants Duration: Up to three years Between $25,000 – $75,000 annually Non-Direct Service Grants Duration: Up to three years Advocacy Grant Size: Up to $250,000 annually Media/Dissemination & Training Grant Size: Between $25,000 – $75,000 annually. The foundation does not fund The Foundation is not active in programs for intellectual disability or physical disability, nor do they make grants directly to individuals. Given the limited resources, the Foundation also is not able to support endowment campaigns, capital projects, annual fund-raising drives, or international activities and institutions. Foundation is no longer providing grants outside of New York City or Philadelphia. For more information, visit VAF.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations, local governments, and public schools in selected states to implement sustainability initiatives, workforce development, and community resilience programs that enhance the quality of life and economic vitality in their communities.

This fellowship provides early-career professionals in the Greater Philadelphia area with funding and support to work on projects that drive systemic change in youth justice, child welfare, education, and health.

This fund provides financial support to nonprofit organizations that help meet basic human needs and improve access to education and safe recreational activities for marginalized groups, particularly children, seniors, and individuals with special needs, especially in the wake of the pandemic.

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations in the tri-state area focused on addressing gun violence, improving community safety, and enhancing education and police relations.

This grant provides financial support for Penn State undergraduate students to pursue independent summer projects in various fields, fostering creativity and academic exploration.

This funding opportunity supports Black-led and Black-serving nonprofit organizations in the Pittsburgh Region to implement programs that empower and uplift the local Black community through various initiatives.

This grant provides funding to community organizations in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to implement programs that address the root causes of poverty and promote economic stability for underserved populations, including unemployed individuals and those facing financial constraints.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Pittsburgh that are dedicated to preventing violence and enhancing community safety in neighborhoods most affected by crime.

This award provides $15,000 to women, trans, and gender nonconforming artists in the Greater Philadelphia area who have dedicated at least five years to using their art for social change.

This funding opportunity supports organizations in Southeastern Pennsylvania that serve immigrant and refugee communities by promoting mental health and wellness through culturally relevant initiatives.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit art organizations and museums in the Greater Philadelphia area to promote visual fine arts through exhibitions, commissions, and community projects.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Philadelphia that focus on improving the lives of at-risk youth involved in or affected by the juvenile justice system.

This funding opportunity supports organizations led by and serving trans and gender non-conforming communities in the Philadelphia area, with a focus on BIPOC individuals, elders, youth, and those in need of gender-affirming care and housing support.

This grant provides financial support for partnerships between women, trans*, and gender nonconforming media artists and social justice organizations in Greater Philadelphia to create collaborative projects that promote social change through various media arts.