Pennsylvania Local Grants

This funding opportunity supports nonprofit organizations and groups in Philadelphia that engage in a variety of artistic and cultural activities, including arts education, community art, and historic preservation.

Anchor Building Program provides funding to enable local governments, 501(c)3 non-profits, and municipal authorities to strengthen a community, neighborhood, or commercial district by redeveloping, enhancing, and preserving an underutilized or vacant building that has the potential to serve as a catalyst for greater investment and commercial or social activity. Donor Name: Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority (ECGRA) State: Pennsylvania County: Erie County (PA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 07/31/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: 2 Years Details: Anchor buildings are most often historic buildings located in the heart of the community, and possess intrinsic historical, architectural, and/or cultural qualities that make places special or unique. Similarly, these buildings can be adaptively re-used due to the quality of original construction, location, and/or suitability for new uses. Unfortunately, communities find that these older buildings are difficult to re-use due to construction costs relative to modern building code requirements, lack of financial resources, or low appraisal values. Goals of the Program To adaptively re-use historically, culturally, architecturally, and/or socially significant buildings. To leverage private investment and create jobs. To support small businesses and enhance the local tax base. To bridge the funding gap common with older building re-use. Funding Information Minimum request of $25,000 per application. Up to $100,000 awarded per application. Grant contracts for Anchor Building funding shall be for a period of 24 months. Eligibility Criteria Applicant is an IRS-designated 501(c)(3), municipality, or a municipal authority. Applicant’s headquarters is located in Erie County. Applicant is in good standing with the IRS and state and local taxing bodies. Applicant is in good standing with ECGRA’s reporting requirements to date. Applicant must be current in payment of real estate taxes. For more information, visit ECGRA.

The 2024 Parks, Fields, Trails Grant, funded by the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority, offers $10,000 to $100,000 for capital projects that improve public parks, athletic fields, and trails in Erie County, Pennsylvania, aiming to promote healthy lifestyles, enhance local tourism, and rejuvenate neighborhoods, with a focus on projects that provide social, educational, cultural, health, recreation, and/or economic benefits to residents.

The Chester County Community Foundation is seeking applications for its Fund for ChesCo Capacity Building Grants. Donor Name: Chester County Community Foundation State: Pennsylvania County: Chester County (PA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 09/11/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: The goal of capacity building grants is to strengthen the effectiveness of NPO’s serving the Chester County region, in areas including: Mission, Vision & Strategy Governance & Leadership Partnerships & Collaborations Operations & Technology Fundraising, Development & Marketing What is capacity building? Capacity building helps bring a nonprofit to the next level of operational, programmatic, financial, or organizational maturity, in order to more effectively & efficiently fulfill its mission. Capacity building may include (but is not limited to) projects which address: Mission, Vision & Strategy: Organizational Assessment – Strategic Planning – Financial Planning Governance & Leadership: Board Development – Executive Transition/Succession Planning – Leadership Development – Staff Training & Professional Development Partnerships & Collaborations: Coalition Building – Collaboration – Mergers & Acquisitions – Strategic Restructuring Resource Development & Marketing: Major Gift Donor Identification, Cultivation, Development & Stewardship – Development Campaigns (Annual, Capital, Planned Giving) – Earned Income Development – Social Enterprise Feasibility & Development – Marketing, Branding & Communications Technology & Operations: Business Continuity Planning – Financial Management – Human Resources – Volunteer Management – Industry Certification – Risk Management – Technology Improvements. Funding Information Grant awards typically range from $500-$5,000. Eligibility Criteria For eligibility in this grant program, nonprofits must be located in & serve Chester County. Nonprofits budgets must be $500,000 or less. For more information, visit CCCF.

This grant provides over $125,000 in funding to support 30 Black artists in the Philadelphia area who create projects celebrating the city's rich Black music heritage through storytelling and creative expression.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to nonprofit organizations, veteran service organizations, and county directors of veteran affairs in Pennsylvania to enhance programs and services for veterans, focusing on outreach, health, transportation, and employment initiatives.

The York County Community Foundation has launched the Racial Equity Fund Grant Program which focuses on shifting the paradigm of equitable opportunities. Donor Name: York County Community Foundation State: Pennsylvania County: York County (PA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 09/09/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Focus Areas  The Racial Equity each for projects that seek to address issues of racism and inequity within communities of color in the following areas: Community Leadership and Development Criminal Justice System Education and Job Readiness Health and Wellness Income and Wealth Creation Racial and Cultural Education Funding Information  Grants of up to $15,000. Eligibility Criteria  To qualify for a grant, nonprofits or individuals must be working directly with people of color, with a preference for projects that are led by people of color. For more information, visit York County Community Foundation.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in Perry County, Pennsylvania, to support projects that enhance community well-being in areas such as arts, education, health, and substance abuse prevention.

This program provides funding to non-profits, businesses, and government agencies in Clinton County to promote tourism, develop attractions, and host events that encourage overnight visits and boost the local economy.

The Elk County Community Foundation is seeking applications for its Women Who Care Grant Program. Donor Name: Elk County Community Foundation State: Pennsylvania County: Elk County (PA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 08/15/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Women Who Care strives to educate, encourage, and expand the number of women committed to philanthropy in order to strengthen community by providing funds and assistance to issues that are important to families. The Women Who Care Fund welcomes grant applications as part of its mission to provide funding for projects that have the most impact for the families in communities. Funding Information Maximum annual award from Women Who Care is $5000. Eligibility Criteria Awards are limited to nonprofit charitable organizations with current exempt status as defined by the Internal Revenue Code – Section 501(c)(3) and schools or municipalities. Limitations of Women Who Care Awards Women Who Care does not make awards to individuals. make awards for capital campaigns or to fund endowments. fund the same project more than once – unless there are unusual circumstances. fund organizations that promote a particular religious or political ideology. fund advertising, dinner galas or other fundraising events. fund contributions to the general fund of an organization. fund overhead administrative cost exceeding 10% of request. The applications recommended to the membership will be based on: Quality of the Project/Services Number of Individuals Served Management of the Project. For more information, visit Elk County Community Foundation.

The Bucks County Foundation offers bi-annual grants to nonprofits serving Bucks County through a competitive process from unrestricted funds. These grants support projects that serve the community needs of Bucks County, emphasizing smaller organizations that may apply for either operating or program grants based on their annual budget size. This opportunity fosters local development and aids organizations in achieving impactful community results. Applications must adhere to non-discrimination policies and aim for collaborative community solutions. Organizations can apply once every twelve months, and site visits may be part of the evaluation process.

The Clean Water Cumberland is now accepting applications for the Clean Water Grant Program (CWGP). Donor Name: County of Cumberland State: Pennsylvania County: Cumberland County (PA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline:  06/14/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: Less than 1 Year Details: The CWGP provides financial support for “shovel-ready” initiatives that aim to enhance local water quality in Cumberland County. Program Objectives  The objectives of the CWGP are: Maximize the impact of limited pollution reduction funding by investing in priority water quality projects. Develop a water quality project backlog that can help leverage additional government and nonprofit funding. Pursue multifaceted pollution reduction strategies across a variety of water quality stakeholders. Accelerate progress toward the county’s pollution reduction goals through activities of other water quality stakeholders. Institutionalize an annual project identification process that can be integrated into county CAP development plans. Funding Information Annual program funding is variable and dependent upon the level of federal, state, corporate and nonprofit sources secured by the county. It is anticipated that approximately $500,000 will be available for subawards in 2025. There is no minimum or maximum grant award amount. There is no cash match requirement, however, projects with local match will receive higher priority consideration in the evaluation process. All funding decisions are at the sole discretion of Cumberland County and contingent upon the approval of PADEP. Grant Period Period of Grant Performance: March 2025-December 2025. Eligible Applicants Eligible CWGP applicants are limited to the following groups: Non-profit 501(c) organizations, Municipal governments, Educational institutions, Businesses with headquarters located within Cumberland County, Other organizations as deemed eligible by the county. For more information, visit County of Cumberland.

The William Penn Foundation is offering a grant of over $1 million for a duration of 3 years to 501(c)3 public charities and government entities proposing projects to reduce illegal dumping in Philadelphia, with a focus on partnerships that leverage complementary strengths and resources to achieve this goal.

The Community Fund is an annual grant opportunity hosted by the Philadelphia City Fund in which community organizations are invited to submit proposals for charitable projects that address Philadelphia’s greatest areas of need and align with the City of Philadelphia’s goals to improve the quality of life for all residents. Donor Name: The Philadelphia City Fund State: Pennsylvania City: Philadelphia Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 08/26/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: This grant opportunity is made possible through the Philadelphia City Fund’s partnership with the Philadelphia Marathon Weekend, which allocates a portion of its annual revenues to the Community Fund. For the 2024 Community Fund grant cycle, the Fund and its partners at the Philadelphia Marathon Weekend seek to support programming that takes a holistic approach to youth wellness and inspires lifelong healthy activity. This year’s theme will focus on “Nurturing healthy minds, bodies, and spirits through out of school time programming.” The Fund will accept proposals from charitable nonprofit organizations that provide out of school time (“OST”) programming that promotes the healthy physical, social, educational, and emotional development of youth, ages pre-K thru 12th grade, in Philadelphia. Funding Information The total funding allocated for the 2024 cycle is $250,000. Grantees will receive awards of $25,000 in unrestricted funds to be used however they see fit, which can include general operations, programmatic activities, or other costs that support the organization’s mission. Eligibility Criteria In order to be considered for funding, applications must be submitted according to the deadlines, eligibility, and format as set forth in these guidelines and on the online submission form. Applicants must demonstrate their charitable organization’s 501(c)(3) status. If the applicant organization will be sponsored by a charitable fiscal sponsor, the applicant must demonstrate its sponsor’s charitable 501(c)(3) status. The Fund seeks to support small nonprofit organizations. Only organizations with annual operating budgets which do not exceed $5 million are eligible. Only organizations that provide out-of-school time (“OST”) programming to youth in Philadelphia will be considered eligible. OST programming is defined as programs and activities designed for youth enrolled in pre-K through 12th grade to contribute to the overall well-being and safety of youth through access to services that promote their healthy, physical, social, educational, and emotional development. In order to increase equitable access to OST programming across the city, preference will be given to requests from organizations that provide programming in the following Priority ZIP Codes: 19120, 19124, 19132, 19134, 19138, 19139, 19141, and 19144. Priority ZIP Codes were identified through an analysis conducted by the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Children and Families, Performance Management and Technology Team. This analysis used metrics related to quality of life (i.e. poverty rates, number of shootings, and percentage of youth involved with the City’s Department of Human Services (DHS)), the distribution of OST slots across the city, and the utilization of slots funded by DHS. Grant awards will be unrestricted, with a one-year grant term expected to begin in February 2025. Funding may be used as the grantee sees fit, which can include general operating support, programmatic activities, or other expenses that support the organization’s mission. Applicants will be expected to address the grant cycle theme “Nurturing healthy minds, bodies, and spirits through out-of-school time programming” in their application, either by connecting the theme with their organization’s mission and/or programming, or, if you intend to use this funding to support specific programming, by explaining how the proposed activities meet the theme. Grant funds may be used to supplement (but not replace or redirect) any federal, state, and/or local funding currently provided. Grant funds will be awarded on a one-time basis, with no obligation for future funding from the Philadelphia City Fund. If awarded funding through this opportunity, grantees will be expected to meet the requirements of the Pennsylvania childcare regulations throughout the grant term. In accordance with the Child Protective Services Laws, 24 P.S. § 1-111, as amended, and 23 Pa. C.S.A. §§ 6354-6358, it is required that all employees, officers, agents, servants, volunteers, or subcontractors of the grantee who will have direct contact with children must have: Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance (Act 33) Pennsylvania State Police Criminal History Clearance (Act 34) Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Criminal History Clearance Mandated reporter trainings For those sites operating in PA DHS Certified childcare sites, the National Sex Offender Registry verification is also required. If awarded funding through this opportunity, grantees will be expected to carry and maintain all insurance coverage reasonably necessary and appropriate under State and Federal laws during the grant term. Upon request, grantees must be able to provide the Philadelphia City Fund with a certificate of insurance evidencing its coverage. For more information, visit The Philadelphia City Fund.

The Acorn Grants provides support to newer and smaller organizations to establish a solid foundation. Donor Name: The Erie Community Foundation State: Pennsylvania County: Erie County (PA) Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 08/02/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Prioritize organizations that identify a need and explain how it is essential to build capacity. Funding Information Do not exceed $10,000.  Eligibility Criteria The Erie Community Foundation awards grants to nonprofits defined as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue code that are located within Erie County or demonstrate a sizable population within Erie County.  For more information, visit The Erie Community Foundation.

The York County Community Foundation is offering a three-year grant of $100,000 to $500,000 for municipalities, county agencies, school districts, and non-profit organizations in York County, Pennsylvania, to preserve and protect open spaces, natural habitats, and waterways through land acquisition, planning studies, and ordinance assistance, with a focus on public access, recreational opportunities, and natural resource protection.

This funding opportunity supports community organizations in Philadelphia that provide programs focused on preventing gun violence, mentoring girls, and offering trauma-informed services, particularly during the summer months.

The Department of Commerce launched the PHL Made Grant, a fund that contributes to the growth of manufacturing companies located in Philadelphia and promotes innovation in the industry. Donor Name: City of Philadelphia State: Pennsylvania City: Philadelphia Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/04/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: For the purpose of this grant program, the manufacturing industry is defined as companies engaged in the production of goods using tools, labor, and machinery. This includes but is not limited to companies producing consumer goods, industrial goods and medical devices. Funding Information Applicants can apply for a matching grant award amount of up to $30,000 per company. Eligibility Criteria  Company must be located in Philadelphia. Company must have been in operation for at least one year. Company must be engaged in the manufacturing of goods. Company must have funds to match grant requested. Funding Consideration   Companies that have a clear plan for how they will use the grant funds to improve their business operations, increase efficiency, and/or bring new products to market. Companies that maintain and/or create jobs with a commitment to hiring Philadelphia residents. Past PHL Made Grant awardees are eligible to apply if they have not received over $10,000 in PHL Made Grant funds in the last three years. For more information, visit City of Philadelphia.

The Somerset County Tourism Grant Program, funded by GO Laurel Highlands, offers grants ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 to nonprofit or for-profit businesses in the tourism and hospitality industry in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, for marketing initiatives and visitor center operations aimed at boosting tourism and overnight stays in the region.

This funding opportunity supports community-led initiatives in Philadelphia that aim to reduce violence and enhance neighborhood safety, particularly for young Black and brown men, through various programs like job training, educational outreach, and trauma-informed care.