December 22, 2022

Green Middleweights: 25 Prominent, Mid-Sized Environmental Grantmakers

December 22, 2022/ Michael Kavate

We previously compiled the top 25 green funders based on 2021 giving data. Today, we round up the next 25 on the list — a wide-ranging set of grantmakers who all gave $10 million or more to environmental causes.

September 29, 2022

Keeping it in the Family: A Foundation Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

September 29, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen

Millions of Americans are raising their grandchildren for a range of reasons, but they face unique challenges and receive little support. A new initiative by one regional foundation provides funding to help grandfamilies thrive.

June 22, 2022

“It Isn't Intractable; There Are Solutions.” How Raikes Backs Equitable School Funding and More

June 22, 2022/ Connie Matthiessen

Started by Microsoft executives Jeff and Tricia Raikes, this foundation takes some unique approaches to ed funding and is zeroing in on the thorny issue of making school funding more equitable.

June 16, 2022

Eight Leading Foundations Working to Keep Forests Green, Water Pure and Farms Fertile

June 16, 2022/ Michael Kavate

These legacy foundations are among the top grantmakers giving toward conservation, curbing pollution and improving agriculture in the United States. See who’s on the list.

March 30, 2022

IP Briefing: What's Going on With Philanthropy for Theater?

March 30, 2022/ IP Staff

Like all the performing arts, theater has been hit hard by the pandemic, and funders are making moves to bolster the nonprofit theater world now and into the future. Here’s our rundown of who’s doing what.

April 02, 2021

A New Fund Seeks to Preserve the Appalachians and Capture Carbon in the Process

April 02, 2021/ Michael Kavate

The Open Space Institute’s Appalachian Landscapes Protection Fund offers a window into what may influence conservation philanthropy in the years ahead: equity for local communities and nature as a climate solution.

September 30, 2020

Behind Ford’s Bold Effort to Back Arts Groups Serving Communities of Color

September 30, 2020/ Mike Scutari

Ford and partner funders are committing more than $156 million to support BIPOC arts groups disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. Ford’s Margaret Morton fills us in on the America’s Cultural Treasures initiative.

August 11, 2020

Philadelphia Is the Latest City to Team Up with Funders on Digital Equity in Schools

August 11, 2020/ Caroline Bermudez

As the pandemic continues, more school districts have decided to stick with online instruction, making the digital divide an even greater equity concern. Philadelphia formed a new public-private partnership in hopes of leveling the field.

December 21, 2018

Accessing the Arts: What This Means for a Big Philadelphia Funder

December 21, 2018/ Alyssa Ochs

Even as other priorities clamor for attention, big city foundations have stuck with funding for the arts. A case in point is the William Penn Foundation, which aims to increase access to high-quality artistic and cultural experiences across Philadelphia.

September 04, 2018

The Starting Line: Behind a Push by Foundations to Expand Access to Childcare in Their Cities

September 04, 2018/ Caitlin Reilly

The Reinvestment Fund is coordinating work with grantmakers in several cities to expand the availability of high-quality childcare. The work is growing as more funders zero in on a critical niche that’s long been overlooked.

May 22, 2018

Getting It Right: A Parks Project Fueled by Private Dollars, With An Eye on Equity

May 22, 2018/ Tate Williams

Glitzy urban parks projects have drawn fire for fueling gentrification and playing to the tastes of the donor class. As funders mobilize behind Philadelphia’s own High Line, they’re looking to avoid mistakes made elsewhere.

July 11, 2017

"Change From the Bottom Up." A Funder Looks to Build Support for Watershed Protection

July 11, 2017/ Tate Williams

The William Penn Foundation is providing major funding to educate the public about the Delaware River watershed. It's the latest example of Penn's connect-the-dots approach to conservation.

March 22, 2017

On the Waterfront: A Foundation Helps a City Reconnect to Its River

March 22, 2017/ Tate Williams

A plan to cap a stretch of highway and reconnect Philadelphia to its waterfront has been in the works for decades. It’s now very close, thanks in part to a $15 million grant.

February 25, 2017

Penn Has Yet Another New Leader. Here's What Shawn McCaney's Hiring Tells Us

February 25, 2017/ Alyssa Ochs

The William Penn Foundation has decided on a new leader; however, the big decision doesn’t really come as much of a surprise. Here are a few takeaways from the appointment.

February 01, 2017

Informal Learning: Penn’s Latest Idea for Tackling Early Literacy Shortfalls

February 01, 2017/ Alyssa Ochs

Early literacy third-grade reading level efforts haven't been as successful as funders have hoped. The William Penn Foundation is trying something new, less conventional, and more collaborative.

November 24, 2016

In a Funder's Big Commitment to Boosting Public Spaces, a Better Way for Parks Philanthropy

November 24, 2016/ Tate Williams

The William Penn Foundation is putting $100 million into a city-wide project in Philly that, if successful, could offer an example of how to do more equitable, holistic parks philanthropy.

November 15, 2016

With Yet Another Leader Already on Her Way Out, Where Is This Big Foundation Headed Next?

November 15, 2016/ Alyssa Ochs

The "bumps in the road" continue for the William Penn Foundation, with Laura Sparks leaving to take a higher ed position. Is there a moral to this story?