If an application has already been started in response to this RFP, please visit the Proposals in Progress section in the Grants Portal to view and/or continue the application process.
Background
The William Penn Foundation’s commitment to advancing educational equity and opportunity in the Greater Philadelphia region has long recognized that achieving lasting change requires sustained programmatic support for organizations to evaluate policies and their impacts, and recommend better approaches where warranted.
Advocacy plays a pivotal role in shaping the public policies and funding priorities that determine the quality and accessibility of education. In the early childhood sector, advocacy ensures that the public, and state and local decision-makers understand the need to and benefits of sustaining and expanding investments in high-quality pre-kindergarten, childcare, early intervention, and home visiting that form the foundation for lifelong learning. In the K–12 education sector, advocacy is essential to advancing equitable school funding and expanding out-of-school time activities.
Over the past decade, the Foundation has invested in multi-organization statewide campaigns, as well as independent activities such as journalism, research, and litigation. In combination, the work of our grantees has helped increase public funding by over $4.5 billion. But there is still more work to be done. By continuing to invest in this area, the Foundation hopes to ensure that policy gains—such as Pennsylvania’s fair funding formula, expanded access to pre-k, and increased state education budgets—are protected and extended.
The existing statewide campaigns that help to boost state investments in child-serving systems—Childhood Begins at Home, Start Strong PA, Pre-K for PA, and PA Schools Work—are ongoing. Support for these initiatives is separate from this RFP opportunity.
Opportunity Overview
The Foundation seeks to support efforts that complement the existing campaigns named above and are likely over time to increase public funding in child-serving systems including early childhood education, early intervention, home visiting, out-of-school time programming, and K-12 public education. Applicants may seek to coordinate with any of the existing statewide campaigns or may seek funding for independent activities that will enhance ongoing efforts and accelerate progress on the objective.
This RFP seeks to support organizations that inform, mobilize, and unite key stakeholders, including the public and policymakers, about funding issues impacting child-serving systems in Pennsylvania. To be eligible for funding, organizations will conduct at least one of the following activities:
- Strategic, non-partisan, broad-based outreach, education, and mobilization efforts that engage the public and policymakers
- Research or communications efforts that widely disseminate non-partisan information that increases public understanding of key issues
- Public interest litigation to advance adequate and equitable funding
All projects must be likely to positively impact public investments in young children in Pennsylvania.
We are requesting proposals for up to three years of funding. After reviewing proposals, WPF will conduct site visits and gather additional information from a limited number of organizations.
Organizations that propose projects in partnership with other applicants will be considered on their individual merits. However, the Foundation recognizes that making significant progress on the objective is difficult and encourages organizations to include partnerships that leverage complementary strengths, resources, and expertise to reach proposed goals.
If you are proposing to join an existing statewide campaign, you must provide a letter of support from campaign leadership.
WPF has $6 million available to advance this objective through this RFP. The maximum amount of funding that organizations may request for direct expenses is $500,000 over three years. (This does not include the overhead amount that will be added to project budgets, based on a formula described on the “How to Apply” section of our website).
Full Request for Proposals (RFP) and Application
Download the full RFP packet for more information about this opportunity including eligibility, review criteria, learning and insights, budget, and link to an application template.
All applications must be submitted through the Grants Portal.
Webinar
Interested organizations are invited to participate in an optional informational webinar on Monday, December 15, 2025 at 1:00PM ET.
Following the live webinar, a recording will be posted to this page.