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.
Why is the William Penn Foundation (WPF) prioritizing this objective?
Studies have demonstrated that arts education allows young people of all ages to connect to their own creativity, to stretch their imaginations, and express their personalities. It also develops social-emotional and critical thinking skills1 and helps youth build empathy and connections to others and the world around them.2 Thoughtfully designed and delivered arts education can act as a safe space, allowing young people to share personal stories, process conflict and trauma, and develop interpersonal and cultural awareness. These opportunities can also help older youth gain skills needed in post-secondary education and the workplace.3
While the benefits of high-quality arts education are many, the opportunities are not evenly distributed, and these gaps are particularly pronounced for youth coming from low-income households where barriers of cost and reliable transportation impede their access. Community-based arts education programs have designed models where arts education is offered to young people in their neighborhood where they have greater access and opportunity to benefit from creative learning.
The value of this work was highlighted in the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance’s 2024 report on its Cultural Dynamics collaborative research initiative designed to inform the City of Philadelphia’s cultural planning, where one of its recommendations was to: Recognize the long history of local arts education, mentorship, and relationship-building that exists locally in the City, fully fund it, and embed this unique asset into public life—from schools and libraries to parks to transit.
- Daniel H. Bowen, Jay P. Greene, and Brian Kisida. (January 2014). “Learning to Think Critically: A Visual Art Experiment,” Educational Researcher 43 (1). pp. 37–44.
- Jay P. Greene, Brian Kisida, and Daniel H. Bowen. (Winter 2021). “The Educational Value of Field Trips,” Education Next 14 (1).
- Kylie Peppler, Maggie Dah, and Mizuko Ito. (2023). The Connected Arts Learning Framework: An expanded view of the purposes and possibilities for arts learning. The Wallace Foundation.
What types of projects will get funded?
The Foundation seeks to support out-of-school arts education opportunities in community-based settings for young people across the Philadelphia region to participate in equitable, inclusive, and high-quality, hands-on arts education led by skilled teaching artists.
In particular, we are most interested in prioritizing support for programs that are culturally relevant and make it possible for youth to engage as leaders and drivers of their own learning experiences. We seek to fund programs that are youth-informed or youth-centered, as developmentally appropriate.
- A program may focus on a single or multiple arts disciplines as long as it is hands-on arts learning led by skilled teaching artists and arts educators.
- Programs must exclusively serve children between ages 5 and 18.
- Programs are to be offered at little or no cost to the youth/families/caregivers, reaching primarily (75% or more) young people coming from low-income households.
Please note: Two Arts Education RFPs are scheduled over the next twelve months. This RFP is for out-of-school programs offered in community-based settings. An RFP to support in-school partnership programs offered during the school year will be released in December. See the table on pages 11-12 for a description of the differences between these two models.
What has to be in my proposal?
We are requesting proposals for projects up to three years in duration to connect young people in the Greater Philadelphia region with out-of-school arts education opportunities in their communities. The arts education opportunities should be driven by the young people’s creativity and interests and support their personal development and growth. These programs will primarily engage youth outside of school time and offer opportunities to pursue arts learning at any point during the year, including the summer.
Applicants should provide a clear, high-level narrative describing the program's model and design. The application narrative should include the:
- artistic discipline(s) the program teaches.
- history of the program and its experience working with youth of the proposed age range.
- teaching artists who lead the program, and their level of training and experience.
- learning and development pathway.
- amount of time the typical youth participant engages with the program.
- ways in which program design empowers youth to drive their own learning.
- other details you want to share about the program that describe how it works.
Applicants are also required to provide information by completing an Arts Education Program information form for the one or more sites included in the funding request. Please upload the completed form as an attachment in the online grant application portal.
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.
How much money is available?
WPF has $3 million available to advance this objective through this RFP. There is no minimum or maximum amount of funding that organizations may request. However, grant requests under $450,000 (total over 3 years) will be most competitive. The grant amount requested should be commensurate with the contribution that the project will make to the overall objective.
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 Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 11:00AM ET.
Following the live webinar, a recording will be posted to this page.