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
Studies have demonstrated that arts education allows young people of all ages to connect to their own creativity, stretch their imaginations, and express their personalities. It also develops social-emotional and critical thinking skills[1] 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. Additionally, in-school arts education partnership programs can support students in their overall school experiences, having been shown to deepen students’ engagement with school and decrease disciplinary infractions.[3] However, not all students in our region have access to these opportunities. This RFP aims to address this unequal distribution by supporting the work of programs reaching students from low-income families.
[1] 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.
[2] Jay P. Greene, Brian Kisida, and Daniel H. Bowen. (Winter 2021). “The Educational Value of Field Trips,” Education Next 14 (1)
Opportunity Overview
The Foundation seeks to support efforts that provide young people with hands-on arts education led by skilled teaching artists, through in-school partnership programs that are provided at no cost to schools or students. Programs must exclusively serve children of any ages from 5-18. In particular, we are most interested in prioritizing support for projects that make it possible for youth to engage as leaders and drivers of their own learning experiences.
We are requesting proposals for projects that last from one to three years and connect young people in Greater Philadelphia with in-school arts education partnership programs driven by the young people’s own creativity and interests to support their personal development and growth. These programs are to supplement and not replace the important arts learning being implemented by certified art teachers in Philadelphia area schools. These programs will be implemented by teaching artists in partnership with classroom teachers and specialists. This can include models ranging from arts integration and enrichment to afterschool arts clubs, to expand and broaden arts education for the region’s young people. Conducted in schools, these programs will primarily connect to youth during the school day or afterschool hours at their schools. 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.
The Foundation recognizes that there are many different tactics or approaches that could be used to advance the objective stated above. Proposals from any organizations that meet the review criteria and additional considerations described below are encouraged to apply.
WPF has a total of $6 million available to advance this objective through this RFP. There is no minimum or maximum amount of funding that organizations may request. The grant amount requested should be commensurate with the contribution that the project will make to the overall objective. However, grant requests under $450,000 (for 3 years) will be most competitive.
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, December 17, 2025 at 11:00AM ET.
Following the live webinar, a recording will be posted to this page.