Responsive, Accountable Local Government in Philadelphia
If an application has already been started in response to this RFP, please visit the Concepts and Proposals in Progress section in the Grantee Portal to view and/or continue the application process.
Background
Through the Democracy and Civic Initiatives program, the William Penn Foundation (WPF) seeks to build trust and participation, particularly among underrepresented communities, in Pennsylvania’s democratic processes. The process of governing requires continual, ongoing choices about what actions to take, how to allocate resources, and what best serves the public interest. But there is not always a clear mechanism for residents to convey their needs and priorities to the decisionmakers in government.
The ability to engage with government is particularly important on the local level, which is charged with delivering essential everyday services. In early 2023, a citywide poll found that 65% of Philadelphians believed the city to be on the wrong track. In order to change perceptions, and experiences, for the better, we need people inside and outside of city government to improve how Philadelphians interact with and experience local government. When people know how decisions are made and see that they have the ability to impact how their communities are governed, they are more likely to engage with democratic processes and to take action to make their neighborhoods stronger, healthier, and better connected. We plan to measure progress on this objective through a recurring survey to understand change over time. We are currently exploring opportunities to align this survey measure with other citywide surveys, such as Pew Charitable Trusts’ State of the City or Lenfest Institute’s Every Voice, Every Vote.
Opportunity Overview
WPF seeks to support efforts that will increase confidence in the responsiveness and accountability of city government. We are most interested in prioritizing projects that will positively impact communities that have historically been underrepresented, including people of color, immigrants, people living in poverty, members of disability communities, and others who lack access.
The Foundation recognizes that there are many different approaches that could be used to advance the objective stated above. As examples, this could include projects to empower residents with the knowledge and skills to advocate for their neighborhoods, projects to enable city agencies to better engage residents and business owners in setting policy and making decisions, or projects to increase transparency and public awareness. All proposals that meet the review criteria described below are encouraged. After reviewing proposals, WPF will conduct site visits and gather additional information from a limited number of organizations.
In this round of funding, we hope to learn more about the ways organizations across the city are seeking to make change and measure their progress. Given that this is new work for the Foundation, we are requesting proposals for projects ranging from 15 -18 months. We anticipate the next RFP to advance this objective will open in late 2025. Proposals may be for projects at any stage of development, from emerging work to efforts that are already underway.
WPF has allocated $1.5 million to advance this objective at this time. There is no minimum or maximum that organizations may request, but the most competitive proposals will likely be those with requests of $250,000 or less.
At least one third of the total amount awarded under this RFP will be reserved for grants to organizations that have budgets under $1 million per year and/or are led by individuals who are members of groups with a history of discrimination or exclusion. WPF values diverse approaches from various types of organizations to address the 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 evaluation, 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, July 15, 2024 at 1:00PM ET. Following the live webinar, a recording will be posted to this page.