arts and culture programming – Oct 23

Posted by William Penn Foundation on September 30, 2025

William Penn Foundation invites applications for arts and culture programming

William Penn Foundation (WPF) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania invites applications for arts and culture programming.

Engaging with the arts—whether creating or consuming art or practicing cultural traditions—builds a sense of connection among participants or within community, reinforces cultural identities, and improves community livability and resilience. However, WPF acknowledges that these experiences and benefits are unevenly distributed to individuals and in communities, especially those that have been historically under-resourced (e.g., communities of color, immigrants, people living in poverty, and members of disability communities). To address this inequity, WPF is particularly interested in supporting programming that is designed, developed, and presented in ways that are relevant and welcoming to these communities, resulting in greater access to arts and culture experiences in Philadelphia and the region.

The foundation aims to support efforts that connect more Philadelphians to high-quality arts and culture experiences that reflect the cultural diversity of the region and contribute to its vibrancy. Support will be prioritized for performances, exhibitions, and other arts and culture projects designed to address historic inequities of access to arts and culture experiences.

The foundation requests proposals for projects up to two years that will increase opportunities for people across the region to engage with a range of high-quality arts and culture experiences. Proposed projects must focus on inclusive and equitable opportunities presented in welcoming ways to people with diverse abilities and backgrounds. After reviewing proposals WPF will conduct site visits and gather additional information from a limited number of applicants.

WPF has $3 million available to advance this objective through this RFP. WPF values diverse approaches from various organizations and communities to address the objective. There is no minimum amount of funding that projects may request. And while there is no absolute maximum amount that can be requested, the most competitive proposals will be those with total grant requests of under $300,000 (over two years). The grant amount requested should be commensurate with the contributions that the project will make to the overall objective. This funding opportunity is for organizations with less than $750,000 in annual operating expenses. Projects should have activities beginning after February 2026.

At least $1 million of the total amount awarded under this RFP will be reserved for grants to organizations that are led by individuals who are members of groups with a history of discrimination or exclusion.

Applicants must be recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as 501(c)(3) public charities or operate under a public charity fiduciary.

For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the William Penn Foundation website.

Deadline: October 23, 2025