responsive, accountable local government in Philadelphia – Jan 29

Posted by William Penn Foundation on December 23, 2025

William Penn Foundation issues RFP for responsive, accountable local government in Philadelphia

The William Penn Foundation (WPF) has issued an RFP for responsive, accountable local government in Philadelphia.

Through its Democracy and Civic Initiatives program, WPF aims to build trust and participation, particularly among underrepresented communities, in Pennsylvania’s democratic processes. Trust and confidence grow when people inside and outside of government work together to set policy and advance a shared agenda.

In this RFP, the foundation is focusing on helping to build a local government that is more responsive to the needs of Philadelphians. WPF plans to track the objective through a periodic survey to understand change over time. Moreover, the foundation pledges to support efforts that help Philadelphia’s local government be responsive to residents’ needs and accountable to constituent priorities.

For this RFP, “local government” entails the following: City of Philadelphia government departments, agencies, boards and commissions; all elected officials in the City of Philadelphia; and the School District of Philadelphia.

The foundation recognizes there are many different tactics or approaches that could be used to advance the objective. Some examples of proposals could include neighborhood civic groups sharing actionable information with neighbors, city government departments engaging with community to make government more responsive to resident needs, and collective advocacy for policy reforms.

WPF has $2.5 million available to advance this objective through this RFP. While there is no maximum allowable grant request amount, proposals below $350,000 will be most competitive.

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

To be eligible, applicants must be recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as 501(c)(3) public charities, such as community-based organizations, schools and educational institutions, and other types of public-serving groups, or operate under a public charity fiduciary. Government entities are also eligible to apply. Proposed projects must occur in Philadelphia. Voter registration activities are not eligible for funding through this RFP.

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

Deadline: January 29, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET