ABOUT: THE FOUNDATION
The William Penn Foundation, founded in 1945 by Otto and
Phoebe Haas, is dedicated to improving the quality of life in the Greater
Philadelphia region through efforts that close the achievement gap for
low-income children, ensure a sustainable environment, foster creativity that
enhances civic life, and advance philanthropy in the Philadelphia region. In partnership with others, the Foundation
works to advance opportunity, ensure sustainability, and enable effective solutions.
The Foundation's assets were just over $2 billion at the
close of 2012, and its annual grantmaking budget is approximately $80
million. More information on the
Foundation’s grantmaking can be found in the overview of strategic priorities.
OUR VISION
Advancing opportunity, ensuring sustainability, and enabling effective solutions.
OUR MISSION
To close the achievement gap for low-income children, ensure a sustainable environment, foster creativity that enhances civic life, and advance philanthropy in the Philadelphia region.
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OUR VALUES
Stewardship:
We plan and manage resources responsibly and with
respect for the sustainability of the arts, environment, open spaces and the
education of children.
Integrity:
We act with honesty and integrity as we interface with our colleagues
and community.
Respect:
We listen to many different voices and a diversity of opinions
treating everyone with dignity and respect.
Collaboration:
We recognize that our best decisions and
contributions to society materialize from successful collaborations with
others.
Learning:
We are committed to continually improving ourselves and expanding our
knowledge through training, using research and data, and listening to partners
and thought leaders.
Accountability
and Efficiency:
We are efficient
and effective in our approach to decision making and we communicate with
transparency and timeliness.
Creative
and Courageous Leadership:
We value creative
ideas that have the potential to change the world and we partner with
organizations that have the courage and passion to plan and manage resources to
responsibly shape the future.
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OUR PRINCIPLES
Long-Term Focus: We focus on work that will strengthen the region’s viability and sustainability for the long term, rather than confining our efforts to short-term goals.
Integration: Whenever possible, we integrate grantmaking throughout rural, suburban, and urban areas of the Philadelphia region and across Foundation grantmaking categories.
Achievability: We support work that is based on sound objectives and measurement practices, is ambitious but achievable, and is relevant to our grantmaking capacity to contribute. We understand that success is predicated on the presence of social capital and viable partners and on sharing and applying insights learned from previous work in the field.
Leverage: We focus on work that has a multiplier effect; we seek points of leverage, including alignment of interests across the private and public sectors.
Relevance: We regularly and consistently ask our community for information regarding significant challenges faced by our region and for feedback about the value and effectiveness of our work and the relevance of our planned future directions.
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