Environment & Communities

A Park Within Walking Distance of Every Philadelphian WPF is joining forces with the City of Philadelphia and the Trust for Public Land to launch “Parks for People” – a partnership to convert concrete schoolyards and rec center properties throughout the city into attractive, green spaces for residents. WPF has committed $1.3 million to the $9 million project.

Green City, Clean Waters: A National Model Philadelphia’s groundbreaking stormwater management plan continues to draw national interest, including a $2 billion agreement with the EPA. A documentary about the plan is currently airing on WHYY-TV12.

Market Conditions Aid in Protecting Critical Resources The real estate crash has been unhappy news in most circles, but in this exclusive interview, Peter Howell of the Open Space Institute describes the opportunity that the tough market has provided for the Foundation and other investors to conserve some of our region's most important landscapes - the Pennsylvania Highlands and the New Jersey Bayshore.

Working with WPF and land trust partners, Howell and his staff have used data and mapping to identify critical watershed land where philanthropic dollars can help to tip the balance in favor of permanent preservation. 

Regional Trail Network to be Named "The Circuit" After reviewing more than 170 submissions, a jury convened by WPF and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission has decided to use the name “The Circuit” to brand our region’s trail network.

Central Delaware Master Plan Unanimously Adopted by Planning Commission After years of WPF-funded advocacy and citizen-based planning, the award-winning Master Plan for the Central Delaware is now the official basis for development decisions along the waterfront.

The Healthy Urban Supermarket of the Future is Here A planning grant from WPF has helped UpLift Solutions to develop a business model to integrate health clinics into urban supermarkets in the Philadelphia region.

Leading the Way to Cleaner Water Through Innovative Financing The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has identified Philadelphia as a leader in green stormwater management practices, and a new WPF-funded report by NRDC highlights Philadelphia's innovative financing model as a case study.

Expanding Philly's World-Class Greenway With support from WPF, the Schuylkill River Development Corporation is working to expand Philadelphia's world-class greenway by linking both sides of the tidal Schuylkill. A public meeting to review the latest plans is scheduled for February 8.

Nonprofits and Philadelphia's Lobbying Ordinance - Does it Apply to You? This year, Philadelphia’s first-ever lobbyist registration and disclosure ordinance went into effect. Many nonprofit organizations that interact with city government or with the School District could be required to register as lobbyists and file expense reports. The Committee of Seventy is sponsoring a briefing for the nonprofit community to learn more.

From Farming Veggies to Farming Ideas: Social Innovation Through Urban Agriculture Mary Seton Corboy started Greensgrow with a simple idea for a business: grow lettuce in Philadelphia's challenging urban environment. Nearly fifteen years later, Greensgrow has become one of America's brightest urban farming stories, placing Corboy among Philadelphia's greatest social entrepreneurs. WPF is proud to fund Greensgrow, but part of what makes its story interesting is its emphasis on a diverse range of revenues without an over-reliance on philanthropic support.

Modern Zoning: A Long Time Coming For the first time in 50 years, Philadelphia has a new zoning code, thanks to more than seven years of relentless pressure from community organizations and activists, fueled by WPF-funded research and ideas.

Help Name Greater Philadelphia's Trail Network Our region has an amazing collection of trails, providing recreational opportunities and transportation links throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Help us and our partners develop a name for the entire network, and you could win $250! Note: Deadline Extended to December 21!

Coming Soon To City Hall: World-Class Public Space Philadelphia’s Dilworth Plaza is being transformed from cold concrete into a signature public space that will be the envy of American cities.

Improving the Climate for Small Businesses in Philly A new report produced by the Sustainable Business Network with funding from WPF explores why the City lags in small business formation and offers recommendations for encouraging small business growth.

From Desolate to Dynamic PlanPhilly chronicles the transformation of Eastern North Philadelphia.

Exposing Philly's Tax Delinquency Crisis According to a joint investigation by PlanPhilly and The Philadelphia Inquirer, approximately 111,000 tax delinquents owe Philadelphia and its schools nearly a half-billion dollars.

Philly Loves Night Markets Local food. Fresh beer. Philly flavor. What's not to love?

Using Evaluation to Shape Strategy: How Can We Make It Better? Are We There Yet? Evaluation is an important tool in our grantmaking program. We use it to review progress in a field, explore what needs to be done, and help us tweak strategies as needed along the way. In this column, we describe how we are using evaluation to help shape our efforts to protect water quality in our region.

Strategy Review: Water Policy Grantmaking 2005 - 2009 A new report evaluates the Foundation's investment of $14 million in efforts to protect the region's water quality.

Momentum Builds on the Central Delaware Waterfront New projects help to advance the public’s vision of better access to the river.

Evaluating Conservation Landscape Initiatives Pennsylvania's Conservation Landscapes Initiative was evaluated by the OMG Center for Collaborative Learning to document and assess the Commonwealth's approach.