The William Penn Foundation

Director: Olive Mosier

Funding goal:
To broadly advance a vibrant regional cultural community.

In 2006

Awarded 46 new grants for $11 million
Made payments of $12 million on 94 active grants.

2007 grants awarded to date

News Items:
See below for news related to our Arts & Culture grantmaking

Annotated Bibliography on Research Related to Arts for Children & Youth
The Foundation has initiated a community-wide effort to reinvigorate arts education for Philadelphia’s children and youth. The following is a digest of research demonstrating the positive effects of arts education on young people. It is a snapshot of key studies that have influenced the Foundation’s point of view and approach.

Area Cultural Groups Adjust to Changing Audience Patterns
As Greater Philadelphia's audiences evolve and change, the region's arts and cultural organizations face the challenge of adapting the ways in which they relate to their audiences and consumers. In a new monograph, the Foundation explores several exciting and innovative approaches that show great promise for arts groups.

Where We Stand: Community Indicators for Metropolitan Philadelphia
Researchers from the Metropolitan Philadelphia Indicators Project at Temple University have released their fourth annual report on the region, providing data and mapping applications for the region’s 353 municipalities.

Forging a New Commitment to the Arts for Philadelphia's Young People
For too long, Philadelphia has lacked a comprehensive commitment to providing its young people with access to high quality cultural experiences and education. That is about to change.

Town Hall Meeting on Philadelphia's Creative Sector
The Foundation is pleased to join other funders of arts and culture to sponsor an important town hall meeting on the future of Philadelphia's Creative Sector.

Strategies for Sustaining the Arts in Philadelphia
In an interview with Patricia Horn, formerly of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Kevin McCarthy of the RAND Corporation elaborates on the role that Philadelphia should take in supporting arts and culture, and talks about what the city’s next leaders should do to establish a new, more effective Office of Arts and Culture.

National Researchers Recommend Centralized Leadership of Urban Cultural Policy
The RAND Corporation today released recommendations for how Philadelphia and other large urban areas can best support arts and culture as a vital component of a thriving community.

Philagrafika Print Exhibition on Display at William Penn Foundation
An exhibition of Philagrakfika's collected works will be on display at the Foundation through mid-June 2007.

Region's Performing Arts Groups Gain Powerful New Tool
With funding from the William Penn Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia will take the lead in implementing a major step forward for a consortium of the region's performing arts organizations.

Training Offered for Area Nonprofit Organizations
The Nonprofit Finance Fund offers a variety of training workshops for nonprofit organizations in Greater Philadelphia on topics ranging from real estate and facilities to alignment of programs and finances.

Public Access and Broadband Communications in Philadelphia
What would be required to establish a public access televison entity in Philadelphia?

Effort Launched to Collect Data on Arts & Culture in Pennsylvania
The Foundation is proud to join with the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and The Pew Charitable Trusts in launching the Pennsylvania Cultural Data Project: a collaborative undertaking created to strengthen arts and culture in Pennsylvania by documenting and disseminating information on the sector.