Apply for Funding
General Information
- The Funder Collaborative welcomes funding requests from Philadelphia-region 501(c)(3) public charities that intend to plan and host programs that advance our Guiding Principles
- The Funder Collaborative accepts funding requests in predetermined Funding Cycles. Funding requests are considered on a competitive basis within the Funding Cycle.
- The Funder Collaborative is now only accepting proposals for implementation grants. While it has previously considered proposals for planning grants, those Funding Cycles have closed.
- Implementation grants are intended for qualified organizations to host programs related to the upcoming 2026 celebrations. Implementation grants are not capped, but they are constrained by the resources available to the Funder Collaborative.
Letters of Inquiry
- Implementation grants involves a two-stage application. The initial stage requires a Letter of Inquiry. Selected applicants will be invited to submit a second-stage application, requiring a Full Proposal.
- The Letter of Inquiry consists of a brief description of the proposed project, including its activities, timeline, deliverables, and budget.
- Funding Cycle 7 is now accepting Letters of Inquiry. Letters of Inquiry will be reviewed in the order they were received. Funding Cycle 7 will close on Friday, December 6. Funding Cycle 8 will open in early 2025. The Funder Collaborative will host at least three Funding Cycles in 2025.
- In 2023, the Funder Collaborative plans to award up to $1 million in planning grants. Individual planning grants are capped at $75,000.
- Planning grants are intended for qualified organizations that need additional resources to imagine, research, and develop programs related to the upcoming 2026 celebrations. They are not intended to directly support such programs.
- Planning grants require a one-stage application, and will be considered on a rolling basis. The duration of a planning grant should not exceed 12 months.
- Funding Cycle 1 and Funding Cycle 3 have concluded. We are not currently accepting proposals for planning grants.
Full Proposals
- A select number of Letters of Inquiry will be invited to submit a Full Proposal.
- An invitation to submit a Full Proposal is not a guarantee of funding, but rather an expression of the Funder Collaborative’s desire to better understand the project. Only those applicants invited to submit a Full Proposal will be eligible for funding.
- The Full Proposal describes the project with greater specificity. It entails a more robust project description, a detailed budget, and a well-developed set of activities, goals, and metrics.
- Implementation grants are intended for qualified organizations to host programs related to the upcoming 2026 celebrations. Implementation grants are not capped, but they are constrained by the resources available to the Funder Collaborative.
- Implementation grants require a two-stage application. The first stage involves a Letter of Inquiry, consisting of a brief description of the proposed project, including its activities, timeline, deliverables, and budget.
- The second stage involves a Full Proposal. The Funder Collaborative invites Full Proposals from select Letters of Inquiry submitted within a Funding Cycle. The Full Proposal describes the project with greater specificity and in detail.
- Funding Cycle 2 and Funding Cycle 4 have concluded. We are not currently accepting Letters of Inquiry for implementation grants. We will reopen the portal for Letters of Inquiry in early 2024.
Implementation Grants
- Implementation grants are intended for qualified organizations to host programs related to the upcoming 2026 celebrations. Implementation grants are not capped, but they are constrained by the resources available to the Funder Collaborative.
- Implementation grants require a two-stage application. The first stage involves a Letter of Inquiry, consisting of a brief description of the proposed project, including its activities, timeline, deliverables, and budget.
- The second stage involves a Full Proposal. The Funder Collaborative invites Full Proposals from select Letters of Inquiry submitted within a Funding Cycle. The Full Proposal describes the project with greater specificity and in detail.