What the Pincus Family Foundation Funds in Philadelphia and Beyond

David and Gerry Pincus created the Pincus Family Foundation in 2005 to improve the lives of children in Philadelphia and further afield. This is a great funder to know in the region because it is accessible, has broad interests within its general focus area of children’s wellbeing, and makes multiyear grants.

Here are some top things to know about the Pincus Family Foundation (PFF) so that your organization can successfully approach this grantmaker for support.

Four areas of focus

Across all its interest areas, PFF is all about supporting children’s wellbeing. PFF grants can be broken down into four distinct categories: creative and performing arts, play and recreation, health and wellness, and education.

Arts grants focus on the pre-K to grade 12 demographic, especially low-income children with little or no access to arts education programs. Education funding focuses on high school readiness by the end of grade eight. Health-related grants address food security, healthcare and personal safety for children from birth through age 18. Finally, the foundation’s play and recreation grants help increase access to safe and equitable play spaces in under-resourced communities.

Three types of grants

There are three types of grants awarded at PFF. Small grants between $2,500 and $10,000 help establish new relationships with the foundation, while core grants of $10,000 to $50,000 may be renewed or extended at the discretion of the board. PFF also awards transformational grants of $50,000 to $200,000. For all grant types, grantees can reapply for more funding after two years. Overall, PFF grants either build an organization’s capacity or fund direct services.

PFF NextGen Committee

PFF launched the NextGen Committee to ensure the future of the foundation and further its mission of supporting children’s wellbeing. The committee is made up of younger (second and third-generation) Pincus family members and held its inaugural summit meeting in New York City in 2019. The committee members are developing their own sense of how to implement philanthropy and review grant applications annually on an invitation-only basis. So far, the NextGen Committee has awarded at least 45 grants to 23 grantees totaling $458,400. Grantees are based throughout the U.S. and include Amandla/Safe-Hub Philadelphia and Bududa America Foundation in Philadelphia.

Applying for a Pincus grant

PFF accepts unsolicited letters of inquiry all throughout the year. Nonprofits can expect to hear back from the funder within 45 days of submitting a LOI. The foundation board meets in February, May, September and November. It reviews requests year-round and typically takes two to three months to process requests from initial inquiry to approval. Although PFF awards many grants in the Philadelphia area, it is not exclusive to the region and considers applications from groups elsewhere in the U.S.

You can find more information about the Pincus Family Foundation in IP’s full profile of this funder, which is part of our Grants for Philly and Pennsylvania Nonprofits guide.

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