The Alfred and Mary Douty Foundation: Grants for Philadelphia
/OVERVIEW: The Alfred and Mary Douty Foundation is a children and youth funder focused on Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties in Pennsylvania. Topics of interest include arts education, immigration, literacy, and women and girls.
FUNDING AREAS: Children and youth, community engagement, education, grassroots leadership
IP TAKE: There are a quite a few different funding topics that Douty supports, but nonprofits should make sure their pitches are relevant to local children and youth. First time grantees should request under $5,000.
PROFILE: Established in 1968, the Alfred and Mary Douty Foundation supports organizations working to build opportunities for children and youth in Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties in Pennsylvania. Alfred Douty passed away in 1971 and Mary in 1988. The couple preferred supporting education causes, and the trustees have worked to maintain that preference as the foundation has evolved. The foundation is also “committed to advancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion through its philanthropy.” Grantmaking areas of interest are Children and youth, community engagement, education, and grassroots leadership.
Although this is a youth-focused funder, many grants fall into the categories of arts education, community development, education, social services, youth programs, and collective impact grants. Yet most grants go to youth causes. This funder supports nonprofits that are willing to take risks in their programs to find better solutions. It works with groups that have strong roots in the community, are committed to community engagement, and are focused on long-term social change. Douty welcomes input from nonprofits in the community and has hosted meet-and-greet events in Philadelphia to solicit feedback. Topics of discussion have included vulnerable children, vulnerable youth, arts education, literacy, immigration, women and girls, and community centers.
Most foundation grants are between $3,000 and $5,000 each. In a recent year, the foundation awarded $240,600 in grants. See a list of grantees here. Grantmaking is restricted to Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties in Pennsylvania. The Douty Foundation provides both general operating support and program support to its grantees. It considers multiyear grants for organizations that have been funded by the foundation for at least three years. Although Douty does not fund schools, it does consider after-school and summer programs. The funder does not consider emergency grants or discretionary grants. Douty prefers to work with organizations that have budgets of $1 million or less.
The foundation accepts unsolicited grant requests, and the foundation’s funding application deadlines are in mid-March and mid-September. Nonprofits can access the online application from the funder’s How to Apply page. First-time applicants are encouraged to request either general operating support or program support for a maximum amount of $5,000. Previously funded applicants may request up to $7,500. Expect to wait about eight to 10 weeks for the foundation’s decision. Direct general questions to Executive Director Jennifer Leith at 215-620-1869 or jennifer@doutyfoundation.org.
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