Samuel S. Fels Fund
/OVERVIEW: The Fels Fund mainly supports Philadelphia-based organizations working in the areas of social justice, racial equity, immigrants causes and community-based arts and culture.
IP TAKE: The Fels Fund is an important grant source for small- to medium-sized community organizations based in Philadelphia. This is an accessible funder that accepts grant inquiries at any time through its online portal and will invite grantseekers who are a good fit to submit full proposals. The fund makes about $2 million in grants a year with an average grant size of about $25,000. While grants tend to be more modest in contrast to other funds in these spaces, this is a particularly approachable funder enthusiastic about helping grantees grow.
This is a competitive space since this funder offers multi-year grants, but rest assured there is still space left for new grantseekers.
PROFILE: The Samuel S. Fels Fund was established in 1935 by the late Samuel S. Fels, a former president of his family’s company, which manufactured Fels-Naptha soap. From its earliest years, the foundation focused on improving the lives of marginalized populations in Philadelphia. The foundation continues is this vein today, focusing its grantmaking on “[s]upport services, advocacy, and activities that move us towards a more socially, racially and economically just society with opportunity for all.” The Fels Foundation names three funding priorities: Arts and Culture; Immigrants and Refugees; and Social, Racial and Economic Justice. Grantmaking is mainly limited to Philadelphia.
Grants for Immigrants and Refugees
The Fels Fund’s grantmaking for immigrants supports “organizations that protect and strengthen the resources, policies, laws and systems for inclusion, integration and advancement of low-income newcomers, their families and communities.” Grants stemming from this initiative are generally disbursed over a three-year period and provide operational support to recipients. Recent areas of specific interest have included language education programs, advocacy and legal representation. Grantees include Asian Americans United, HIAS Pennsylvania and PA Is Ready, an organization that provides leadership training and legal representation to some of Philadelphia’s smaller immigrant communities.
Grants for Early Childhood and K-12 Education
Fels supports education across all three of its focus areas, with a majority of education grants going to organizations that work with immigrant, low-income and other underserved students. One recent grantee, Mighty Writers, offers out-of-school writing workshops to children and teens in underserved areas of Philadelphia, New York City and various urban areas across the state of New Jersey. Another grantee, Philadelphia’s Children’s Village, offers high quality early childhood education and after-school programs for school aged children, as well as rigorous teacher training programs for early childhood educators. The fund has also provided ongoing support to Pennsylvania’s Education Law Center and
Grants for LGBTQ
Fels’s social justice initiative names the advancement of LGBTQ rights as a main grantmaking priority. The fund prioritizes organizations that focus on “improving social, racial and economic justice for marginalized communities.” Recent grantees include Philadelphia’s Gender Justice Fund, which recently launched a Trans Resilience Fund, and Spiral Q Puppet Theater, which runs public events aimed at building equitable communities.
Grants for Women and Girls
Fels supports women’s and girls’ causes across each of its funding initiatives, although this has been a smaller area of giving in recent years. Recent grantees have focused on health and economic opportunity for women and families and communities of color and immigrant communities. Grants have gone to Philadelphia’s Women’s Medical Fund, the Gender Justice Fund, Girls Rock Philly and Pennsylvania’s Office for Engagement for Women.
Grants for Criminal Justice
Criminal justice is a primary focus of the Fels Fund’s social, racial and economic justice funding initiative. Recent grantmaking has prioritized organizations and programs that work toward “systems change and building power in communities harmed by inequitable policies and institutions.” Grants stemming from this initiative are usually awarded for a single year. Recipients include Philadelphia’s Youth Sentencing and Reentry Project, the Juvenile Law Center and Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity, which supports “Philadelphia residents whose criminal records are holding them back from achieving their social and career potentials. PLSE seeks a more equitable social environment for those with criminal records through individual representation, strategic litigation, community education, research and advocacy. PLSE does this by seeking expungements in criminal court and pardons from the Governor; educating elected and community leaders; empowering and organizing under-resourced communities; and leading legislative, administrative and systemic reform.”
Grants for Arts and Culture
The Fels Fund’s arts and culture grantmaking overlaps with its grantmaking for immigrants and refugees, as it supports an array of cultural organizations pertaining to Philadelphia’s immigrant communities. Grantees include Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture, the Asian Arts Initiative and the Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia. Other grantees include the BlackStar Film Festival, the Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra and the Kulu Mele African Dance and Drum Ensemble.
Important Grant Details:
In a recent year, the Fels Fund gave away over $2 million in grants ranging from $5,000 to $500,000. The foundation’s average grant size is about $25,000, and its grantees tend to be small- to medium-sized organizations serving immigrant and underserved communities in Philadelphia. It is worth noting that many of Fels’s grantees receive multi-year support. For additional information about past grants, see the foundation’s recent grants page.
The Fels Fund accepts funding inquiries at any time via its online inquiry portal. After submitting, applicants may be invited to submit a full grant proposal. Proposal deadlines vary by funding area. Applicants are invited to reach out to appropriate program officers via the information on the fund’s contact page.
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