Philadelphia’s GreenLight Fund: Local Priorities and Getting Involved

Since 2012, the Philadelphia chapter of the GreenLight Fund has focused on low-income areas of the city and the children and families living there. Although this organization is not overly accessible to new grantseekers, it is still a good one to know for groups working to fight systemic poverty in Philadelphia. Here are a few details to consider if you are interested in getting involved with this particular GreenLight chapter.

Poverty and low-income residents

As with all GreenLight chapters, the one in Philadelphia is mostly interested in tackling the issue of poverty at the local level. According to statistics quoted on the organization’s website, approximately 39 percent of Philadelphia children grow up in poverty and only two in five third-grade students read at grade level.

GreenLight Philadelphia is interested in helping youth at all stages of life and even addresses the needs of the 18 to 24-year-old demographic. With young adults, it is mostly focused on individuals who are out of work and also not currently attending school.

Grant recipients

Funding from GreenLight Philadelphia is often in the $10,000 to $500,000 range and comes in the form of annual support. Recent grantees include organizations like the Center for Employment Opportunities, ParentChild+ and Single Stop.

The fund’s other interests include helping formerly incarcerated people find work, supporting parents so they can help their own children and backing financial literacy to promote economic independence. Unlike some of the more well-established GreenLight Funds across the country, Philadelphia’s chapter has limited reach so far and has funded just five local organizations.

The new Fund III

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, GreenLight Philadelphia recently announced a new $3.5 million fund, known as Fund III, to accelerate poverty-fighting efforts in the city. More than 25 investors and supporters came together to make this new fund possible in the fall of 2020. The fund will extend the group’s efforts to support three additional organizations.

Returning investors include the following: Burke Family Foundation, Hess Foundation, Kopelman Foundation, Brook Lenfest Foundation, Gerry and Marguerite Lenfest Foundation, John and Sue Simon, Marc and Leah Singer, Terrace Fund, Vanguard Group Foundation and the William Penn Foundation.

Meanwhile, these new investors joined the pack to show their support for GreenLight Philadelphia’s mission: Firstrust Bank, Hamilton Family Foundation, MKM Foundation, Santander, TD Charitable Foundation, and Carolyn and Robert Turner.

Corporate partners also play a big role in propelling this effort forward, and they include Amgen Foundation, Comcast, Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union (FMFCU), FS Investments, JPMorgan Private Bank, Kynetic, Morgan Lewis, NewSpring Capital, Osage Partners and Philadelphia Alliance of Capital and Technologies.

Working with GreenLight Philadelphia

This funder does not have an easily accessible grantmaking process, nor does it provide a clear avenue for securing a grant. However, it does welcome outreach to its executive director for general questions or to learn about collaborative poverty-fighting efforts.

Learn more about GreenLight Philadelphia in IP’s full profile, part of our Mid-Atlantic States funding guide available to subscribers.

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