The Philadelphia City Fund:
Repositioned for Success
A Message From Our Executive Director
Using the Mayor’s priorities as a starting point, we’ve made it easier for City programs to flourish—whether that has meant managing grants, convening partners, or building responsive, effective collaboration across sectors. Through our grantmaking this year, we’ve supported the development of creative solutions to Philadelphia’s challenges both on the ground in our communities and on the floors of City Hall.
We see the Fund as an enabler of innovation, an experienced facilitator with a unique vantage point: at the center of public-private partnerships that drive progress across the city. We hope you enjoy learning more about the specifics of our work this year, and look forward to the new phase of innovation in City Hall that lies ahead!
Executive Director
New Name, New Look
2023 marked a transformational year for the Mayor's Fund for Philadelphia.
With the launch of our new website in February, we officially became the Philadelphia City Fund (PCF or the Fund), a name that more accurately describes our role as an independent charitable fiscal sponsor and grantmaker, whose work supports improvements that benefit all Philadelphians. Our award-winning new look combines the brick of historic Philadelphia with vibrant typography that speaks to the Fund’s active engagement in city life, and our brand launch garnered coverage in major outlets across the city, cementing our new chapter of positive impact in Philadelphia.
PCF By The Numbers
Fiscal Sponsorship
PCF helps improve how city government works to serve its residents. As an independent non-profit with the City of Philadelphia as its sole client, the Fund receives private and charitable funding—such as grants from foundations, sponsorship dollars from local businesses, and donations from members of the public—on behalf of municipal programs. We promote innovation in meeting civic needs by providing City departments with the fiscal and administrative infrastructure necessary to launch pilot programs, and the flexibility to experiment with new approaches.
As a fee-for-service organization that does not receive a budget allocation from the City of Philadelphia, PCF assesses an administrative fee on all funding it receives and manages. This fee covers the Fund’s operational expenses, allowing us to provide strong fiscal administration and solutions-oriented customer service on all of our projects.
Discover how fiscal sponsorship works at the Philadelphia City Fund
Engaging With Issues
Guaranteed Income
The City of Philadelphia runs several guaranteed income (GI) pilots, which provide participants with regular, unconditional, and unrestricted cash payments—meaning there are no strings attached and people can use the money however they want to meet their needs. GI programs provide individuals and families with flexibility, autonomy, and dignity, allowing people to afford necessities while meeting work and caregiving responsibilities, and creating access to new opportunities.
A tool for racial, gender, and economic justice, these pilots support the City’s efforts to identify and address structural inequities so everyone can thrive. They exemplify ways to extend but not replace the current social safety net through partnerships between local government and philanthropic funders seeking to solve the challenges of poverty and inequality in new ways.
The Philadelphia City Fund serves as a fiscal sponsor for several of the City's GI pilot programs, including the Philly Joy Bank, and collaborates with the City's GI Working Group to discuss policy and the progress of pilot programs.
Philly Joy Bank
Partnership with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Maternal, Child, and Family Health Division
Supported by the William Penn Foundation, Spring Point Partners LLC, The Barra Foundation, Philadelphia Health Partnership, and the City of Philadelphia
The Philly Joy Bank is a guaranteed income pilot that will provide pregnant Philadelphians with cash payments with the goal of reducing racial disparities in infant prematurity. Expected to launch in 2024, the program will provide $1,000 per month for up to 18 months to 250 pregnant and postpartum Philadelphians from Cobbs Creek, Strawberry Mansion, and Nicetown-Tioga, the three neighborhoods with highest percentages of very low birth weight. The cash will be unrestricted and unconditional, for participants to use as they see fit. Philly Joy Bank will also offer voluntary support services for participants, including financial coaching and programs through Philly Loves Families, such as breastfeeding, lactation, home visiting, and doula support.
The Philly Joy Bank was developed by the Philadelphia Community Action Network (CAN), a collective impact group centered around reducing racial disparities in infant mortality in Philadelphia, supported by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, Division of Maternal, Child, and Family Health. Its Steering Committee is made up of representatives from various community-based organizations and people with lived experience as Black birthing people.
In preparation for the pilot's launch, PCF has supported fundraising, procurement, and contracting activities to ensure that the program has the financial resources and administrative structures needed for success.
“The Philly Joy Bank is an innovative approach to addressing infant mortality in our city,” says Cheryl Bettigole, M.D., M.P.H., Health Commissioner of the City of Philadelphia. “The [Joy Bank] aims to improve birth outcomes by respecting the autonomy of participants in those communities most beset by infant mortality and allowing them to use the funds as they see fit to address their needs. We are grateful for the support of the Philadelphia City Fund and our donors in helping us to implement this innovative program.”
Read about the Philly Joy Bank funding announcement and what this pilot could mean for expecting Philadelphians
Emergency Response
PCF often collaborates with City departments and leadership to address new challenges as they emerge. As a nonprofit entity that is independent from city government, PCF can offer the flexibility to pilot new and innovative solutions while providing strong fiscal oversight and ensuring the integrity of the procurement and implementation processes.
Whether it’s exploring mechanisms through which the public can support a new cause, or troubleshooting ways in which the City can partner with the business and nonprofit communities to address an urgent need, PCF is a key partner to the City during times of crisis.
Philadelphia Welcoming Fund
Partnership with the Office of Immigrant Affairs
Supported by Comcast, PECO, local organizations, and individual donors
In mid-2022, the City of Philadelphia's Office of Immigrant Affairs (OIA) was looking for flexible funding solutions for both urgent and emerging needs identified in the immigrant and refugee communities. PCF worked with OIA to establish the Philadelphia Welcoming Fund , creating an opportunity for the public to contribute to local efforts to welcome immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers.
With the funds collected, PCF has facilitated grant awards to seven nonprofit organizations that support arriving immigrant communities. These organizations have sustained the city’s welcome by assisting newly arrived migrants with the transition to temporary and/or permanent housing; transportation out of Philadelphia to reach their ultimate destination; legal orientation; collection and distribution of donated essential items; and provision of pre-paid cellphones.
"The Welcoming Fund enabled our office to garner support from Philadelphia residents who wanted to contribute to the City’s welcoming efforts for people recently arrived to Philadelphia from the U.S. Southern border,” says Amy Eusebio, Director of the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. “The popularity of the Fund attracted the attention and financial support of corporate partners, Comcast and PECO. Without the Welcoming Fund and PCF’s support, OIA would not have been able to enter into respectful partnerships with several immigrant-led and immigrant-serving organizations that were generous with their time, spirit and resources to welcome newly arrived migrants with dignity and respect."
Read about the initial bus arrivals in Philadelphia and the launch of the Welcoming Fund
Since the Welcoming Fund launched, PCF has received more than $142,000 in donations on behalf of OIA, with 59% of the contributions—over $83,000 to date—coming from individual donations made through PCF’s website. Additional funding has been received from local companies like Comcast and PECO.
AmeriCorps Financial Assistance Fund
Partnership with the Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity
Supported by the William Penn Foundation, The Brodsky Foundation, Service Year Alliance, University of Pennsylvania and PHENND, PennSERVE, and individual donors
In 2022, the Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteer Service (now a part of the Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity as of July 2023) sought a way to support local AmeriCorps members who experience unexpected expenses that impact their ability to successfully complete their term of service. The Philadelphia City Fund facilitated the creation of the AmeriCorps Financial Assistance Fund, which established a means for AmeriCorps members to apply for grants of up to $500 to help alleviate the burdens of unpredictable financial.
Funded by a combination of private support and individual donations received from AmeriCorps programs and alumni, the Financial Assistance Fund allows the City to be responsive to and supportive of the needs of AmeriCorps members serving in Philadelphia.
“AmeriCorps members are diverse, dedicated individuals who commit a year or more of their lives to provide essential services, address critical needs, and strengthen our Philadelphia community,” says Gerolly Lorenzo, Engagement Partnerships Director of the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity. “Their impact extends to education, public health, environmental conservation and more, making them catalysts for positive change in Philadelphia. With the diligent support and partnership of PCF, this fund not only allows us to invest in the future of AmeriCorps members, but also to demonstrate the power of civic engagement and volunteerism in creating a brighter and more resilient city for all residents.”
Philadelphia Marathon Weekend
Partnership with the Managing Director's Office, General Services, Arts and Events
Now in its 30th year, the Philadelphia Marathon Weekend is comprised of three days of events featuring the Philadelphia Marathon Health & Fitness Expo, the Nemours Children’s Run, the Rothman Orthopaedics 8K, the 13.1 Mile Dietz & Watson Philadelphia Half Marathon, and the 26.2 Mile AACR Philadelphia Marathon. Each year, this event brings more than 30,000 participants and their families to Philadelphia to participate in one of the top 10 marathons in the United States. This beautiful, fast, and scenic course serves as a qualifying race to the Boston Marathon, with participants traveling from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and 56 countries around the world.
As the fiscal administrator for the Philadelphia Marathon Weekend, the Philadelphia City Fund provides fiduciary oversight, financial management, technical assistance, and other administrative services to support the success of the Marathon.
The Philadelphia Marathon Weekend is the Philadelphia City Fund’s only program that generates unrestricted revenue—through race registrations and sponsorship revenue—and a portion of that revenue is allocated toward PCF’s grantmaking each year to support the Philadelphia non-profit community. Through its Community Fund, PCF awards grants to charitable projects that improve the quality of life for our residents. PCF is proud of its partnership with the Philadelphia Marathon Weekend and of the impact of the Community Fund as its signature community-focused grantmaking initiative.
Philadelphia International Unity Cup
Partnership with Philadelphia Parks and Recreation
2023 Unity Cup supported by the Philadelphia Union Foundation, Chickie & Pete's, and Global PHL
The Philadelphia International Unity Cup is a World Cup-style tournament held over several months and managed by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation. The brainchild of Mayor Jim Kenney, the Unity Cup unites the city’s neighborhoods and celebrates its diverse immigrant communities through soccer. Since its massively successful inaugural year in 2016, the Unity Cup has become an annual tradition and has even served as a World Cup partner for the past three years.
In 2023, 48 teams participated in the Unity Cup, playing a total of 103 matches. This year also featured the Inaugural Women’s Unity Cup, with 8 countries represented and 15 matches played.
The 2023 tournaments concluded on Sunday, October 15 at the NovaCare Center. Team USA was victorious on the women’s side, defeating Mexico 7-4 to win the first-ever Women’s Unity Cup. On the men’s side, Ireland scored a goal in the 89th minute to defeat Liberia, 4-3.
PCF has provided fiscal sponsorship services to the Unity Cup since its inaugural year. The Fund accepts sponsorships from corporate partners, manages registrants' fees, and supports the acquisition of the equipment and expertise needed to put on successful tournaments each year.
Birth Justice Philly Summit
Partnership with the Department of Public Health, Maternal, Child, and Family Health Division
Supported by sponsorship revenue from more than 20 corporations and organizations
Pregnancy and childbirth should be a time of joy and celebration, but far too often Black and brown communities in Philadelphia, and across the nation, face systemic barriers to achieving equitable pregnancy outcomes. On October 26, 2023, Organized Voices for Action (the OVA), a coalition led by the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, hosted the Birth Justice Philly Summit to focus on maternal health and spotlight various solutions to create an equitable future for birthing people of Philadelphia.
Attended by a diverse audience of physicians, health advocates, insurance providers, educational institutions, and policymakers, the Summit encouraged attendees to consider the greatest challenges to maternal health in Philadelphia today, how stakeholders in Philadelphia have come together to address these issues, where investments still need to be made, and how they can be a part of the solution.
As the fiscal administrator for this event, PCF worked with the Maternal, Child, and Family Health Division of the Department of Public Health and its event planners to receive and manage sponsorship revenue, and to facilitate the engagement of dozens of speakers for the daylong event.
Philadelphia Commission for Women
Supported by TD Bank, AARP, Women’s Way, the Fels Fund, and the Gender Justice Fund
Partnership with the Office of Sustainability
Supported by the William Penn Foundation via the Bread and Roses Community Fund and the City of Philadelphia
The Community Resilience and Environmental Justice (CREJ) Fund was launched this year to support community groups working to ensure that all Philadelphia residents have clean air, land, and water; healthy, fresh, and culturally appropriate foods; homes, jobs, and neighborhoods free from pollutants and toxins; and that communities that are resilient to the impacts of climate change, such as flooding and extreme heat.
This Fund is steered by the Philadelphia Environmental Justice Advisory Commission (PEJAC), managed by the Office of Sustainability, and fiscally administered by the Philadelphia City Fund. Additionally, PCF supports PEJAC with the engagement of up to 17 Commissioners annually and with the administration of contracting and compensation for the Commissioners' time and input. PEJAC strives to empower and resource Philadelphia communities experiencing significant and inequitable environmental burdens, especially lower-wealth communities and communities of color. PEJAC advocates for effective environmental policies, programs, and projects to remediate past and current environmental harms and build resilience against future injustices.
"To advance environmental justice, there must be equity in environmental grantmaking," says Genevieve LaMarr LeMee, Deputy Director of Environmental Justice at the City of Philadelphia's Office of Sustainability. "As the steering committee, PEJAC took great care to prioritize accessibility in the development of the CREJ Fund. We're excited to see first time grant recipients among the 2023 grantee organizations and hope that this can serve as seed funding helping these organizations go after larger grant dollars in the future. PCF has been an incredible partner on this journey to increase access and lower burdens for applicants and grantees from posting the application in three languages, to helping us promote FAQ documents and info sessions, to sharing lessons learned from other microgrant programs."
Community Resource Corps
The Community Resource Corps (CRC) AmeriCorps program partners with City agencies and departments to provide support for residents who may need assistance accessing City resources. AmeriCorps members are trusted messengers from our city’s most vulnerable communities, who serve by providing direct outreach to the community while increasing capacity on behalf of city partners. These members connect residents within their own communities to City anti-poverty resources by conducting equitable, innovative, and trauma informed outreach that addresses issues of digital, disability, economic, language and literacy access. They do this through canvassing, phone banking, text banking, emailing and providing trainings to residents and community-based organizations.
The CRC expanded its partnership with the Philadelphia Water Department this year to help delay and/or stop water customers from experiencing water shutoffs, accrued debt, and a lower quality of life, with 35,237 calls and door-knock attempts completed and 6,163 conversations held since May 1, 2023. The CRC also enrolled 1,753 households in the new “Raise Your Hand” campaign, which protects vulnerable water customers with children, disabled, or senior residents from water shutoff. Additionally, CRC members are working with 1,638 water customers who have expressed interest in applying for the Water Department's Customer Assistance Program, providing debt relief, payment plans, and lower water bills.
The CRC also reengaged the Office of Innovation and Technology to expand its partnership around the federal government’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a program that addresses the digital divide in Philadelphia and the lack of access in the community to reliable internet service and devices such as phones and laptops. The CRC completed 35,843 call attempts and held 3,271 conversations with community members to inform them about the ACP, which provides discounts for internet service and the purchase of devices to ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare, and more.
As the fiscal administrator for the CRC, PCF supports the compensation of members; engagement of program staff; procurement of consulting services, equipment, and supplies; and administrative needs related to trainings and events.
Philly Tree Plan Implementation
Partnership with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation
Supported by the William Penn Foundation, Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, and the Urban Health Lab @ Penn Medicine Center for Health Justice
Now in its implementation stage, the Philly Tree Plan is working to achieve the following goals: coordinate support for trees, protect the existing and future urban forest, grow the urban forest equitably across the city, reduce the burden of trees on residents, invest in people and communities, communicate with residents and improve customer service, advocate for communities to benefit from the urban forest, and celebrate and support the ways communities are engaging with trees.
PCF is supporting this work through facilitating partnerships with private partners and community-based entities to accelerate protection of our city’s natural lands, increase investments in community-led care for trees, and develop communications that inform and empower residents to act in support of their urban forest.
Mayor Jim Kenney and former Commissioner of Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Kathryn Ott Lovell at the Philly Tree Plan Launch event in February 2023.
Grantmaking
The Community Fund is an annual grant opportunity hosted by the Philadelphia City Fund which invites community organizations to submit proposals for charitable projects that address Philadelphia’s greatest areas of need and align with the City of Philadelphia’s goals to improve the quality of life for all residents.
The Community Fund is made possible through the Philadelphia City Fund’s partnership with the Philadelphia Marathon Weekend, which allocates a portion of its annual revenues toward this grant opportunity. The average funding allocated each year is $250,000.
As a key partner in advancing the City of Philadelphia’s priorities, PCF adopted Health Equity for All—a primary objective of Mayor Kenney’s administration—as the theme for its 2023 Community Fund grant cycle. Grants were awarded to organizations whose proposals demonstrated efforts to eliminate health disparities, promote the health of Philadelphia’s communities, and safeguard residents from threats that cause disease, injury, and other poor health outcomes.
- AccessMatters
- ACHIEVEability
- Breastfeeding Resource Center
- Covenant House Pennsylvania
- Double Trellis Food Initiative (Fiscal Sponsor: Federation of Neighborhood Centers)
- Education Plus Health
- Fairmount Soccer Association
- Nationalities Service Center
- Once Upon A Preemie
- SpArc Philadelphia
- Students Run Philly Style
- Therapy Center of Philadelphia
- Why Not Prosper
The Innovation Fund is a grant opportunity that is managed collaboratively by the Philadelphia City Fund and the Public Technology and Innovation Team in the City’s Office of Innovation and Technology. This grant program is open to City employees only, and is funded by PCF from revenue generated by its administrative fees. Through the Innovation Fund, PCF is able to return a portion of the administrative fee revenue to the City to help launch pilot initiatives that have the potential to improve the services and functions of municipal government.
The application process is coordinated by the Innovation Advisory Group, a cross-departmental advisory team of City employees who are trained and invested in seeding innovation. The application process is unique and is meant to be inclusive, equitable, and accessible to any City employee who would like to request funding for a pilot or proof of concept project. All final funding decisions are made by the Philadelphia City Fund’s Board of Directors.
2023 Grantees
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Sensory Inclusion Project
Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities -
Sexual Health Education Materials
Youth Care Team, Maternal, Child, and Family Health Division, Department of Public Health -
OVA Community Investment Mini Grants
OVA Implementation Team, Maternal, Child, and Family Health Division, Department of Public Health
Our Financials
Our Team
Board of Directors
Former Vice President, Deputy General Counsel, Independence Blue Cross
Marlene Olshan, Board Vice Chair
Principal and Founder, Momentem Consulting Group
Vaughn Ross, Board Treasurer
Founder, Rvesta
Laura Solomon, Board Secretary
Founder, Laura Solomon & Associates
Patrick Clark
CDBG-DR Project Director, City of Philadelphia
Ami Patel
Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Philadelphia City Council
Krishna Rami
Deputy Chief of Staff, Mayor’s Office, City of Philadelphia
Christine Robinson
President, Philanthropy Network of Greater Philadelphia
David G. Wilson
First Deputy Managing Director, City of Philadelphia
Staff
Trudi Wright, Finance Manager
Emily Gowen, Deputy Director
Rachel Mancini, Grants & Strategy Officer
Ashley Del Bianco, Finance Committee
Shira Hodges, Audit Committee
Stacey Kallem, Community Fund LOI Committee
Hannah Louie, Audit Committee
Stephen Maccari, Audit Committee
Stephanie Orlando, Community Fund LOI Committee
Lisa Varon, Community Fund LOI Committee
Fernando Chang-Muy Staff Leadership Development
Impart Creative Web Development and Support Services
Mayor Jim Kenney
SteegeThomson Communications and Creative Design Services
WithumSmith+Brown, PC Auditors
Your Part Time Controller, LLC Controller and Accounting Services
Philly Joy Bank photo by Monica Herndon, Philadelphia Inquirer
Philadelphia Welcoming Fund photo of "The Value of Family” by muralist Eric Okdeh located at 5th and Spring Garden Streets
Philadelphia International Unity Cup photos by Krystal Williams and Joe O'Connor
Birth Justice Philly Summit photo by Rashiid Coleman
Photo of City Hall in Innovation Fund section by @illadelphia
The opinions expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of any other parties mentioned within this report.
Thank You
Help make an impact in Philadelphia! You can support any or all of the programs described in this Report by making a tax-deductible contribution of any amount to the Philadelphia City Fund.
Make a gift today to a program of your choice, or donate to the Fund itself to help advance civic innovation and community projects across Philadelphia!