Press release
PHILADELPHIA, PA February 9, 2023 – With the launch of its new website, www.philacityfund.org, the Mayor’s Fund for Philadelphia officially has become the Philadelphia City Fund (PCF), a name that more accurately describes the Fund’s role as an independent charitable fiscal sponsor and grantmaker, whose work supports improvements that benefit all Philadelphians.
“Over the past three years, we have established new leadership, a new board, and strengthened our relationships with both City agencies and philanthropies all over Philadelphia, so we felt it was time to change our name as well,” said PCF Executive Director Jody Greenblatt. “Our new name better reflects both our charitable mission and the work we do, managing public-private partnership projects that improve the quality of life for all Philadelphians in innovative ways.”
A Track Record of Service and Change
Over its 44-year history, The Fund has frequently changed its name to reflect its role in Philadelphia. PCF began as the Council for Progress in 1979 to assist the City of Philadelphia in the preparation, planning, and fundraising for its tricentennial celebration. In 1984, under Mayor Wilson Goode, the City Representative became the chair of the Council for Progress and its name was changed to the Fund for Philadelphia. In 2012, Mayor Michael Nutter refocused the Fund as a vehicle for fundraising and facilitating public-private partnerships, in addition to event management. He named a new executive director and a new board, and, following their lead, changed the name to the Mayor's Fund for Philadelphia.
A High-Impact Fiscal Sponsor
The Philadelphia City Fund has two primary roles. As a fiscal sponsor that supports only City charitable initiatives, the Fund applies for grants on behalf of the City, receives grant funds, convenes the citywide teams who will bring projects to fruition, enters into agreements with and provides payment to contractors, and manages grant reporting. The Fund’s emphasis is on innovative programs—projects that offer creative solutions to city problems, often in ways that fall outside the capacity of individual City departments. The Fund’s work makes a positive impact on city life through initiatives such as the Better Bike Share Partnership, which increases access to and use of the bike share system in low income and BIPOC communities; the Philadelphia Worker Relief Fund, which provided emergency direct cash assistance to over 2,800 Philadelphia workers and families impacted by COVID-19 who were left out of all federal and state relief; and PHLConnectED, which provided internet access to more than 35,000 Pre-K-12 student households during the pandemic.
A Grantmaker Committed to Innovation
The Fund’s second major role is as a grantmaker. PCF allocates roughly $250,000 in proceeds generated by the Philadelphia Marathon each year and distributes those dollars to fund charitable community projects across the city through its Community Fund grant program.
This year’s Community Fund grant cycle is now open. PCF will accept proposals from charitable organizations for projects that focus on health equity. To learn more and apply for grant funding, please visit PCF’s Community Fund page.
The Philadelphia City Fund also supports fresh thinking in City administration. Using some of the fees generated by its work as a fiscal sponsor, PCF’s Innovation Fund helps launch City pilot projects that have the potential to improve the services and functions of municipal government.
Innovation Fund grants provide approximately $50,000 in funding to 5–7 projects annually.
A Partner for Philanthropic Philadelphians
Another facet of PCF’s work is to provide a streamlined way for Philadelphians to support any of its innovative programs. The Fund’s website allows visitors to donate directly to individual projects that support anything from services for new immigrants, to the flourishing of urban forests, or to support all of PCF’s initiatives by making a gift to the Fund itself.
“With its talented and diverse staff and Board, the Philadelphia City Fund offers the unique benefit of both internal knowledge of City operations and an external perspective on the city to provide creative solutions that benefit Philadelphians of every age, in every neighborhood across our city,” said PCF Board Chair Richard Levins. “In short, PCF makes things easy, makes things possible, and makes things happen in Philadelphia.”
CONTACT: Luise Z. Moskowitz
lmoskowitz@steegethomson.com
(267) 307-6617