Pennsylvania Humanities Council (PHC) is a nonprofit organization based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, serving as an independent partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. It is one of 56 state humanities councils across the nation and U.S. jurisdictions. The organization was founded in 1973 and operates as a 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to advancing humanities-based initiatives throughout Pennsylvania.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.4M
-67.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.3M
+7.7% YoY
Grant Count
28
+3.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$45K
+3.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: PHC champions the humanities as a means to spark civic engagement, build community, educate, inspire, and make long-lasting change. The organization builds and leads a vibrant network of individuals, organizations, and communities that empowers Pennsylvanians to think critically, grow, and engage in their communities.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Youth-led humanities programming
- Teen library programs and youth development
- Community-led civic engagement initiatives
- Arts, culture, and humanities education
- Poetry and creative expression programs
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$50,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Pennsylvania only. The organization serves the entire state through its network of partners and programs.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Data (2023-2024):
- Total assets: $1.4M to $4.4M (variation across reporting sources)
- Annual revenue: $2.5M to $5.45M
- Annual expenses: $3.6M to $4.1M
- Total liabilities: $1.84M (2023)
Staffing: 11 to 14 employees
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,430,807 | $4,398,870 | $798,092 |
| Revenue | $2,459,094 | $5,449,398 | $1,996,340 |
| Expenses | $4,081,712 | $3,560,713 | $3,585,857 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $74,645 | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
174 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Pennsylvania Humanities Council
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Executive Director: Laurie Zierer
- Board Chair: Silas Chamberlin
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAURIE ZIERER | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 37.5 | $157,262 |
| DAWN FRISBY BYERS | SR DIR OF CONTENT & ENGAGEMENT | 37.5 | $133,079 |
| KENNETH DINITZ | DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT | 37.5 | $96,119 |
| BRIAN THOMAS | DIR OF PEOPLE OPERATIONS | 37.5 | $99,650 |
| GWENDOLYN WHITE | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| CHRISTINA SALER ESQ | VICE CHAIR | 1 | — |
| KIMBERLY KOLLER-JONES | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| GISELE BARRETO FETTERMAN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| BRYAN CLARK | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DINA CLARK | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DOMINIC DELLICARPINI PHD | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ALLEN DIETERICH-WARD | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DANIEL EGUSQUIZA | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JESSICA HERZING | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JOHN L JACKSON JR | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DAN KIMBROUGH | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MAUREEN MCGUIGAN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ERIN MOLCHANY | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| SHAWN MOORING | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| AAYSHA NOOR | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JOHN ORR | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| SAFRONIA PERRY | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ABBI PETERS | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JOHN SANCHEZ | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| LEAH SPANGLER | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ROBERT J THOMPSON | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| PATRICIA WILSON ADEN | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
PHC has expanded its Rain Poetry Grant program statewide, with recent awardees including Pearl S. Buck International and Boyertown Library. The organization continues to support youth-led humanities initiatives, with the Youth-Led Humanities program operating at 17 libraries and 5 out-of-school sites across Pennsylvania as of the 2023-24 program year.
Pearl S. Buck International receives\_inaugural\_Rain Poetry grant from\Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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