The Philadelphia Foundation
The Philadelphia Foundation is one of the oldest and largest community foundations in the United States, founded in 1918. Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, it is a publicly supported 501(c)(3) organization that serves the Greater Philadelphia region. The Foundation operates as a philanthropic investment organization, managing charitable funds and distributing grants to advance economic, civic, and social vitality in the community.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$704.6M
+11.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$39.1M
-6.1% YoY
Grant Count
715
+9.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$55K
-14.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Founded in 1918, Philadelphia Foundation strengthens the economic, social and civic vitality of Greater Philadelphia. The Foundation grows effective philanthropic investment, connects individuals and institutions across sectors and geography, and advances civic initiatives through partnerships and collaboration.
Program Areas:
Civic Catalyst: Operating as a place-based philanthropic and civic leader, the Foundation invests, partners, and leads with extended time horizons. It aligns diverse stakeholders (civic, business, nonprofit, governmental) to amplify impact. In 2024, the Foundation played a leadership role in the Civic Coalition to Save Lives, which strengthens proven gun violence intervention efforts through data sharing, partnership fostering, grantmaking, and building collaborative infrastructure. From 2023 to 2024, homicides in Philadelphia dropped over 35%, saving more than 140 lives.
Economic Mobility: In 2024, the Foundation's board focused on upward economic mobility in the Philadelphia metro region.
Grantmaking and Scholarships: The Foundation distributes grants and resources to the region's most effective nonprofits and establishes and distributes scholarships.
Volunteer Partnerships: The Foundation pairs skilled volunteers with important community initiatives through partnerships.
Grantmaking
The Philadelphia Foundation manages more than 900 charitable funds established by its donors and makes over 1,000 grants and scholarship awards each year.
Ready to take the next step with The Philadelphia Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation serves the Greater Philadelphia region and the Philadelphia metro area.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $704.6 million
- Total Revenue: $88.9 million
- Total Expenses: $52.1 million
- Total Liabilities: $22.7 million
- Staff: 57 employees
Stewardship: The Philadelphia Foundation meets the nation's highest philanthropic standards for operational quality, integrity, and accountability according to the Community Foundations National Standards Board. The Foundation maintains a legacy of serving as an excellent financial steward by providing competitive rates of return on all funds, with investment strategy tailored to the time horizon and distribution goals of each fund.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $704,644,796 | $630,809,001 | $584,384,980 |
| Revenue | $88,851,245 | $57,345,521 | $80,318,312 |
| Expenses | $52,053,674 | $54,267,925 | $48,747,954 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $22,078,930 | $22,472,810 | $34,239,365 |
| 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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
20 open opportunities from The Philadelphia Foundation
Advocacy Unrestricted Grants
THE PHILADELPHIA FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Black Community Leaders Grants
THE PHILADELPHIA FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Brook J. Lenfest Foundation Grants
THE PHILADELPHIA FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- President and CEO: Pedro A. Ramos
- Chief Impact Officer: Philip Fitzgerald
- Director of Information Technology: Santo Montecalvo
- Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Chief Advancement Officer: Lois Gabin-Legato
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PEDRO A RAMOS | PRESIDENT & CEO, SECRETARY | 35 | $451,338 |
| ORLANDO ESPOSITO | CHIEF INVEST. OFCR., CFO TO JUN 2024 | 35 | $200,568 |
| JANICE MARINI | CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER | 35 | $190,798 |
| HELEN BOOTH | CHIEF OF STAFF | 35 | $170,834 |
| KEVIN DOW | EXEC. DIRECTOR, REGIONAL FOUNDATION | 35 | $174,502 |
| DENISE AYERS | DIRECTOR OF GRANTS AND PROGRAMS | 35 | $133,158 |
| THEODORE QUALLI | DIR. OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING | 35 | $151,947 |
| CHRISTINE CONTI | CHIEF FINANCIAL & ADMIN. OFFICER | 35 | $116,827 |
| LON GREENBERG | CHAIR | 2.2 | — |
| WILLIAM J BURKE | TREASURER | 2.2 | — |
| KATE ALLISON | BOARD MEMBER | 2.2 | — |
| HOLLY FLANAGAN | BOARD MEMBER | 2.2 | — |
| CHRISTINA MESIRES FOURNARIS | BOARD MEMBER | 2.2 | — |
| WILLIAM P HANKOWSKY | BOARD MEMBER | 2.2 | — |
| DIXIANNE JAMES | BOARD MEMBER | 2.2 | — |
| ALDUSTUS AJ JORDAN | BOARD MEMBER | 2.2 | — |
| SHIRIN KARSAN | BOARD MEMBER | 2.2 | — |
| SHARMAIN MATLOCK-TURNER | BOARD MEMBER | 2.2 | — |
| EVELYN MCNIFF | BOARD MEMBER | 2.2 | — |
| MICHAEL K PEARSON | BOARD MEMBER | 2.2 | — |
| WENDELL PRITCHETT | BOARD MEMBER | 2.2 | — |
| ANDREW ROGOFF | BOARD MEMBER | 2.2 | — |
| JANE SCACCETTI | BOARD MEMBER | 2.2 | — |
| EVAN URBANIA | BOARD MEMBER | 2.2 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2024, the Foundation continued its leadership role in the Civic Coalition to Save Lives, contributing to a 35% reduction in Philadelphia homicides from 2023 to 2024, saving more than 140 lives.
Philadelphia Foundation Announces $2.9 Million in Grants to Nearly ...The Foundation announced $2.9 million in grants to nearly 100 nonprofit organizations.
Philadelphia Foundation Announces $2.9 Million in Grants to Nearly ...The Foundation partnered with Chobani and La Colombe on Community Impact Fund grants in Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Foundation Announces $2.9 Million in Grants to Nearly ...Contact Information
Address: 1835 Market Street, Suite 2410, Philadelphia, PA 19103-2909
Phone: 215-563-6417
Website: www.philafound.org
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.
What could you do with The Philadelphia Foundation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities