Connelly Foundation Grant

The Connelly Foundation Grant, established in 1955, aims to create access and opportunities for those in need, particularly in the Philadelphia area. Focused on education, human services, and cultural initiatives, it supports nonprofits that enhance Catholic education, address essential needs, and promote civic engagement. The Foundation seeks to partner with organizations demonstrating effective leadership and sustainable practices, while avoiding direct grants to individuals or funding for advocacy and charter schools.

Inspired by our Catholic heritage, the mission of the Connelly Foundation is to create access for those in need and opportunity for those with vision.
Since its founding in 1955, the Connelly Foundation has been a responsive and proactive grantmaking organization awarding grants to nonprofits in the Philadelphia area that demonstrate outstanding performance in meeting community needs.
Focus Areas
To achieve its mission to create access for those in need and opportunity for those with vision, the Connelly Foundation provides grants toward costs associated with programs, direct services, general operations, and capital projects to nonprofit organizations and institutions working in the following fields:

• Education: Promoting Access to and Excellence in PreK-12 Catholic Education

The Connelly Foundation is committed to helping Philadelphia-area Catholic schools thrive. The Foundation’s grantmaking and signature education initiatives prioritize:
Programs that support or improve the academic quality of local Catholic schools Investments in talent that attract, develop, and retain high-quality teachers and leaders in schools and systems Efforts for strategic improvement around enrollment growth and financial sustainability Strategies to increase access to a high-quality Catholic education.
Human Services: Essential Needs and a Path to Stability
The Connelly Foundation’s Human Services grantmaking reflects the compassion of our Founders, John and Josephine Connelly, and their respect for human dignity. Inspired by our Catholic heritage, we seek to alleviate urgent, basic needs through access to food, emergency shelter, clothing, and critical home repair.
Our Human Services Funding Priorities:Basic Needs: Alleviating urgent needs through access to food, emergency shelter, clothing, and critical home repairInvesting in Youth: Supporting evidence-based or outcome-focused youth out-of-school time programsWorkforce development: Creating pathways to sustainable employment and stability through foundational skill building, entrepreneurship, and workforce development programs
Culture & Civic Life: Rewarding Destinations that Inspire
In a region where civic and cultural opportunities abound, the primary focus of our "investment" in the arts is to support access and the development and delivery of educational programs.
Grants are awarded to organizations that strive to engage a broad audience and bridge cultural boundaries.
The Foundation seeks to identify and support sites and projects that provide a deep appreciation of Philadelphia's rich heritage.
Criteria
The degree to which the proposal directly addresses and furthers the Connelly Foundation’s objectives and goals
.The significance of the problem or need addressed by the proposed program
.The overall quality of the proposal and whether the organization has made a convincing case that funding to the organization will facilitate more effective and efficient service delivery to constituentsThe history and stability of the organization with regard to board, management, and financial supportThe organization’s track record, prior accomplishments and unique role in providing service to its specific constituenciesThe reasonableness of the prepared budget

Eligibility

The Foundation supports nonprofits with strong leadership, sound ideas, and attainable and well defined goals.The Foundation's philanthropic interest is to work in partnership with nonprofit organizations serving people in the City of Philadelphia, its surrounding counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery, and the City of Camden, New Jersey.

Ineligibility

Connelly Foundation is precluded from giving grants directly to individuals.The Connelly Foundation operates under a mission-driven strategic plan which guides our grantmaking. Therefore, as a general practice it is outside of our funding scope to provide grants for the following:AdvocacyAnnual appealsCharter schools and public schools or programs that operate solely in public and charter schoolsConferences/events/performances/productions/documentariesEndowmentsEnvironmental programsFeasibility or planning studiesGeneral solicitationsHistoric preservation projectsLegal servicesNational organizations or re-granting organizationsNewly formed organizations with less than three years in operationResearchThe hiring of new staff that rely primarily on Foundation supportSupport for health initiatives is being phased out. The Connelly Foundation no longer invites new proposals in the following categories:Capital costs and projects for health organizations including hospitals and continuing care communitiesHealth care access including medical or dental clinicsOrganizations providing financial assistance or awareness focused on a single disease or condition