Innovation Grants Program

Innovation Grants Program

Overview: Seybert Foundation's Innovation Grants Program provides one-time grants for specific proof-of-concept purposes, intended for emergent or existing Philadelphia-youth-serving nonprofit organizations wishing to either test a bold new approach OR pursue a time-sensitive opportunity that could lead to significant change.

Geographic Focus: Philadelphia youth as primary target population (more than 50% of organization's overall target population must be Philadelphia youth, up to age 24)

Funding Information

• Total Available (2026): Approximately $125,000
• Individual Grant Range: $20,000 - $60,000 (smaller requests may be considered)
• Type: One-time, project-specific grants
• Since 2020: 21 grants totaling $822,672.00

Eligibility

• Open to: Nonprofit organizations and fiscally sponsored projects serving Philadelphia youth as primary target population
• Primary Target Population: More than 50% of organization's overall target population must be Philadelphia youth (up to age 24)
• Geographic Requirements: Organization does NOT need to be based in Philadelphia, but initial target population must be in Philadelphia
• Budget Restrictions: No restrictions based on operating budget (unlike Core Grants Program)
• Current/Prior Grantees: Yes, eligible to apply
• Fiscal Sponsorship: Yes, eligible. Indicate on application and provide sponsor name and EIN

What We Want to Fund

• New, high-potential concepts for projects that require validation and can be validated for under $60,000
• Existing projects and organizations that have discovered potentially highly scalable models that require testing and can be tested for under $60,000
• Seemingly small interventions that when scaled can have significant impact on addressing big problems
• Projects and organizations that have discovered novel and better ways of solving pervasive problems impacting children and youth
• Projects and organizations led by entrepreneurial leadership teams skilled at testing new ideas cheaply and quickly
• Teams that possess rare operating knowledge in a particular domain or have discovered counter-intuitive realities in a domain

Priority Areas of Interest

• Afterschool/Out-of-School-Time Programming
• College/Career Readiness
• Early Childhood Education Reform
• Foster Care System
• Juvenile Justice Reform
• Skills Trainings/Workforce Development
• Social Emotional Learning
• Programs for Unhoused Youth
• Youth Advocacy/Voice
• Youth Health and Wellbeing
• Youth Leadership or Entrepreneurship
• Youth-focused projects outside these issue areas may also be considered

What Will NOT Be Considered

• Projects that will not (at least initially) improve lives of children and youth in Philadelphia via novel approach
• Projects and organizations with limited growth potential
• Projects and organizations that do not have economies of scale
• Existing initiatives that have not discovered new key insight significantly improving project's scalability, quality, or efficiency
• Projects and organizations seeking to expand existing programming laterally

Application Cycles (2026)

• Spring Cycle: April 15 - May 15, 2026 (CLOSED)
• Fall Cycle: August 3 - September 11, 2026

Keys to Decision Making

• Serves community in alignment with Seybert's mission
• Vision (new and innovative for the sector and/or community)
• Leadership track record or evidence of leadership potential
• Catalytic (can drive change outside of just the organization)
• Demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion
• Funding would clearly support new learning, activities, or information collection
• Project viability (proposed activities are clear and measurable)

Funding Likelihood

• Seybert's Innovation Grants Program receives large number of applications
• Typically awards 3-5 grants per year
• Approximately 6% of applications are funded each year
• Typically funds organizations/leaders with proven track record of scaling projects
• New organizations may apply, but leadership should demonstrate scaling and implementing projects

Contact Information

The Seybert Foundation
P.O. Box 52758
Philadelphia, PA 19115
(215) 821-8144
admin@seybertfoundation.org