Innovative Project Support

Mission: Support and enhance the quality of life of underserved older adults in Philadelphia

Program Description

Provides innovative project support to organizations that are developing, testing, or extending new approaches that improve service delivery to vulnerable and underserved older adults in Philadelphia County. This program supports:

• Small-scale trials of new ideas
• Significant program expansions (new populations served or significant increases in number served)

Geographic Scope

• Service Area: Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
• Organization Location: Can be based outside Philadelphia County if services are provided within the county
• Geographic Restrictions: Organizations based outside Philadelphia County will have grants restricted to their Philadelphia County-based program(s)

Eligibility Requirements

• Organization Types: 501(c)(3) public charities, fiscally sponsored organizations or programs, supporting organizations, other 501(c) organizations (within legal limits)
• Budget Limit: No operating budget limit (unlike General Operating Support)
• Project Focus: Project focus must be serving older adults residing in Philadelphia County
• Newly Established Organizations: Eligible

Service Areas Supported

Projects providing:

• Adult day center operations
• Behavioral & mental health services
• Care coordination services
• Caregiver support services
• Digital literacy services
• Food security services
• Homelessness support services
• Home maintenance services
• Housing services
• Information & resource services
• Legal services
• Senior center operations
• Transportation services
• Other services that allow older adults to thrive in their home & community

Project Phases Supported

• Small-Scale Trial of a New Idea: Testing innovative approaches
• Significant Program Expansion: Expanding to new populations or significantly increasing number served

Funding Options

• Single-Year Projects: Supported
• Multi-Year Projects: Supported for 2 or 3 year terms

Collaborative Projects

Projects may include multiple collaborative partners with defined responsibilities.

Alignment Criteria

• Vulnerable Older Adults: Those with disproportionate risk of undesirable quality of life
• Underserved Older Adults: Those with insufficient access to quality services
• Age Definition: Typically 60 and older

DEIA Commitment

Organizations must demonstrate explicit commitment to addressing equity with perspective from both Board and staff leadership, including demographic information about overall leadership.

Timeline

• Application Deadline: September 1st (annually)
• Decision Notification: November 15th
• Review Frequency: Once each year

Required Materials

1. Organization Information Form
   • Confirmation of eligibility requirements understanding
   • Grant request name (format: [Fiscal Year] + "Innovative Project Support")
   • Organization history & mission statement if new applicant (1,500 character limit)
2. Equity & Leadership Information
   • Written response on organization's equity efforts from Board and staff perspective, including demographic information about overall leadership (2,000 character limit)
   • Staff count: full-time and part-time numbers
   • Staff composition: number of full-time and part-time staff self-identifying as part of underrepresented population
   • Staff demographic information: detailed description including gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, age (1,000 character limit)
   • Staff leadership information: names, titles, tenure, and demographic information (1,000 character limit)
3. Innovative Project Information
   • Geographic areas the project primarily serves (select all that apply: Center City, North, Northeast, Northwest, South, Southwest, West Philadelphia, Other)
   • Description of goals and objectives (1,500 character limit)
   • Description of project significance (3,000 character limit)
   • Project focus areas (select all that apply from listed service categories)
   • Number of clients served by innovative project
   • Percentage of innovative project clients aged 60+
   • Description of population served: socioeconomic, demographic, age range characteristics (1,500 character limit)
   • Project Phase: Select whether seeking support for:
   • Small-scale trial of a new idea
   • Significant program expansion (new population served or significant increase in number served)
   • Description of proposed activities (6,000 character limit)
   • Intended Impact & Evaluation: Describe intended impact and how it will be assessed/evaluated (1,500 character limit)
   • Project team qualifications: brief description of team member qualifications (1,500 character limit)
   • Innovative project start date
   • Innovative project end date
   • Innovative project budget: organization's budgeted operating expenses for project during funding period
   • Funding Duration: Select single-year or multi-year
   • If multi-year: specify 2 or 3 year term
4. Collaborative Project Information (if applicable)
   • Description of responsibilities for each collaborative partner (2,500 character limit)
   • Letter of commitment or letter of intent from each collaborative partner (2,500 character limit or file upload, 5 MB limit)
5. Financial Documents
   • Organization Budget: Fiscal year budget in any format, including narrative detailing program expenses and revenue sources (File limit: 5 MB)
   • Innovative Project Budget: Detailed budget for the project relative to funding period (File limit: 5 MB)
   • Financial Statements: Audited financials for the last complete fiscal year. Contact Heather Finnegan to discuss presentation format if organization does not conduct annual audit (File limit: 15 MB)
6. Legal Documentation
   • 501(c)(3) IRS Determination Letter: Original organization determination letter or fiscal sponsor/supported organization letter if applicable (File limit: 5 MB)

Submission Requirements

• All character limits must be observed
• File size limits must be observed
• Complete all required fields marked with asterisk (*)
• Submit by September 1st deadline

Contact for Questions

Heather Finnegan - hfinnegan@sarahralstonfoundation.org

Review Process

• Innovative Project Support Committee reviews proposals once each year
• Decisions issued by November 15th