Sarah Ralston Foundation- General Operating Support Grants

The Sarah Ralston Foundation provides General Operating Support Grants to enhance the quality of life for vulnerable older adults in Philadelphia County. Funding ranges from $5,000 to $50,000 and is aimed at nonprofit organizations meeting specific eligibility criteria. The foundation emphasizes flexibility, allowing grantees to allocate resources effectively to fulfill their missions, while adhering to guiding principles that promote equity, diversity, and community engagement.

The Sarah Ralston Foundation supports and enhances the quality of life of vulnerable and underserved older adults residing in Philadelphia County.
Our Guiding Principles
The Sarah Ralston Foundation is led by nine guiding principles that direct all of its work.  The Foundation:
Understands, appreciates, and leverages community assets – creating synergies while addressing community needs. Practices, supports, and facilitates anti-ageist beliefs, principles, and actions. Recognizes the importance of relationships to the well-being of older adults. Seeks partnerships with significant potential impact including those organizations whose programs have shown impact and those organizations whose programs intend to have impact. Practices, supports and facilitates diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racist beliefs, principles, and actions. Seeks out grantee partners who are successfully serving vulnerable and underserved older adults with particular attention to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) and other underrepresented populations. Seeks out organizations led by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) and other underrepresented persons as grantee partners. Embodies the principles of trust-based philanthropy to advance equity, shift power, engage the community, and build mutually accountable relationships.
General operating support funds a nonprofit organization’s mission rather than specific projects or programs. It provides the working capital needed to sustain day-to-day operations.
The General Operating Support Committee considers requests for general operating support grants typically between $5,000 and $50,000 annually for organizations serving vulnerable and underserved older adults residing in Philadelphia County.
The Sarah Ralston Foundation invests in grantees’ missions rather than specific programs. General operating support allows partners to use the funds as they see fit to reach their goals.
Aging organizations know their stakeholders best, know their communities best, and know their needs the most. We respect that knowledge and seek to provide the flexible support that they need to pursue their missions.

Eligibility

Organizations and programs that align with the Foundation’s mission to support and enhance the quality of life of vulnerable and underserved older adults residing in Philadelphia County. Organizations that are based outside of Philadelphia County but provide services in Philadelphia County. In this case, grants would be restricted to the organization’s Philadelphia County-based program/s.Organizations and programs that reflect the guiding principles of the Foundation. Organizations, including newly established organizations, of the following types: 501(c)3 public charities, fiscally sponsored organizations or programs, supporting organizations, other 501(c) organizations (within legal limits). Organizations where older adults can receive support through adult day programs, 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 programs, transportation services, or other services that allow older adults to thrive in their home & community. Organizations where older adults can go to receive services and socialization (examples: Senior Centers, Adult Day), organizations that provide in-home services (examples: Home Maintenance Programs, Food Programs, but excluding those services paid for by insurance), and organizations that provide programs that support those older adults living in the community (examples: Information & Resources, Transportation, Food Programs, Companionship Services, and Virtual Programs). The Foundation provides general operating support to organizations with less than a $3 million operating budget.   If an organization requests general operating support, its primary focus must be serving older adults residing in Philadelphia County.

Ineligibility

The Foundation does not give operating grants to programs and organizations that provide services to older adults who live in institutional settings e.g., a nursing facility or an assisted-living facility. The Foundation does not give grants to individuals, for-profit entities, or government entities.The Foundation does not provide general operating support to organizations with an operating budget greater than $5 million. The Foundation does not fund insurance-paid services. The Foundation does not fund outside of the following funding priorities:Access to affordable, equitable and high-quality care; Behavioral and mental health issues; Caregiver support (family and significant others); Care coordination; Housing (including older adult homelessness); and Social isolation issues The Foundation will not purchase tickets, tables, ads, or sponsorships. The Foundation will not directly contribute to endowments outside of a capital campaign or expenses related to new construction of a building.