About the Grant Program

The Philadelphia Cultural Fund (PCF), established in 1991, supports Philadelphia-based arts and culture organizations to strengthen the city’s cultural life and community vitality. For FY26, PCF is implementing an interim grantmaking process to refine its funding model with community input, ensuring a fair, equitable, and sustainable approach for FY27 and beyond. This transitional year reflects PCF’s commitment to its mission, values, and strategic pillars, and supports a trust-based, community-informed process. 

PCF funds art and culture organizations across artistic disciplines and cultural practices. We strive to define art & culture broadly. Art & culture connect us through our pasts, presents, and futures. While interrelated, they can also exist separately.

Art is the expression of creativity.

Culture is the shared experience of ancestries, environments, histories, traditions, and values.

This grant cycle includes important updates to eligibility, funding structure, and review processes. Both new and returning applicants are encouraged to apply.

Key Highlights of the 2026 Process:

• Open to new and returning applicants
• Grant Award: $12,500
• Increased operational budget eligibility up to $3M (as shown on the current SMU|DataArts Funder Report.)
• One-year grant period
• New art & culture definition
• No preapproval process for fiscal sponsors

Learn more about Phase 1 of PCF’s strategic plan here.

All submissions are due on Friday, January 9, 2026 by 11:59pm.

Utilize the links on our website to guide you and complete the application: 

• Art & Culture Grants Website
• Resource Guide
• Info Sessions and Virtual Office Hours
• Past Grantee List

More Funding Opportunities

If you’re interested in applying for the 2026 Community Impact Grant, powered by the William Penn Foundation, please visit our website for full details. To be eligible, applicants must:

1. Be approved through the PCF 2026 Art & Culture Grant process
2. Have an organizational budget of $500,000 or less
3. Have a mission dedicated to the creation, performance, and/or presentation of publicly accessible arts and culture experiences that carry artistic or creative value intended to engage, inspire, or connect to audiences and communities.

Deadline to Apply: January 16, 2026

Grant Award: $10,000

  Email PCF Staff at info@philaculturalfund.org with any questions.
 

Submittable Information:

• You will need to create a free Submittable account or sign in with Google or Facebook credentials to submit apply. Important: The login email used to apply, will be the primary account holder for this application and will receive all communications through the platform. 
• You can save a draft of your work if you would like to finish filling out the form at a later date.
• If anything changes with the information you submitted, please request to edit the submission.
• Submittable works best on Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. Internet Explorer is not supported. Please make sure you are using a supported browser.
• We will follow-up with you about your submission by email. Please be sure to safelist notification emails from Submittable and check the email you used to sign up for your Submittable Account regularly.  

Organization Profile Overview: 

(for 501c3 organizations only)

When applying on behalf of an organization, you will see an Organization Search field. To find your organization enter the Employer Identification Number (EIN) into the field. Submittable will retrieve the organization's information from the appropriate governmental databases. You can also start typing the organization's name for results to select from. 

Organization Search
 

Technical Questions?

Check out the Submitter Resource Center or contact Submittable Customer Support.

Program Details:

The William Penn Foundation (WPF) has awarded $8 million to the Philadelphia Cultural Fund (PCF) to serve as an intermediary for a four-year initiative supporting small arts and culture organizations. This initiative will provide unrestricted general operating support grants (Community Impact Grant) and capacity-strengthening services to grantees.

PCF will administer the 2026 Community Impact Grant to award additional funds to a subset of its 2026 Art & Culture grantees. Qualified applicants must have an annual operating budget of $500,000 or less and meet additional criteria that will be reviewed through a panel process. PCF’s established grantmaking process ensures that these funds reach organizations whose work strengthens communities, expands access to arts and culture, and fosters equity across the city.

The purpose of this grant is to sustain the missions of small organizations that make important contributions to their communities. These organizations are rooted in and engaged with their communities creating meaningful cultural experiences, nurturing local artists, and reflecting Philadelphia’s diverse voices. Through its role as intermediary, PCF combines its deep community-rooted knowledge with WPF’s investment to strengthen the capacity and impact of small art and culture organizations that are vital to the city’s ecosystem.

Grant Award: $10,000

A Note from The William Penn Foundation

The William Penn Foundation’s Arts and Culture program supports opportunities that expand access to diverse, inclusive, and high-quality arts and culture experiences. It values arts and culture organizations and programming that remove barriers to participation and engagement for those who have been historically marginalized or excluded, and consider the needs, and voices of community members to ensure efforts are relevant, inclusive, and responsive.

Eligibility Guidelines:

Current PCF Applicant

• The organization must be a current applicant to the Philadelphia Cultural Fund’s 2026 Art & Culture Grant.           
  • Organizations that have not applied and do not plan to apply for the 2026 Art & Culture Grant are not eligible. 
  • Eligible applicants must initially be approved through the 2026 Art & Culture Grant application to be considered for the 2026 Community Impact Grant. 

  
  

Budget Size

• Based on the organization’s current SMU DataArts Funder Report, eligible applicants must have an average budget of $500,000 or less. The reported budget should align with what was submitted in the 2026 Art & Culture Grant application.

William Penn Foundation Funding Restrictions

• Applicants must have a mission dedicated to the creation, performance, and/or presentation of publicly accessible arts and culture experiences that carry artistic or creative value intended to engage, inspire, or connect to audiences and communities.

All submissions are due on Friday, January 16, 2026 by 11:59pm.

Utilize the links on our website to guide you and complete the application:  

• Community Impact Grant - The Philadelphia Cultural Fund
• Resource Guide

Email Camille Halsey, PCF Program Director, camille@philaculturalfund.org with any questions.

Submittable Information:

• You will need to create a free Submittable account or sign in with Google or Facebook credentials to submit apply. Important: The login email used to apply, will be the primary account holder for this application and will receive all communications through the platform. 
• You can save a draft of your work if you would like to finish filling out the form at a later date.
• If anything changes with the information you submitted, please request to edit the submission.
• Submittable works best on Google Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. Internet Explorer is not supported. Please make sure you are using a supported browser.
• We will follow-up with you about your submission by email. Please be sure to safelist notification emails from Submittable and check the email you used to sign up for your Submittable Account regularly.  

Organization Profile Overview: 

(for 501c3 organizations only)

When applying on behalf of an organization, you will see an Organization Search field. To find your organization enter the Employer Identification Number (EIN) into the field. Submittable will retrieve the organization's information from the appropriate governmental databases. You can also start typing the organization's name for results to select from. 

Organization Search
 

Technical Questions?

Check out the Submitter Resource Center or contact Submittable Customer Support.

PCF seeks 30 - 35 art and culture advocates to serve as peer panelists for the 2026 Community Impact Grant. Panelists will be compensated $1,300 for approximately 37-40 hours of their time between February-March 2026.

*Eligible applicants must be available for all outlined meeting dates and times.

Deadline to apply:  January 9, 2026

Learn more about the 2026 Community Impact Grant here. 

About the Grant Review Peer Panel

The Grant Review Peer Panel will play a key role in PCF’s 2026 grant cycle by reviewing and evaluating submissions from all eligible applicants of the 2026 Community Impact Grant. Panelists will receive training and facilitation support and will work independently and in teams throughout the process to complete their application review. Panelists will come together in a series of meetings to deliberate and make final funding recommendations to PCF. There are a total of 140 Community Impact Grants available for this grant cycle.

Benefits of Serving as a Peer Panelist

PCF is excited to bring on several dozen Peer Panelists for this spring’s grant review process. Your participation directly supports our City’s art and culture ecosystem. We’re seeking 30–35 local individuals who engage with art and culture through work, passion, or practice. We believe this experience will:

• Build your knowledge and skills around grantmaking.
• Grow your understanding of how to apply for a grant and your confidence to do it.
• Build community with others who share your interests and commitments.
• Create space to network with peers and learn more about the impact of art and culture organizations in Philadelphia
• Help spread the word in your own communities and networks about the Community Impact Grant.

Responsibilities

Grant panelists will work both independently and collaboratively, to ensure a fair and objective review process. 

Meeting Availability:

• Attend all sessions outlined in the “Am I Eligible?” list further below.
• Participate in a four hour orientation and training session.

Independent Reading and Scoring: 

• Review and thoroughly evaluate all assigned applications and supplemental materials before panel meetings. This involves reading about 60 - 75 pages of applicant materials and reviewing attached media. Panelists will assess each one using critical thinking, as well as their own sensibilities and lived experience around art and culture. Panelists will use a provided review guide to assess their reactions to each application, assign it a score, and write constructive comments to a short set of questions to share with fellow Peer Panelists.

Participate on a Peer Panel Team: 

• Participate in four weekly virtual meetings, with your team of 3 peer panelists, to discuss and deliberate the fit of a portion of eligible applications. 
• Participate in two full-day deliberation sessions with the full group of about 30-35 panelists to build consensus around grantee selection. There are a total of 140 Community Impact Grants available for this grant cycle.
• Participate in a reflection session after the panel to share insights, feedback, and recommendations for future cycles.

Meet Deadlines: 

• Manage your time effectively to complete all reading, scoring, and meeting requirements within the specified timeframe. 

Assess Applicant’s Sense of Fit 

• The purpose of this grant is to sustain the missions of small organizations that make important contributions to their communities. These organizations are rooted in and engaged with their communities creating meaningful cultural experiences, nurturing local artists, and reflecting Philadelphia’s diverse voices.

Time Commitment

An anticipated 37-40 hours, divided between meetings and independent work. 

Panelists can anticipate the following approximate time commitments. See specific dates under the “Am I Eligible?” list further below.

• Orientation and Training (4 hours) In Person
• Independently read 20-25 applications (10 hours) 
• Deliberation by team (10 hours) Virtual
• Full-group deliberation day 1 (6 hours) In Person
• Full-group deliberation day 2 (6 hours) In Person
• Reflection and evaluation (1 hours) TBD

Compensation

PCF Peer Panelists will be compensated with a stipend of $1,300 to honor their time, expertise, and contributions to PCF and to art and culture in Philadelphia during this process. 

Payments will be made to panelists upon completion of their work on the panel in two stages: $650 in the beginning of March, and $650 at the close of the Peer Panel process in April. We will collect a W-9 and payment information from you in January 2026 when you sign the panelist contract.

Am I eligible to be a Peer Panelist?

You do not need prior experience to be a part of the grant review panel; in fact, no previous grantmaking knowledge is required. We will provide all the training you need to feel prepared, comfortable, and confident in making recommendations.

You do need to meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Reside and/or work in Philadelphia and be willing to commute to Center City Philadelphia for in person sessions
• Be comfortable reading up to 75 pages of applications online or in print within a two-week period in February 2026
• Have an interest in expanding access to art and culture in Philadelphia
• Be available for all the meeting dates provided in the application

*Please note: All team sessions will take place on the same day. Your team will either meet in the morning group (Group 1) or the afternoon group (Group 2).

Confidentiality

During the Peer Panel process, you are expected to disclose any close relationships with any of the applicants. This includes currently being a board member, staff member, ongoing paid consultant or contractor, or having any other relationship that might prevent you from being impartial. You are then required to recuse yourself (meaning to remove yourself) from discussions involving that applicant.

You are expected to comply with our confidentiality agreement. As a Peer Panelist, you will have access to confidential information and materials related to PCF throughout the review process, including information about applying organizations. You may not share this information or materials with individuals, organizations, or any other entities outside of the Panels. You are expected to keep all materials and information in strict confidence and to exercise a reasonable degree of care to prevent disclosure to others. Additionally, you may not disclose details of meeting proceedings or any decisions made in meetings. You will be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement.

   To learn more about PCF, visit our website at www.philaculturalfund.org and check out our socials @philaculturfund