Grant Details

The Foundation supports nonprofits with strong leadership, sound ideas, and attainable and well defined goals, and prefers to support endeavors which receive funding from several sources, thereby demonstrating broad interest and future viability. Their philanthropy is directed toward 501(c)(3) organizations and institutions serving Philadelphia, the surrounding counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery and the city of Camden, New Jersey.

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
• Human Services
• Culture & Civic Life

Education: Focus on Learning:

Recognizing that the Foundation's past investments in education have yielded some of its most rewarding results, learning has become the cornerstone of its mission and a focus for their philanthropic activities. 

The Foundation values learning as a primary pathway to a better life for individuals, families and communities. While academic institutions (in particular Catholic schools) have been the principal beneficiaries of the Foundation's support over the years, we know that opportunities for intellectual growth can also be found in many forms and settings, such as a community centers health clinic, a daycare center for elders, a museum, or a concert hall. 

Mindful that the aim of education is to impart not only facts but values as well, the Foundation welcomes grant proposals that include innovative ideas for teaching and learning. 

Human Services: Improving Quality of Life:

The mission of enhancing the quality of life entails access to a home, food, and supportive services, and ultimately a growing degree of self-reliance and work. The Foundation supports organizations that address these essentials effectively, efficiently, and with dignity to disabled or underprivileged individuals. 

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.