Frequently Asked Questions
The majority of grants are awarded to public charities classified as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Except upon invitation, Pew typically does not make grants to individuals.
What activities don’t you fund?
Each program has specific types of activities that it does not fund. Unless part of a Pew-initiated program or by specific invitation, we will not consider requests from organizations outside the United States or for capital campaigns; clinical or basic biomedical research; construction; cultural exchanges; debt reduction; disease-specific projects; endowments; equipment or technology; financial aid, fellowships, scholarships or travel grants; individual school districts, preschools or childcare centers; museum or library acquisitions.
Does Pew fund outside the Philadelphia/Pennsylvania area?
Although certain areas of our grantmaking, like our Pew Fund for Health and Human Services in Philadelphia and Culture’s Philadelphia Program, only accept applicants from Philadelphia and its surrounding counties, most of our grantmaking is national in scope.
Does Pew fund outside the United States?
More than 90 percent of our grants are made to organizations based in the United States. Our work outside the United States is limited to projects that are either Pew-initiated or are a historical interest. Pew does not accept applications for these projects.
To find an alternative source of funding, you may wish to visit the Web site of the Foundation Center. It maintains listings of U.S. foundations and their areas of funding, including some resources for international grant-seekers.
Does Pew provide financial aid or fund academic pursuits?
We do not provide financial aid, fellowships, individual study or travel grants.
What are the chances of being funded?
Our work is highly focused: each program identifies and pursues a specific set of goals. Please be aware that our grant application process is highly competitive—compared to the number of proposals received, very few are funded. If you do intend to apply for support, you should study our Program Priorities carefully to determine whether your proposed project clearly fits within the range of activities we support. If there is not a clear fit, it is extremely unlikely that your project will be funded.
I’ve reviewed your Program Priorities and find that my project doesn’t fit with Pew’s current strategy. Do you have suggestions about where else I might look for funding?
The Foundation Center maintains a comprehensive listing of U.S. foundations and the areas they fund.
How long does it take to receive a response from Pew once I’ve submitted a letter of inquiry?
Reviewing and responding to a letter of inquiry normally takes about four to six weeks.
May an organization submit more than one request at a time?
Organizations are encouraged to prioritize their own needs before contacting Pew. Sometimes large organizations such as universities or research institutions submit simultaneous requests to different programs at Pew. Each request will be reviewed independently by the appropriate program and evaluated on its own merits.
What are Pew's criteria for funding television and other media projects?
Pew will consider support for media-based projects only if the content and use of media address or in some way advance a specific objective of one or more of Pew's program areas. Letters of inquiry involving media will be evaluated by the same criteria and standards applied to all requests.
