Pew Fund venture grants support organizations that are uniquely positioned to address an unmet need for a specific population or an emerging need in the region and have a vision for long-lasting impact beyond the grant period. These grants help implement promising, timely initiatives that are building their evidence base and have the potential to inform the larger sector.

An organization that receives venture grant funding has demonstrated an ability to reach its target population and can articulate why it is uniquely positioned to serve this community with the proposed initiative. This could be in the form of expertise, knowledge, or a relationship with a particular group that helps the organization effectively deliver services, or a positive track record in achieving outcomes.

Venture grants are two-year awards that range from $100,000 to $250,000; they are not renewable. Grant sizes are determined based on a number of factors, including the proposed scope of activity, the organization’s budget, and the project budget. Once your organization is invited to submit an application, Pew staff will discuss the size of the requested grant with you.

Creating an evidence base for impact

Venture grants aim to support organizations at a moment when they are particularly well-situated to achieve a positive impact on both the community they serve and the sector as a whole. Although these grants are not intended to support the design or planning of a new intervention, venture grant funds can be used to bolster an organization as it builds its evidence base, refines and tests improvements to its programs, and innovates to strengthen its impact or increase sustainability.

Award recipients will have the opportunity to participate in the Pew Fund’s evaluation capacity building initiative.

Guidelines

To receive a venture grant, an organization should demonstrate the following:

• There is an important, relevant need in the Greater Philadelphia region, and the organization has a promising approach or intervention that demonstrates positive early results and/or is supported by external research.
• The organization has internal capacity to implement the intervention in a timely manner.
• With venture grant support, the organization seeks to build and/or expand its evidence base, innovate or improve its program, and contribute to the broader sector and ensure the intervention’s sustainability.
• The organization’s program leaders exhibit a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to eliminating cultural and racial barriers to service.
• The organization is committed to data-centered decision-making and values accountability, measurement, and transparency when it comes to outputs and outcomes.
• The organization has solid financial footing.