The Philadelphia Foundation

The Philadelphia Foundation is a community foundation that serves the metropolitan Philadelphia community. The five primary counties served are Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery. It is one of the oldest and largest community foundations in the United States, awarding more than $20 million in annual grants from more than 800 charitable funds.

History
The foundation was established as a "community trust" by the Fidelity Trust Company in December 1918. Initially the committee charged with the distribution of funds was composed of five individuals: one appointed by the Pennsylvania governor, one appointed by the senior judge of the U.S. District Court for Eastern Pennsylvania, one appointed by the judge of the Orphans' Court, and two appointed by the Board of Directors of the Fidelity Trust Company.

Mission
The mission of The Philadelphia Foundation is "building philanthropic resources, managing those resources well, and distributing those resources effectively." This is part of their larger vision of "a flourishing Delaware Valley made up of safe, thriving and diverse communities, strengthened by a dynamic and robust nonprofit sector that is critical to our quality of life, and that inspires civic participation through philanthropy." It manages approximately 900 funds and makes over 1,000 grants and scholarship awards each year.