Innovation Fund
The Innovation Fund is a grant opportunity funded by the Philadelphia City Fund and managed by the Public Technology and Innovation Team in the City’s Office of Innovation and Technology.
The Innovation Fund provides grants to launch pilot initiatives proposed by City employees that have the potential to improve the services and functions of municipal government.
The application process is coordinated by the Innovation Advisory Group, a cross-departmental advisory team of City employees who are trained and invested in seeding innovation. All final funding decisions are made by the Philadelphia City Fund’s Board of Directors.
The application process is unique and is meant to be inclusive, equitable, and accessible to any City employee who would like to request funding for a pilot or proof of concept project.
Only employees of the City of Philadelphia are eligible to apply on behalf of a City pilot project for this grant opportunity. This opportunity is not open to the public.
Funding Priorities:
The Innovation Fund prioritizes proposals for ideas and projects that:
- Have never been tried before in Philadelphia
- Pilot something that is a new and different approach for a given department
- Push Philadelphia to be the first city to solve a broader problem in a unique way
- Leverage partnerships and stakeholder collaboration, either internal or external to City government
- Focus on delivering services more effectively, equitably, and efficiently to all residents
The Innovation Fund is only open to employees of the City of Philadelphia who seek support for City pilot projects. This grant program is not open to the public.
Application Process and Timeline:
The Fall 2023 Innovation Fund cycle is now closed.
Applicants will be notified if they advance to the second round (Pitch Sessions) by the week of October 2. Mandatory pitch sessions will be held remotely between October 16–19. All applicants who advance to the final stage must submit a final proposal by November 28. Final funding decisions will be made by the Philadelphia City Fund’s Board of Directors in mid-December. Total funding available for this cycle is $25,000. Projects may receive up to $10,000, with most awards ranging from $6,000–$8,000.
The next Innovation Fund cycle will be announced in 2024. In the meantime, you can review the slide deck from the Fall 2023 information session to learn more about this grant program.
Please direct any questions about the Innovation Fund to Stephanie Orlando, Innovation Manager, at stephanie.orlando@phila.gov.
Innovation Fund Grantees
The Philadelphia City Fund recently awarded three Innovation Fund grants as part of its Spring 2023 grant cycle.
Grantees will launch pilot projects that address sensory inclusion, sexual health education for youth, and technical assistance for Black-led and Black-serving community based organizations in Philadelphia.