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Philadelphia Great Schools Fund

The Philadelphia School Partnership invests in the creation and expansion of great schools. Investments are selected after an application and due diligence process to identify schools and leaders with the potential to deliver outstanding academic outcomes. PSP invests in all types of schools - public, public charter and private.

PSP makes the following types of grants:

1. Incubation Grants
PSP supports the earliest stages of new school idea development and planning. Grant funds support the completion of a school plan, development of a business plan, or drafting of a charter application, for example. The grant may also support early stage startup activities.

2. Startup Grants
PSP supports the launch of new schools. Grants cover costs associated with planning and startup of a new school such as: facility acquisition/renovation, hiring, staff training, and school supplies. Applicants seeking startup funds should have a concrete school model and plan ready to execute.

3. Growth Grants
PSP supports school expansions. Grants support building the leadership and operational capacity of existing successful schools and school operators so they can manage growth while maintaining high academic outcomes. Grants also support the opening of new schools or the expansion of existing schools. Applicants seeking growth funds must already be operating a successful school(s).

4. Turnaround Grants
PSP supports the transformation of low-performing schools. Grants are made to individuals and teams with a strong track-record of successful turnaround or with experience successfully operating a high performing urban school.

PSP is currently accepting applications for the Great Schools Fund 2013 funding round. For more information about the application process, please review the funding application and its instructions.

Philadelphia School Talent Fund

The Philadelphia School Talent Fund is a resource established to help schools and school systems in the city attract talented leaders. Effective leadership is critical to keeping every Philadelphia school on a path to high quality. Schools and school systems of any type - public, charter and private - are eligible to apply for funding. The Talent Fund totals $250,000, and grants will be disbursed in 2013.

Talent Fund grants will support activities related to identifying, recruiting and retaining strong leadership. For example, a grant will support activities such as:

engaging a recruiting firm to manage a talent search,
school/school operator-managed recruiting efforts, and
efforts to improve human-capital search and retention practices.

Grants may also support other activities not listed above so long as those activities are directly related to attracting talent. Grants are not intended to cover wages or benefits of newly recruited leaders.

Application Guidelines
Applicants must complete and submit the Talent Fund Application. In addition, applicants must meet the following criteria:

1. Applicants must currently be operating a school(s) for which they are seeking talent, or the school operator must have authority to open a school in the fall of 2013.
2. Applicants must be seeking to attract talent at the leadership level.
3. Applicants must initiate and complete grant-supported activities within nine months.
4. Grants may not support ongoing operational expenses (e.g. staff costs, programming, facilities costs, etc.)

There is no minimum grant amount. Grant size will depend on the number of positions to be filled, the size of the school/school system and the actual activities proposed. Grants will be processed within approximately 2-3 weeks of submission.