The local impact made by The Foundation for Delaware County was evident in its just-released annual report for fiscal year 2024, as it follows through on its “Making More Good Possible in Delaware County” theme.
The Foundation, created in 2016, is the largest grantmaking philanthropy in Delaware County offering support and resources to nonprofits, with $2 million awarded each year to local organizations.
The Foundation for Delaware County has embraced its role as a countywide connector, coordinating efforts and convening key stakeholders to shine a spotlight on the county’s challenges and solutions.
A key aspect of the Foundation’s work comes through the partnerships it fosters in the community.
“Your support and partnership have encouraged us to continue to drive change for our community, powered by all we have accomplished in the last eight years to grow our foundation,” writes Foundation President Frances M. Sheehan and Foundation Chairman Cyrise L. Dixon in the annual report’s introduction.
In addition to grant funding, the Foundation operates the Center for Nonprofit Excellence to strengthen Delaware County’s nonprofit community through training workshops and peer learning opportunities.
The Foundation also encourages philanthropy by connecting donors to worthy causes through efficient charitable giving vehicles like donor-advised funds, estate gifts, and scholarship funds.
The Foundation completed a strategic plan this year that prioritizes:
• Increased resources to strengthen Delaware County;
• Serving as a unifying catalyst for Delaware County’s communities across municipalities, issues, and demographics;
• Advancing opportunity and equity;
• Aligning Foundation programs and services to enhance its efficacy;
• Investing in staff and infrastructure to operate at the highest level of quality.
“With a new strategic plan in place, an engaged and experienced board of directors, and our dedicated leadership, we are poised to take our work to the next level with your support,” Sheehan and Dixon wrote.
The Foundation acknowledged Delaware County’s challenges in its report, noting that 10 percent of residents live in poverty.
The county also has persistent racial and economic disparities, fuel, food and housing insecurities, inequitable education, gun violence and poorer health outcomes for many households, the report states.
“We bring together the many voices that shape our region—elected officials, business and civic leaders, nonprofits, and individuals—to foster a deeper understanding of the critical issues we face and to collectively craft solutions,” the report states.
On finances, the Foundation’s 2024 successes included distributing $1.5 million in Impact Grants to 57 organizations. It raised another $1.7 million from 9,600 donors through its one-day Delco Gives campaign which was distributed to 281 nonprofits.
It engaged 535 nonprofit leaders in professional development programs, and it administers 64 charitable funds.
The Foundation’s efforts contributed to an increase in the Pennsylvania budget for maternal health and doulas.
It sustains and advocates for robust public health and housing programs, including Healthy Start, Nurse-Family Partnership, WIC, Housing Opportunities Program for Equity (HOPE), Medical-Legal Partnership, Fatherhood programs, Doula services, and social services.
The Foundation also supported more than 8,000 people through its WIC program, the highest percentage of eligible clients of any county in Pennsylvania.
In 2023, the Foundation partnered with Philanthropy Network Greater Philadelphia to launch its first in-person funder tour in Upper Darby. It brought together funders across the region to visit key community organizations and have direct conversations with nonprofit leaders.
This year, the same tour took place in Chester and included panel discussions and updates from local organizations.
A partnership between local nonprofits, health care systems and universities invested in Chester through Safer Schools, Stronger Neighborhoods (3SN), which included Impact Grants from the Foundation to five key partners: CASA Youth Advocates, Chester Education Foundation, Chester Community Coalition, Making a Change Group, and the Boys & Girls Club of Chester.
3SN engages youth in after-school programming, mentoring, conflict resolution, workforce development, life skills programs, and more.
The Foundation also administer grant funding from the Green Family Foundation to support the Chester Partnership for Safe Neighborhoods, working to deter gun violence. Since the Partnership was launched in 2020, there has been a 55 percent decrease in Chester’s gun violence.
The Foundation supports the nonprofit Health Educated, which advances health equity and promotes health literacy for marginalized communities to better serve Black, Hispanic, and LGBTQ patients, as well as those with disabilities.
The Foundation has provided Impact Grants to some local libraries, helping them to sustain their operations and launch new programming.
It also provides financial management services for the Library Foundation of Delaware County, which works to expand and improve Delaware County’s 28-branch library system.
The Foundation has been an on-going supporter of Delco Arts Week and other promotions throughout the year to increase arts activity across the county.
