Grantmaking and Impact

Funding high-impact solutions that disrupt poverty in Philadelphia

We invest in proven nonprofits through multi-year, trust-based grants that deliver measurable results across three connected pillars: basic needs, education, and opportunity.

2025 community-powered grantmaking
$600,000
Deployed through strategic grants, paired with year-round engagement from the life sciences community.
66
Board of Advisors
7
Board of Managers
35
Corporate Partners
1,200
Event Attendees

Why we invest

Poverty is the root cause of many barriers that keep individuals and families from reaching their full potential. In Philadelphia, too many neighbors are navigating impossible tradeoffs between housing, food, childcare, and work.

For Life Science Cares Philadelphia, this is a call to action. The life sciences industry is built on collaboration, innovation, and data-driven problem solving. In our city, the most urgent challenge isn’t in a lab. It’s in our neighborhoods.

That’s why we unite the energy, brainpower, and resources of the life sciences community to disrupt poverty from multiple angles. We invest in organizations that stabilize basic needs, strengthen education, and open doors to economic opportunity.

Life Science Cares Philadelphia community gathering
Understanding poverty in Philadelphia
  • As of 2022, 21.7% of Philadelphians lived in poverty, the city’s lowest rate since the 1990s.
  • 9.7% of residents lived in deep poverty, affecting approximately 148,000 people.
  • A family of four was considered in poverty with a household income of $31,200 or less.
  • That same family was considered in deep poverty with an income of $15,600 or less.
Source: The Pew Charitable Trusts, State of the City 2024

Our core nonprofit partners through 2028

We are in a multi-year, trust-based investment with four partners. Together, this commitment represents $600,000 deployed through 2028.

Hopeworks
Hopeworks logo
Tech training and paid-work pathways that lead to living-wage careers for young adults.
Wistar Institute
Wistar Institute logo
Training biomedical technicians for in-demand roles and entry points into life sciences.
12+
12+ logo
Keeping students on track to graduate and access post-secondary and career pathways.
EPS
EPS logo
Wraparound family support that stabilizes households so education and work gains can stick.

Grantmaking over time

Since launch, our grantmaking has flexed to meet the moment and matured into longer-term, trust-based investment.

2020
$350K
2021
$250K
2022
$340K
2023
$410K
2024
$100K
Now
2025–2028 multi-year commitment
We announced a longer-term, trust-based investment with four core partners through 2028, totaling $600,000. This model prioritizes stability, outcomes, and partnership depth.

Pillars in action

Each pillar reflects how we invest, and what those investments made possible. These are examples of outcomes from 2023–2024.

Basic needs support in Philadelphia
Basic Needs Stabilizing families so progress can stick
We fund programs that meet urgent needs and stabilize households so education and work gains can take hold.
  • 600 individuals facing homelessness now have stable housing.
  • 900 children from low-income families connected to a medical home.
Education and learning support
Education Building skills, confidence, and readiness
We invest in education pathways that expand access and strengthen long-term stability for youth and families.
  • 420 young adults received skill-building education and training toward a future career.
  • 780 low-income children achieved or surpassed literacy goals.
Opportunity and workforce pathways
Opportunity Connecting talent to living-wage careers
We fund and activate workforce development, internships, and mentorship that connect talent to opportunity.
  • 129 young adults launched careers, generating over $5.5 million in combined salaries.
  • 293 job seekers secured opportunities, earning an average of $21.36 per hour.

For nonprofits

We practice trust-based philanthropy by providing multi-year, unrestricted grants to a small group of high-impact partners. This approach gives organizations the stability and flexibility to deepen impact.

Current funding status

We are in the midst of a 2025–2028 commitment and are not accepting new grant applications at this time. When future funding opportunities become available, they will be shared on this page and through our newsletter.

While our grant process is closed, we value building relationships year-round. Nonprofit leaders can connect with us through events and partnership conversations.

Philadelphia Event Spotlight
The Impact Reception
One night. Real stories. Visible impact across Philadelphia.
Join us on April 22 for a signature evening bringing together the life science community in support of disrupting poverty in Philadelphia.
April 22, 2026
The College of Physicians
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