Innovation Grants Program
Seybert Foundation’s Innovation Grants Program will provide one-time grants for specific proof-of-concept purposes, intended for emergent or existing Philadelphia-youth-serving nonprofit organizations wishing to either a) test a bold new approach OR b) pursue a time-sensitive opportunity that could lead to significant change.
Since 2020, Seybert’s Innovation Grants Program has provided grant funding to 16 organizations, totaling $668,172.00.
The 2025 Innovation Grants Program will award approximately $120,000 in grants to youth-serving nonprofits. Individual grants will range in size from $20,000-$60,000.
Deadline: Friday, September 26, 2025 at 8PM EDT
Eligibility
The Innovation Grants Program is open to nonprofit organizations and fiscally sponsored projects serving Philadelphia youth as their primary target population. Seybert defines “primary” to mean that more than 50% of the organization’s overall target population must be Philadelphia youth (up to age 24).
Priorities
Priority will be given to those projects or initiatives that, theoretically, could help an organization dramatically increase the impact of its services to Philadelphia youth, whether by altering an existing model or by testing a new model.
What We Want to Fund Through the Innovation Grants Program
New, high-potential concepts for projects that require validation and can be validated for under $60,000
Existing projects and organizations that have discovered potentially highly scalable models that require testing and that can be tested for under $60,000
Seemingly small interventions that when scaled, can have significant impact to addressing a big problem
Projects and organizations that have discovered novel and better ways of solving pervasive problems that impact children and youth
Projects and organizations led by entrepreneurial leadership teams who are skilled at testing new ideas cheaply and quickly
Teams that possess rare operating knowledge in a particular domain or that have discovered counter-intuitive realities in a domain that will lead them to success where others have failed
Primary areas of interest are projects that support innovation in the following areas:
Afterschool/Out-of-School-Time Programming
College/Career Readiness
Early Childhood
Education Reform
Foster Care System
Juvenile Justice Reform
Skills Trainings/Workforce Development
Social Emotional Learning
Programs for Unhoused Youth
Youth Advocacy/Voice
Youth Health and Wellbeing
Youth Leadership or Entrepreneurship
Youth-focused projects outside of these issue areas may also be considered.
What Will Not Be Considered for the Innovation Grants Program
Projects that will not (at least initially) improve the lives of children and youth in Philadelphia via a novel approach
Projects and organizations with limited growth potential
Projects and organizations that do not have economies of scale
Existing initiatives that have not discovered a new key insight that will significantly improve the project’s scalability, quality, or efficiency
Projects and organizations seeking to expand existing programming laterally
If your organization is working to advance opportunities for children and youth in Philadelphia, but does not currently have a project that aligns with the Innovation Grants Program, please look into our Core Grants Program.
Application
Proposals will be accepted until September 26, 2025 at 8:00 PM EDT.
Applicants will be updated on the status of their applications by email by Monday, October 20, 2025. The website will also be updated once all applicants have been contacted.
Deadlines and Key Dates
The deadline to submit a proposal is Monday, September 26, 2025; 8:00 PM EDT.
All applicants will be updated on the status of their applications by October 20, 2025.
If an application advances to the second round of consideration, the status update will also include additional questions about project logistics, details, and the project budget for the proposed innovation. The deadline to submit requested materials is November 3, 2025.
A virtual meeting with members of the Innovation Grants Committee may also be requested.
Final award announcements will be made via email during the week of December 15, 2025.
Keys to Decision Making
Serves community in alignment to Seybert’s mission
Vision (new and innovative for the sector and/or the community in which the project is based)
Leadership track record or evidence of leadership potential
Catalytic (can drive change outside of just the organization)
Demonstrated Commitment to Equity and Inclusion
Funding would clearly support new learning, activites, or information collection
Project Viability (proposed activities are clear and measurable)
Frequently Asked Questions
If I am an existing grantee, am I eligible to apply for an Innovations Grant?
Yes. Current grantees may apply.
Are organizations with a fiscal sponsor eligible to apply?
Yes. Please indicate this on the application and provide the name and EIN number of the fiscal sponsor.
How likely is it that my organization will receive funding?
Seybert’s Innovation Grants Program receives a large number of applications and typically awards 3-5 grants a year. Approximately 6% of applications are funded each year.
Typically, Seybert funds organizations and or leaders with a proven track record of scaling projects. New organizations may apply, but leadership should, at minimum, be able to demonstrate scaling and implementing projects.
Do organizations need to be based in Philadelphia to apply?
No. The organization does not need to be based in Philadelphia, however the initial target population must be in Philadelphia.
Does an organization’s sole focus need to be on children and youth in order to be eligible to apply for an Innovation Grant?
This will depend on the project specifically. If what you’re proposing to us is to run a pilot that exclusively benefits children in youth, then that is something we’re interested in even if the organization itself might have other focus areas. The pilots or the repeatable models that we’re looking to fund should directly benefit children and youth in Philadelphia.
Is there a chance that you will only fund part of my proposal?
The amount of funding requested is non-binding at the time of your submission. If we have questions or concerns about your project plan or budget, we will discuss them with you if your proposal advances to the final stage of funding consideration.
An Innovation Grant can be used toward funding a significantly larger project where other sources of funding have been secured.
Is $20,000 the minimum grant request or call smaller requests be made?
Smaller ranges can be requested. Please feel free to write-in that amount in the “Amount of Request” field in the proposal.
The Core Grant program is limited to organizations with an operating budget of $1.5 million or less, is there a similar restriction for the Innovation Grant program?
No. Currently, there are no restrictions to eligibility based on an organization’s operating budget.
Does the application have word counts, character counts, or word limits?
There aren’t specific character counts or word limits. We do ask that each section be answered in two to three sentences. The idea is to distill the essence of the innovation of the project, the core concept that is being tested or scaled and focus there. The Review Committee can follow up with subsequent questions, but the initial proposal places the focus on the proposed project instead of the organization as a whole.
Once a project is proven scalable with a Seybert grant, are there additional resources to help with the expansion after the pilot?
There is no direct guarantee of additional funding. However, after a pilot, an organization could consider applying for an Innovation Grant for the “repeatable model test”. if you are looking to fund that repeatable test. Additionally, if the organization meets the eligibility requirements for Seybert’s Core Grants Program, you could also apply for funding through that program.
Examples of Previously Funded Projects
While there is no one model for what Seybert seeks to fund through the Innovation Grants Program, examples of previously supported work include proven leaders testing and scaling projects such as:
Developing a decision support tool to support real-time decision making that revolutionizes the delivery of mental health interventions
Building on existing programming, supporting the development of personalized trauma-informed learning platforms that include mindfulness practices, trauma-responsive education, and tailored instruction, to support youth in achieving goals
Coordinated experiential career-connected learning programs that support youth on postsecondary pathways that align with high-demand entry-level positions
Training former program participants to serve as program instructors, providing additional opportunities and skill development for youth aging out of programming while also increasing the organization’s capacity to expand and staff existing programming
Establishing a start-up corner store coupled with workshops in financial literacy, leadership, entrepreneurial skill-building, and mentoring from local small business owners, to meet the long-term goals for youth to develop pathways to economic mobility and the immediate goal of providing a safe space from violence during high-risk after-school hours
Supporting a large-scale integrated tech education ecosystem initiative that builds on existing programmatic priorities that have proven successful at a smaller scale
Support the testing and scaling of a holistic healthcare model that provides accessible wraparound services for students
Development of structured hybrid and virtual programming that builds on a successful in-person model to increase the number of Philadelphia youth participating in training and career opportunities that could previously only be offered in-person outside of the city