Increasing Voter Participation

Increasing Voter Participation is sponsored by William Penn Foundation. RFP under Democracy and Civic Initiatives program to fund activities increasing voter participation, with funding for December 2026–December 2028 period. Supports nonprofits advancing civic engagement and democracy in the Philadelphia region.

Increasing Voter Participation | William Penn Foundation Democracy and Civic Initiatives Environment and Public Space Workforce Training and Services Understand Our Grantmaking Frequently Asked Questions Program Advisory Committees Increasing Voter Participation Review and Download Full RFP Programs and Related Objectives Democracy and Civic Initiatives In Philadelphia’s 2031 general election, voter turnout increases, compared to 31% in 2023.

In Pennsylvania’s 2032 presidential election, voter turnout in communities of color increases to the same level as overall voter turnout. If an application has already been started in response to this RFP, please visit the Proposals in Progress section in the Grants Portal to view and/or continue the application process.

Through the Democracy and Civic Initiatives program, WPF seeks to build trust and participation, particularly among underrepresented communities, in Pennsylvania’s democratic processes. Elections are a keystone of our system of government. However, voter participation rates are often low, especially among certain demographic groups.

The Foundation seeks to support nonpartisan efforts to increase the number of eligible Pennsylvanians who vote, especially members of underrepresented groups. Trends from 2020 to 2024 show that some demographic groups are much less likely to turn out than others. According to the Pew Research Center, factors like race, age, and educational attainment continue to be strong predictors of whether or not an individual will turn out to vote.

Citizens who are under 30 years old, have lower levels of formal education, or are non-White are less likely to turn out to vote each year and less likely to vote consistently across multiple elections outside of major Presidential elections. 1 In Philadelphia’s 2025 elections, 34% of registered voters took part in the election.

This was the highest participation rate in a decade for an election that did not include a candidate for mayor, governor, or president. While that improvement should be celebrated, it means that only one third of the over 900,000 registered Philadelphians voted in an important election that included candidates for State Supreme Court. 2 Pew Research Center.

(2025, June 26). 1. Voter turnout, 2020-2024.

Pew Research Center . Moselle, A. (2025, November 5).

Philly voter turnout rose to 34% this election — the highest in at least a decade. Here’s why. WHYY .

WPF seeks to support nonpartisan efforts that will increase the number of eligible Philadelphians who vote, increase voting in Pennsylvania’s communities of color, or both.

The most competitive proposals will focus on people who are regularly underrepresented in the electorate, including groups defined by race, age, income, educational attainment, disability status, geography, or other factors that have been shown to predict lower rates of voter participation. We are requesting proposals for up to 24 months of funding for activities taking place between December 2026 and December 2028 .

After reviewing proposals, WPF will conduct site visits and gather additional information from a limited number of organizations. Organizations that propose projects in partnership with other applicants will be considered on their individual merits.

However, the Foundation recognizes that making significant progress on the objective is difficult and encourages organizations to include partnerships that leverage complementary strengths, resources, and expertise to reach proposed goals. Furthermore, the Foundation recognizes that there are many different approaches that could be used to advance the objective stated above.

All proposals that meet the review criteria described on pages 7-8 are encouraged. If your proposed work is in one of the categories below, please note that some specific information must be provided in the application narrative (in the course of responding to the application questions). Proposed activities are not required to be in any of the categories below.

Type of Activity Proposed Information that must be included in proposal narrative Expected actual voter contacts (not only attempted contacts) Engagement outside of the period immediately preceding an election Tracking method for engagement Media, Digital, or Content Creation Current readership or viewership numbers Expected impact of your work Number of content creators, type of content creator engagement (paid or volunteer) College or Campus Organizing Established partnerships with universities Tracking method for engagement Recruitment strategyfor events, particularly how you will reach underrepresented communities Tracking method for attendance and follow-up Approach to post-event engagement, if any Advocacy for Systems/Policy Changes The specific policy, regulation, or system that you aim to change The number of voters likely to be affected by such a change Your assessment of the likelihood of change during the grant period WPF has a total of $2.

5 million available to advance this objective. At least half of the total amount awarded under this RFP will be reserved for grants to organizations that have budgets under $2 million per year and/or are led by individuals who are members of groups with a history of discrimination or exclusion. The maximum amount an organization may request is $500,000 for 24 months.

However, grant requests under $350,000 over 24 months will be most competitive . The grant amount requested should be commensurate with the contribution that the project will make to the overall objective. Proposed projects must occur in Pennsylvania.

Full Request for Proposals (RFP) and Application Download the full RFP packet for more information about this opportunity including eligibility, review criteria, learning and insights, budget, and link to an application template. All applications must be submitted through the Grants Portal. An optional informational webinar was held on Wednesday, June 24, 2026: