The Reducing Barriers to Training for Quality Jobs in the Philadelphia Region funding opportunity supports efforts to expand the effectiveness of high-quality workforce training by funding supportive services that reduce barriers to accessing and completing workforce programmes, transitioning to quality employment, and successfully completing the first year of employment. The William Penn Foundation (WPF) is partnering with Comcast, Connelly Foundation, Green Family Foundation, and Philadelphia Foundation to advance this objective.

Overview

Workforce development practitioners identify a range of barriers that often prevent individuals from accessing and completing training programmes that could lead to higher-paying jobs and economic mobility. This funding opportunity focuses on improving the capacity of proven and promising training programmes and providing flexible funding for wraparound and navigation supports—such as coaching, housing referrals, and childcare coordination—to improve job seekers’ training completion, employment placement, retention, and advancement in quality jobs with strong pathways to upward economic mobility.

Funding awarded through this opportunity will be directed to organisations with a track record of success in workforce development. Competitive proposals will be able to quantify the projected increase in the number of individuals who will connect to supportive services, complete training, transition to, and retain quality employment as a result of grant funding.

Funding and Benefits

Total Funding Available: $6.55 million

• $5 million reserved for grants to organisations operating in the City of Philadelphia and serving Philadelphia residents.
• $1.55 million for programmes serving residents in any area of the five-county region of Southeastern Pennsylvania (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, or Philadelphia counties).

Grant Size: No minimum or maximum request amount; however, grant requests under $1 million will be most competitive. For direct service proposals, the number of people likely to complete training and the barriers that will be successfully addressed will be key factors in determining final award amounts.

Project Duration: Projects up to three years.

Eligibility

This funding opportunity will not support organisations that are new to workforce training. Eligible organisations must have a demonstrated track record of success in workforce development. Proposals may come from organisations that directly train and place jobseekers or that work on systems change efforts. Organisations that propose projects in partnership with other applicants will be considered on their individual merits; partnerships that leverage complementary strengths, resources, and expertise—particularly partnerships with employers and social service providers—are encouraged.

Priority Initiatives

Particular interest is in initiatives focused on:

• linking supportive services with established high-quality job training to address barriers and ensure more individuals complete training and obtain quality employment with strong advancement prospects;
• enhancing coordination and collaboration between job training programmes and social service agencies providing supportive services;
• advancing public policies that can tackle systemic barriers to training access and completion; and
• engaging employers to strengthen hiring practices and address and remove barriers to employment placement.

Application Process

All applications must be submitted through the Grants Portal. After reviewing proposals, WPF will conduct site visits and gather additional information from a limited number of organisations. Download the full RFP packet for complete details and application instructions.

Full RFP Packet: Workforce Training Supports RFP (PDF)

Grants Portal: https://wpf.my.site.com/grantee/

Deadline and Timeline

Deadline to Respond: July 30, 2026

Informational Webinar: Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at 1:00 PM ET (optional). A recording will be posted following the live webinar.

Register for the Webinar

Contact Information

William Penn Foundation
Two Logan Square, Suite 1100
100 North 18th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Phone: (215) 988-1830
Email: grants@williampennfoundation.org