How to apply
Accepts applications
The return gives an application contact and rules, as below.
- Contact
-
Reginald Shuford President Independ
200 South Broad Street Suite 1101
Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 985-4009
- Form and materials
- Independence foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Each year the foundation sends out request for proposals (RFP) under the following categories: culture and the arts, health care initiative, human services, public interest legal aid, reentry, recidivism & restorative justice, public interest law fellowship program, and fellowships in the arts program. Organizations not previously funded by the foundation are encouraged to send a two page letter of inquiry including organizational background information, amount being requested and description of the program/services for which the funds will be used. Please note that the foundation's funding area is restricted to philadelphia and its surrounding pennsylvania counties: bucks, chester, delaware and montgomery.
- Deadlines
- The foundation establishes a grant cycle on a yearly basis and all decisions are made in cycle.
- Restrictions
- Letters of inquiry will be reviewed for consistency with current funding priorities. Should the application, after review by the board of directors, prove to be within the scope of the foundation's interests, the applicant will be advised and the necessary interviews may be arranged prior to a final determination by the board of directors.
Assets and giving by year
-
Tax year 2025
$3,960,806
- Grants listed
- 223
- Assets, end of year
- $85,496,117
-
Tax year 2024
$3,538,692
- Grants listed
- 234
- Assets, end of year
- $78,079,662
-
Tax year 2023
$3,659,419
- Grants listed
- 241
- Assets, end of year
- $73,777,166
-
Tax year 2022
$3,806,401
- Grants listed
- 330
- Assets, end of year
- $66,571,196
-
Tax year 2021
$4,572,503
- Grants listed
- 417
- Assets, end of year
- $84,695,452
-
Tax year 2020
$3,718,211
- Grants listed
- 276
- Assets, end of year
- $78,719,217
-
Tax year 2019
$3,494,378
- Grants listed
- 251
- Assets, end of year
- $76,132,189
-
Tax year 2018
$3,571,124
- Grants listed
- 274
- Assets, end of year
- $68,131,644
Grants paid in 2025
As listed on the return. Grants to individuals show as “Individual”, with purpose and amount only.
-
Pennsylvania Association of Non- Profit OrganizationsHarrisburg, PA
Legal clearinghouse / policy coordination, nonprofit navigatore and operating support
$200,000 -
Community Legal Services IncPhiladelphia, PA
Public interest law fellowship
$185,318 -
Individual
[individual]S
$115,000 -
Philadelphia FoundationPhiladelphia, PA
Immigrant and refugee emergency fund, philly gives, regional food fund
$95,000 -
Pennsylvania Institutional Law ProjectPhiladelphia, PA
Public interest law fellowship
$89,984 -
Friends of Farmworkers IncPhiladelphia, PA
Public interest law fellowship
$87,468 -
Planned Parenthood Southeastern PAPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$81,000 -
Pennsylvania Health Law ProjectPhiladelphia, PA
Public interest law fellowship
$80,928 -
Pennsylvania Health Access NetworkPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$75,000 -
Project HomePhiladelphia, PA
Healthcare services at stephen klein wellness center / hub for hope
$75,000 -
Philadelphia Mural Arts AdvocatesPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$70,000 -
Community College of Philadelphia FoundationPhiladelphia, PA
Teaching nursing home project
$69,880 -
Community Legal Services IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$60,000 -
Seniorlaw CenterPhiladelphia, PA
General support / carie advocacy transition
$60,000 -
PhilabundancePhiladelphia, PA
General support / employee engagement
$57,500 -
Legal Clinic for the Disabled IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support w/ pulic interest law fellowship
$57,252 -
Womens Law ProjectPhiladelphia, PA
Challenge grant for 50th anniversary of women's law project
$52,000 -
LCH Health and Community ServicesKennett SQ, PA
General support
$51,000 -
Opera PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$50,000 -
Prevention Point Philadelphia IncorporatedPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$50,000 -
Puentes de SaludPhiladelphia, PA
Puentes de salud health program
$50,000 -
Seachange Capital Partners IncNew York, NY
Nonprofit repositioning fund
$50,000 -
United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New JerseyPhiladeplhia, PA
Coordinated capacity strengthening initiative
$50,000 -
Zoological Society of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$50,000 -
American Civil Liberties Foundation of Pennsylvania IncPhiladelphia, PA
Public interest law fellowship
$46,578 -
Nationalities Service Center of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PA
Public interest law fellowship
$44,040 -
Philadelphia Legal Assistance Center IncPhiladelphia, PA
Public interest law fellowship
$39,374 -
Integrate for Good IncCreamery, PA
General support / jimenez stratesies' 2026 tech and fundraising boot camp
$35,000 -
Legal Aid Southeastern Pennsylvania IncNorristown, PA
General support
$35,000 -
Philadelphia Legal Assistance Center IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support / senior attorney sabbatical program
$35,000 -
The Foundation for Delaware CountyMedia, PA
Pa fire
$35,000 -
Regional Housing Legal ServicesPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$32,000 -
Students Run Philly StylePhiladelphia, PA
General support / challenge grant
$32,000 -
Share Food Program IncPhiladelphia, PA
Delaware county food bank
$26,000 -
Canine Partners for LifeCochranville, PA
General support
$25,000 -
Carpenters Company of the City and County of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PA
Challenge grant for young people's continental congress
$25,000 -
Children First PAPhiladelphia, PA
Behavioral health services for children
$25,000 -
Community College of Philadelphia FoundationPhiladelphia, PA
19130 zip code project
$25,000 -
FringeartsPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$25,000 -
Juvenile Law CenterPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$25,000 -
Mann Center for the Performing ArtsPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$25,000 -
Metropolitan Area Neighborhood Nutrition AlliancePhiladelphia, PA
General support
$25,000 -
Pennsylvania Ballet AssociationPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$25,000 -
Philadelphia Mural Arts AdvocatesPhiladelphia, PA
Restorative justice guild program / women's reentry
$25,000 -
Philadelphia Youth for ChangePhiladelphia, PA
Challenge grant
$25,000 -
Planned Parenthood KeystoneAllentown, PA
Operating support for bucks county health centers
$25,000 -
Project HomePhiladelphia, PA
General support
$25,000 -
The Food TrustPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$25,000 -
The Scribe Video Center IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$25,000 -
Your Agency IncorporatedPhiladelphia, PA
2:1 challenge grant for the creation of the ministry of awe
$25,000 -
Hias and Council Migration Service of Philadelphia IncPhiladelphia, PA
Public insterest law fellowship
$21,984 -
Arden Theatre CompanyPhiladelphia, PA
As $2,500 for the andrea mengel fund, and $17,500 unrestricted
$20,000 -
Doing Good Well IncPhiladelphia, PA
Kensington collaborative
$20,000 -
Rosenbach Museum and LibraryPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$20,000 -
Support Center for Child AdvocatesPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$20,000 -
Hias and Council Migration Service of Philadelphia IncPhiladelphia, PA
Legal services
$17,000 -
New Leash on Life USAPenn Valley, PA
General support
$16,000 -
Face to FacePhiladelphia, PA
General support
$15,000 -
Friends of Farmworkers IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$15,000 -
Greater Philadelphia Cultural AlliancePhiladelphia, PA
General support
$15,000 -
Nationalities Service Center of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PA
Legal services
$15,000 -
Pennsylvania Health Law ProjectPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$15,000 -
Pennsylvanians for Modern CourtsPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$15,000 -
Philadelphia Orchestra AssociationPhiladelphia, PA
Our city, your orchestra live!
$15,000 -
Pig Iron Theatre Company IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$15,000 -
Swarthmore CollegeSwarthmore, PA
Chester children's chorus
$15,000 -
Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$11,000 -
1812 Productions IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
AchieveabilityPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
AIDS Law Project of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Al-Bustan Seeds of CulturePhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
American Civil Liberties Foundation of Pennsylvania IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Artreach IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
BalletxPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Bethesda ProjectPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Beyond the Bars IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Bristol Riverside Theater Co IncBristol, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Broad Street MinistryPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
CH Pennsylvania Under - 21Philadelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Chester County Food BankExton, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Clay StudioPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Community Legal Services IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
ConnectedlyPhiladelphia, PA
Grandfamily resource center
$10,000 -
Consumer Bankruptcy Assistance Project IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Deaf-Hearing Communication Center IncSwarthmore, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Disability Rights PennsylvaniaHarrisburg, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County IncMedia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Domestic Violence Center of Chester CountyWest Chester, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Education Law Center - PAPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Eisenhower Exchange Fellowships IncPhiladelphia, PA
USA justice program
$10,000 -
Enchantment Theatre CompanyPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Episcopal Community Services of the Diocese of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA
ST. Barnabas community resource center
$10,000 -
Esperanza Immigration Legal ServicesPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
First Person Arts IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Habitat for Humanity International IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Homeless Advocacy ProjectPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
HopephlPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Housing Alliance of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Interact IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Jewish Healthcare Foundation of PittsburghPittsburgh, PA
Pennsylvania teaching nursing home project
$10,000 -
Lantern Theater CompanyPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Montgomery Child Advocacy ProjectNorristown, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Network for New MusicPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Network of Victim AssistanceJamison, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Norris Square Neighborhood ProjectPhiladelphia, PA
General support / jimenez strategies 2026 tech and fundraising boot camp
$10,000 -
Partners for Sacred Places IncPhiladelphia, PA
Making homes for the arts in sacred places
$10,000 -
Penns VillagePhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Pennsylvania Horticultural SocietyPhiladelphia, PA
PHS community gardens and urban agriculture
$10,000 -
Pennsylvania Innocence ProjectPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Pennsylvania Institutional Law ProjectPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Pennsylvania Prison SocietyPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Peoples Light & Theatre CoMalvern, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Philadelphia Lawyers for Social EquityPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Philadelphia Vip IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Philadelphia Young PlaywrightsPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Spelman CollegeAtl, GA
Technology innovation fund
$10,000 -
Taller Puertorriqueno IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
The Committee of SeventyPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
The Public Interest Law CenterPhiladelphia, PA
Public interest law fellowship
$10,000 -
Theatre Exile CoPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Theatre HorizonNorristown, PA
General support
$10,000 -
VisionlinkPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Walnut Street Theatre CorpPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Why Not Prosper IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Wilma Theater IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Women Against Abuse IncPhiladelphia, PA
Legal services for victims of domestic violence in philadelphia
$10,000 -
Womens Center of Montgomery CountyColmar, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Womens Resource CenterWayne, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Youth Empowerment for Advancement HangoutPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Youth Sentencing & Reentry Project IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$10,000 -
Murphys Giving MarketUpper Darby, PA
General support
$9,500 -
Act II Playhouse LTDAmbler, PA
General support
$7,500 -
Ardellas House IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$7,500 -
Christ the King Deaf ChurchWest Chester, PA
General support
$7,500 -
Liveconnections OrgPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$7,500 -
Movement Alliance ProjectPhiladelphia, PA
Youth art & self-empowerment project
$7,500 -
Neighborhood Land Power ProjectPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$7,500 -
People Advancing Reintegration IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$7,500 -
Quest Therapeutic Services IncWest Chester, PA
General support
$7,500 -
The Bernardine CenterChester, PA
General support
$7,500 -
The Free Library of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PA
General support / field teen center
$7,000 -
Academy of Natural Sciences of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PA
$2,500 unrestricted, $2,500 towards library and archives division
$5,000 -
American Red Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania ChapterPhiladelphia, PA
Red cross house for disaster recovery
$5,000 -
Antioch Christian FellowshipPhiladelphia, PA
Level up philly
$5,000 -
Atlantic Center for Capital Representation IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Azuka Theatre CollectivePhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Bearded Ladies CabaretPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Books Through BarsPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Burnett-Eaton Museum FoundationWilmington, NC
General support
$5,000 -
Center for the Blind and Visually ImpairedChester, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Chester Eastside IncUpland, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Community Action Agency of Delaware County IncUppr Chichstr, PA
Housing services
$5,000 -
Community Youth and Womens Alliance IncCoatesville, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Conservation Center for Art and Historic ArtifactsPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Cosacosa Art at Large IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Cradles to Crayons IncNewton, MA
General support
$5,000 -
Dare 2 Hope IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Ego PoPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Episcopal AcademyNewtown SQ, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Equal Justice InitiativeMontgomery, AL
General support
$5,000 -
Family Promise Montco PAAmbler, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Family Service of Chester CountyWest Chester, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Friends Association for Care & Protection of ChildrenWest Chester, PA
General support
$5,000 -
FringeartsPhiladelphia, PA
Artists u
$5,000 -
Handi-Crafters IncCoatesville, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Hedgerow Theatre IncRose Valley, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Hope Springs Equestrian Therapy IncChester SPRGS, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Inis Nua Theatre CompanyPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Intercultural JourneysPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Lions Story VillagePhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Lutheran Social Mission Society of PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PA
Bilingual domestic violence program (BDVP)
$5,000 -
Making A Change GroupChester, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Manna on Main StreetLansdale, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Mighty WritersPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Montgomery Theater IncSouderton, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Multicultural Community Family Services IncUpper Darby, PA
Calabash food pantry
$5,000 -
Neighborhood Gardens TrustPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Neighbors Helping Neighbors on the Main LineArdmore, PA
General support
$5,000 -
New Kensington Community Development CorpPhiladelphia, PA
Low income housing tax credit applications
$5,000 -
New Paradise Laboratories Theatre IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Norristown Zoological SocietyNorristown, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Philadelphia Folklore ProjectPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Philadelphia Theatre CompanyPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Public Communicators IncDenver, CO
Free speech TV
$5,000 -
Rolling Harvest Food RescueLumberville, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Sankofa Healing StudioPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Smith Memorial PlaygroundsPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Southeast Asian Maa Coalition IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Sparc ServicesPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Special EquestriansWarrington, PA
General support
$5,000 -
St Josephs Preparatory SchoolPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Team Up PhillyNarberth, PA
Sports for juvenile justice (SJJ)
$5,000 -
The Center for Emerging Visual Artists LTDPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
The Ivins Outreach CenterMorrisville, PA
Food distribution to children, families & seniors
$5,000 -
The Village Arts and HumanitiesPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Theatre PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
UNC Law Foundation IncChapel Hill, NC
General support
$5,000 -
Uplift Solutions IncPhiladelphia, PA
Uplift solutions youth initiative
$5,000 -
Urban CreatorsPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Villanova UniversityVillanova, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish HistoryPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$5,000 -
Park Avenue Community Center IncSwarthmore, PA
General support
$4,000 -
Culturetrust Greater PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PA
Power street theatre
$3,000 -
Painted Bride Art Center IncPhiladelphia, PA
Theatre in the x
$3,000 -
Philly Unknown ProjectPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$3,000 -
Simpatico Theatre ProjectPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$3,000 -
Spiral Q Puppet TheaterPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$3,000 -
Team Sunshine Performance CorporationPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$3,000 -
Wooster Group IncNew York, NY
General support
$3,000 -
Wagner Free Institute of SciencePhiladelphia, PA
General support
$2,500 -
Culturetrust Greater PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia, PA
Operation save our city of culturetrust for the sunshine project
$2,000 -
German Society of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PA
As $1,000 towards library operations and $1,000 to library endowment
$2,000 -
Luv-N-BunnsPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$2,000 -
Public Justice FoundationWashington, DC
General support
$2,000 -
9th Street Youth & Community CenterChester, PA
For the environmental corps
$1,000 -
Beloit CollegeBeloit, WI
Annual fund
$1,000 -
Civic News CompanyNew York, NY
For chalkbeat: philadelphia
$1,000 -
Hushabye NurseryGilbert, AZ
General support
$1,000 -
Neighborhood Bike WorksPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$1,000 -
Philadelphia Mural Arts AdvocatesPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$1,000 -
The Print CenterPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$1,000 -
Center for Art in Wood IncPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$500 -
Tiny WpaPhiladelphia, PA
General support
$500
Where the money goes
By cause: grants to organizations we matched to the IRS list of exempt organizations, by their category.
- Crime and legal aid27 grants $868,39624% of the total
- Arts and culture56 grants $648,50018% of the total
- Human services40 grants $538,02415% of the total
- Health12 grants $431,92812% of the total
- Philanthropy and grantmaking4 grants $395,00011% of the total
- Education13 grants $181,8805% of the total
- 14 other causes44 grants $561,57815% of the total
By State
Grants to organizations with a US address, latest year.
- Pennsylvania212 grants $3,767,806
- New York3 grants $54,000
- North Carolina2 grants $10,000
- Alabama1 grant $5,000
- Colorado1 grant $5,000
- District of Columbia1 grant $2,000
- Arizona1 grant $1,000
- Wisconsin1 grant $1,000
Officers, directors and trustees
As filed on the return, with average hours per week and pay from the foundation.
- Reginald ShufordPRESIDENT, CEO Hours 40Pay $226,349
- Susan E Sherman SeverenceFORMER PRESIDENT, CEO Hours 0Pay $177,817
- Catherine C CarrVICE PRESIDENT Hours 2Pay $0
- Derick DreherSECRETARY Hours 2Pay $0
- Vik DewanMEMBER Hours 2Pay $0
- Loree JonesMEMBER Hours 2Pay $0
- David LoganMEMBER Hours 2Pay $0
- Joyce WilkersonMEMBER Hours 2Pay $0
The return
More foundations
- Private foundations in Pennsylvania
- Private foundations in Philadelphia
- Foundations that fund crime and legal aid in Pennsylvania
- Foundations that fund arts and culture in Pennsylvania
- Foundations that fund human services in Pennsylvania
Similar foundations
Same main cause (crime and legal aid), giving between a quarter and four times this foundation’s where possible, nearby first.
- Stoneleigh Foundation 28 grants Accepts applications $2,790,164 giving
- England Family Foundation 134 grants Preselected only $3,916,090 giving
- The Sidley Austin Foundation 293 grants Preselected only $4,032,509 giving
- Robert & Alice Bridges Foundation 36 grants Preselected only $4,443,080 giving
- Robert L Oare Jr Charitable Foundation 2 grants Preselected only $3,375,171 giving