OVERVIEW: The Stockton Rush Bartol Foundation is the only local foundation solely dedicated to supporting arts and culture in the city of Philadelphia. Arts education, community enrichment, and access to the arts are at the heart of this highly-focused funder’s mission.
IP TAKE: This is an excellent funder for small Philly arts groups with limited budgets to get in touch with. But keep in mind that the average grant amount is just $5,000.
PROFILE: The Stockton Rush Bartol Foundation was established in 1984 by George Bartol, the chairman and CEO of Hunt Manufacturing in Philadelphia. It seeks to “support and celebrate the arts in [its] local communities.” Hunt Manufactutring is the company that’s made Xacto knives, Boston Staplers, Speedball inks, and other office and art supplies. Throughout his life, Bartol was committed to arts education and always felt like Philadelphia had something different to offer than other cities across America. Philadelphia’s cultural assets and attractiveness to businesses set it apart in his mind. Bartol’s brother, Stockton Rush, was killed in World War II, and Bartol named his foundation after him.
Today, the foundation supports art and cultural organizations throughout Philadelphia. Like many local art funders, this foundation looks for organizations that pursue social and community purposes—not just aesthetic ones. The foundation’s main purpose is to support arts education programs that connect local communities to the arts so that everyone has access to what they have to offer. Additionally, the foundation provides teaching artists with free professional development programs in order to build their networks and share their skills with students.
This locally focused grantmaker exclusively funds arts and cultural organizations in the city of Philadelphia, making it a key organization to know for local nonprofits. Requests from organizations outside the five-county Philadelphia area will not be considered for grants. Arts groups eligible for consideration include organizations for dance, film, museums, performing arts, theater, visual arts, music, and literature. Recently, the foundation decided not to support organizations that have operating budgets over $2.5 million.
Application deadlines often fall in early May and site visits kick off in the summer of each year. Grants amounts range between $5,000 and $10,000. The foundation regularly provides both program support and general operating support.
Past grantees include the following:
1812 Productions: $5,000 for theater residencies
Art-Reach: $5000 general operating support
Wagner Free Institute of Science: $5,000 for a science, art and nature program
Spiral Q Puppet Theater: $5,000 for an in-school education program
Play On, Philly: $5,000 for general operating support
Grant seekers interested in applying for a Bartol grant will need to submit an application online. Potential grantees will need to determine their eligibility here before applying.
To keep up with the Bartol Foundation, grant seekers will want to follow the foundation’s blog.
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