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How We Support Innovation

The Barra Foundation offers grants, impact investments and other opportunities to changemakers who think bigger and differently about problem solving in the Greater Philadelphia region.

Catalyst Fund

Grants that act as risk capital for early-stage, bold approaches that have the potential to result in outsized impact and thriving, equitable communities.

Impact Investing

Investments that have both a financial return and an intentional, measurable social or environmental outcome.

Knowledge and Networks

Beyond our grants and impact investments, we connect people to resources and ideas to help cultivate regional innovation.

These individuals and organizations are working on the most promising ideas to change communities and systems. Beyond financial support, we do our best to deploy our resources—networks, relationships, knowledge and experience—to build connections and share information that cultivates innovation.

We provide approximately $4 million in annual grants focused on supporting innovation in and across the fields of Arts & Culture, Education, Health and Human Services.

Our endowment fluctuates with the markets but, on average, is approximately $90 million. Our board has committed up to 15% of our endowment toward impact investing.