William Penn Foundation Grants $7.6M to Support $2 Admission

William Penn Foundation Grants $7.6 Million to Support $2 Tickets for Low-Income Patrons

The William Penn Foundation has announced $7.6 million in grants to enhance access to Philadelphia’s cultural and educational institutions for low-income residents and individuals with disabilities. The funding will support the Harvey and Virginia Kimmel Family Fund ACCESS Program, which provides $2 admission to some of the city’s most iconic attractions.

The grants will benefit six major institutions: the Franklin Institute, Please Touch Museum, Academy of Natural Sciences, Morris Arboretum, Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Philadelphia Zoo. Art-Reach, the program’s administrator, will also receive funding to sustain and expand the initiative. In the 2024–2025 fiscal year, these institutions hosted over 240,000 visits at reduced or no cost through the ACCESS program.

Elliot Weinbaum, Chief Philanthropy Officer of the William Penn Foundation, emphasized the importance of accessibility, stating, “Ensuring that people can access the full range of Philadelphia’s amazing institutions regardless of income or ability has long been a priority for the William Penn Foundation.” The grants aim to cover operational costs, visitor services, and staffing to ensure these institutions remain welcoming and educational spaces for all.

Art-Reach Executive Director John Orr praised the initiative, calling it a “systemic effort” to make Philadelphia’s cultural sector one of the most accessible in the country. The funding will help sustain the program, which has been a vital resource for families relying on SNAP and Medicaid benefits since its inception in 2014.

William Penn Foundation Grants $7.6 Million to Support $2 Tickets for Low-Income Patrons was originally published on rnbphilly.com