Economic Mobility
This grant funds research-based projects that build social capital to improve economic mobility for low-income youth (ages 0–24) in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, PA.
Funder: Richard King Mellon Foundation
Due Dates: April 17, 2026 (Round 1, RFP) | July 15, 2026 (Round 2, RFP)
Funding Amounts: $150,000–$500,000 per award for 12–18 month projects; exceptional proposals may be considered for higher funding.
Summary: Supports projects that enhance economic mobility for low-income children and youth (ages 0–24) in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, PA, with a focus on educational, social, and economic outcomes.
Key Information: RFP targets youth-serving interventions that build and mobilize social capital to improve economic mobility.
Description
The Richard King Mellon Foundation's Economic Mobility program is dedicated to creating pathways to opportunity for vulnerable children and youth, ages 0–24, living in low-income households in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, Pennsylvania. The program invests in four key areas: Educational Attainment, Future of Work, Supportive Living Environments, and Places of Opportunity. The current RFP, "Enhancing Young Adults’ Economic Mobility through Social Capital," specifically seeks proposals that incorporate research-based practices for building and mobilizing social capital among youth to increase their chances of upward economic mobility.
This RFP is intended to support organizational interventions that:
- Increase cross-socioeconomic status (SES) relationships in places where young people spend time.
- Strengthen young people’s ability to access and mobilize personal social capital to achieve near-term goals and long-term economic advancement.
The Foundation encourages applications that are collaborative, innovative, and evidence-based, with the potential for scalable impact.
