Mental and Behavioral Health Services
Mental and Behavioral Health Services supports organizations expanding care for Philadelphia’s young children and caregivers through service delivery, workforce growth, and policy changes to improve access.
Funder: William Penn Foundation
Due Dates: October 22, 2026 (RFP response) | Rolling (Open applications for urgent opportunities)
Funding Amounts: $4 million available through the RFP; requests under $800,000 most competitive; up to three years
Summary: Supports expanded access to mental and behavioral health services for young children and caregivers living in Philadelphia.
Key Information: Projects must have established evidence of implementation and impact; pilot programs and efficacy studies are excluded.
Description
William Penn Foundation’s Mental and Behavioral Health Services objective is part of its Children and Families program. It supports access to respectful, culturally responsive care for Philadelphia’s young children and caregivers, responding to service shortages and barriers compounded by poverty, systemic racism, gun violence, and trauma. By 2028, the Foundation aims to make at least 10 investments that also inform its future funding.
The 2026 RFP funds projects serving families with children from prenatal stages through age 8. Supported approaches include providing services unavailable to intended beneficiaries, expanding the licensed workforce delivering culturally and linguistically relevant care, and advancing policy or system changes. Priorities include trauma-informed services, streamlined intake and eligibility, shorter screening and intervention waits, workforce recruitment and retention, and embedding services in community-based organizations.
