Claire Lynch Steps into Expanded Role to Support SRF’s Growing Partner Network

The Sarah Ralston Foundation is pleased to share that beginning in January 2026, Claire Lynch, formerly our Communications Manager, is stepping into an expanded role as Communications & Engagement Manager—formalizing the engagement work she’s already been leading as SRF’s partner network and convenings grow across Philadelphia. As SRF has increased its convenings, shared-learning sessions, and cross-sector collaborations,…

2025 Innovative Project Support Grantees Announced by the Sarah Ralston Foundation

The Sarah Ralston Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of its 2025 Innovative Project Support Grants, awarded to seven organizations whose forward-thinking initiatives are creating meaningful, measurable impact in the lives of older adults across Philadelphia.  These awards, totaling $609,000 in 2025, support projects that tackle pressing challenges related to legal access, housing stability,…

Responding to Crisis — How SRF’s Emergency Grant Program Helped Partners Stay Afloat

When sudden disruptions threaten essential community programs, timing matters. That’s why The Sarah Ralston Foundation (SRF) launched its Emergency Grant Program — designed to help nonprofit partners respond swiftly to unexpected funding gaps, facility breakdowns, or crises that directly impact service to vulnerable Philadelphians. In its first round of emergency support, SRF distributed $107,000 in rapid-response…

Advancing Equity: Meeting Needs Through Access, Inclusion, and Justice

Although Philadelphia’s total population has seen little growth, the proportion of older adults — especially those 65+ — is increasing. This makes the work of advancing equity for older adults even more essential. Nearly one in five Philadelphians (316,000 people) are over 60, and more than 20% live below the poverty line. Almost one in…

Reducing Isolation: Building Belonging for Philadelphia’s Older Adults

Loneliness has been called an epidemic, and in Philadelphia the numbers make clear why older adults are so vulnerable. Nearly one in five Philadelphians—316,000 people—are over 60. Half of them live alone, and almost a third struggle with independent living. Economic insecurity compounds the problem: more than 20% live below the poverty line, 30% spend…

Strategic Networking – Shaping Support Beyond the Grant Cycle

On Thursday September 25th, nonprofit leaders from across Philadelphia gathered at the NewCourtland Conference Center for the Sarah Ralston Foundation’s Strategic Networking: Shaping Support Beyond the Grant Cycle session, part of our Stronger Together Nonprofit Learning Series. The energy in the room was undeniable — as one attendee shared, “It was so unbelievably heartwarming to be together…

When Federal Inaction Disrupts Senior Workforce Programs, Our Seniors Pay the Price

In late June, nonprofits across the country received an unexpected and alarming notice: funding for the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) — a federal initiative that supports low-income older adults through paid community service placements — was paused indefinitely. The email came on a Friday. By Monday, participants were furloughed. Paychecks vanished, placements evaporated,…

Strategic Networking: Shaping Support Beyond the Grant Cycle

In response to growing requests from our nonprofit partners, the Sarah Ralston Foundation is proud to host a special Nonprofit Networking Meeting on Thursday, September 25th at NewCourtland Conference Center. The gathering is designed to promote connection, idea-sharing, and collaborative problem-solving across Philadelphia’s aging services sector. “This event is a natural outgrowth of what we’ve…

Announcing the 2025 Sarah Ralston Foundation  General Operating Support Grantees 

The Sarah Ralston Foundation (SRF) is proud to announce the 41 nonprofit organizations selected to receive a total of $815,000 in General Operating Support grants for 2025. These grants reflect SRF’s ongoing commitment to strengthening Philadelphia’s nonprofit ecosystem and supporting older adults through a wide range of services. While each grantee offers a distinct mission and…

May 2025 Newsletter

We’re excited to bring you the latest updates from the Sarah Ralston Foundation as we continue working to support and strengthen nonprofit organizations serving vulnerable, underserved older adults in Philadelphia. Please visit our May 2025 Newsletter here.