Granting groups are a very meaningful part of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM), and each group is thankful for the volunteers who give their time and effort as granting group members. PYM Friends are encouraged to join a granting group to have the opportunity to practice philanthropy through discernment and to be part of distributing grants on behalf of all of PYM’s members.
In PYM, there are eight granting groups honoring the vision of donors, furthering Friends’ testimonies, and providing assistance in the areas of support and care. Members of these groups also feel a connection to the testimonies. Jeanne Elberfield of Reading Monthly Meeting, who is on the Travel and Witness Granting Group, mentioned, “Participating on a granting group allows me to lean into the testimony of stewardship and see examples of incredible Quaker witness in action.”
The Travel and Witness Granting Group is just one of the granting groups. They make grants to a range of Quaker-led efforts, including Quaker organizations hosting events and activities to build the community of PYM Young Adult Friends, and covering transportation expenses for PYM Friends traveling in religious service, both domestically and internationally. Another granting group, the Quaker Buildings and Programs Granting Group, makes grants for construction, renovation, and capital improvement projects of Quaker organizations, and supports programs that help Quaker retirement communities and other specific Friends organizations, along with other opportunities.
John Hayden of Harrisburg Monthly Meeting, who is on the Buildings and Programs Granting Group, said, “Collaborating with other Quakers is one of the best parts of being a member of a granting group. Discerning together to financially support people and organizations near and far brings me to a place where I can apply Quaker practices and learn from others who are doing the same thing.”
All eight granting groups play a unique role in advancing Friends’ testimonies and supporting the community. In addition to the Travel and Witness and Buildings and Programs groups, the other six also work to provide meaningful care in the areas of:
- Aging Assistance Granting Group: Grants to elderly PYM members in financial need.
- Quaker Education Granting Group: Grants tuition aid and scholarships for PYM members at Friends schools and at colleges, technical schools, and universities.
- Greenleaf Granting Group: Grants to PYM members and those ‘in sympathy with Friends’ who are age 62 and above and in need of assistance.
- Fund for Sufferings Granting Group: Grants to help alleviate the financial hardships of Friends and others resulting from witness to Friends’ testimonies, including legal defense or bail bond.
- Quaker Fund for Indigenous Communities: Grants to Native American initiatives that strengthen communities and preserve cultural heritage.
- Membership Development Granting Group: Grants to PYM Monthly and Quarterly Meetings for projects that enhance outreach, attract new attenders, and strengthen and increase membership.
Each granting group provides Quakers with the opportunity to live out their testimonies through philanthropy. You are invited to serve on a granting group, giving you the chance to collaborate with other PYM members, deepen your understanding of stewardship, and make a real difference in the lives of Friends, organizations, and the greater community. Whether your passion is education, supporting monthly meetings, or helping those in hardship, your unique perspective is valuable. Joining a granting group is about nurturing our shared values and caring for others.
Interested in joining? Please contact Joey Leroux, Director of Grantmaking and Data, with any questions or for more information at jleroux@pym.org.
Play the video below of John (left) and Jeanne (right) and their invitation to join a granting group.
