About PHL Story Fund
The PHL Story Fund is a community-led, non-profit organization designed to create scalable collaboration and fundraising amongst dozens of local non-profit organizations. Additionally, to engage Philadelphia residents, businesses, and community leaders who seek to shape a relatable, positive, and accurate narrative about Philadelphia's identity.
PHL Story intends to ethically collect and share stories, data, programs, and perspectives that highlight our community members whose work elevates Philadelphia’s place on the global stage.
Research informing this site was granted to the City of Philadelphia by the Brookings Institute's Global Cities Initiative in 2018. Additional research for impact narrative analysis, community engagement, and narrative integration strategies was commissioned by the Philadelphia Global Identity Partnership, a collaborative of over 150 executive leaders between 2019 and 2023.
Extensive research sponsored by Brownstein Group additionally informed the Philadelphia brand narrative used throughout this site. With additional community engagement research and/or content contributed by COMPASS by Amerisource Bergin, the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, the School of Sports, Travel, and Hospitality Management at Temple University, the Philadelphia Department of Commerce, and Visit Philly.
PGIP was born out of Philadelphia’s acceptance into the Brookings Institute’s Global Cities Initiative, a pilot program designed to provide select metropolitan areas with a framework to develop their global brand identities and narrative. PHL Story is the community-led continuation of this mission with a focus on creating stronger collaboration, fundraising, and impact analysis for existing non-profits in the Philadelphia region.
The PHL Story Fund has a mission to support and empower Philadelphia non-profits and communities to create, collect, and share updated data, content, programs, and testimonials that improve and expand Philadelphia's reputation for quality of life and equitable opportunity.
Our vision for the PHL Story Fund is to develop, motivate, and share opportunities for Philadelphia non-profits and impact leaders to implement scalable collaboration, fundraising, and impact analysis strategies with ease.
This vision is supported by PHL Story, serving as a brand narrative platform to better tell Philadelphia's story in effective and cohesive ways. As Philadelphia’s residents, businesses, institutions, and organizations are presented with the opportunity to champion their brands, perspectives, and identities —
This will lead to new opportunities for the Philadelphia region, including retaining and attracting a diverse array of businesses and talent and positively impacting innovative opportunities—this unified effort and collective voice will position the region to reach its greatest potential.
The key objectives of PHL Story Fund are to:
- Foster a greater sense of identity and civic pride
- Provide non-profits and community impact projects with increased resources, efficiency, and reach
- Identify and share a true narratives on Philadelphia that can be used by residents and professionals to articulate what makes the city and region special.
- Help tell a story that will generate needed resources to retain, attract, and promote business, talent, investment, and the best parts of life in Philadelphia.
PHL Story Fund is a collective of nonprofits, community members, and supporting partners, who are passionate about Philadelphia's culture and people.