Photo Credit: Flickr user bittermelon. Philadelphia, the fifth largest city in the nation, is still bustling with the entrepreneurial spirit of the nation’s Founding Fathers. A statue of William Penn stands atop City Hall; he overlooks some of the scrappiest pioneers of the 21st century, men and women who feel personally responsible for finding the answers to complex community issues. Philadelphia At A Glance Founded: 1682 City Population: 1,536,471 Median Household Income: $36,251 Diversity Demographics Caucasian/White: 41.0% African-American: 43.4% Hispanic: 12.3% Age Demographics under 19: 26.3% 20-34: 25.7% 35-43: 25.3% 55+: 22.6% Knight active grants portfolio: 112 projects totaling $31.7M The city faces many of the same challenges as other urban centers: poverty, crime and a struggling public education system. But unlike most cities today, Philadelphia’s population is on the rise, according to a recent Pew Research Center study that clearly portrays a city in transition. More than 50,000 Millennials ages 25 to 35 have come to Philly to stay in the last decade; the number of residents with college degrees has likewise increased. Donna Frisby-Greenwood, Knight Foundation Philadelphia program director, says Knight and the city recognize that young people are the city’s strongest asset. They are powering the emergence of a creative economy in Philadelphia, and central to Knight Foundation’s strategy of building a more informed, engaged community that can shape its own future. “We must now collectively focus on keeping these young artists, entrepreneurs and social change agents,” says Frisby-Greenwood, who runs a portfolio of $31.7 million in active grants. “We do that by deepening their engagement and ultimately their attachment to our city. We have the opportunity to help continue Philadelphia’s rise.” A recent Soul of the Community survey conducted by Knight Foundation and Gallup shows that aesthetics, openness and other social and cultural offerings are key factors for resident retention. Frisby-Greenwood says Philadelphia already has more than 130 higher education opportunities in the metropolitan region and, in the last decade, the number of non-native graduates who stay in Philly after graduation has increased from 23% to nearly 50%. Helping to increase retention is 2007 Knight grantee Campus Philly, a website that, in its own words, serves as a master list of must-sees and dos, “where students meet their Philadelphia.” Campus Philly president Deborah Diamond is a Philadelphia native who says attracting students through engagement is the project’s strong-suit. Ideally, a student’s introduction to the city begins with a Philadelphia guide booklet on his or her dorm room pillow and ends with a handshake between a talented graduate and a local, hiring business person.
