Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau Foundation

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Since its creation in 2002, the PHLCVB Foundation together with the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau have provided residents and visitors to Philadelphia an opportunity to give back to local projects that make Philadelphia a better place to live and travel to. We focus on initiatives where we can make the biggest impact. Our four primary areas of focus are hospitality education, economic development, community improvement and outreach, and hospitality industry support.

What We Do Programs PHLCVB Foundation Board

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What We Do

Each year, our foundation raises grant and sponsorship money to support the marketing of long-established events, attract marquee events, develop a strong and diverse hospitality workforce, and improve high-profile civic spaces and programs that positively impact our community.

Foundation Programs

Community Improvement and Outreach

The Foundation supports projects such as Broad Street Ministries, Hub of Hope, Bethesda Project and PHL Cares, a high-impact, business-led response to Philadelphia’s chronic street homelessness problem, mobilizing resources and leadership for real solutions – housing, jobs, and services – to end homelessness. It also supports key initiatives to improve the quality of life in Philadelphia and to beautify and enhance high-profile public spaces. Its goal is to ensure that parks, historical sites, monuments and buildings—particularly those located in the city’s historic, cultural and convention corridors—remain well-maintained and welcoming to the public.

Economic Development

The PHLCVB Foundation partners with the City of Philadelphia, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and many other hospitality organizations to promote Philadelphia as a dynamic travel destination and location for large events. The Foundation supports the regional efforts that lead to Philadelphia hosting premier events, such as the city’s successful bid to host FIFA World Cup 2026™.

Education

The Foundation supports projects that train and educate individuals for careers in the hospitality sector and provides annual scholarships including the Marie Baker Brown Scholarship for hospitality services students enrolled at Temple University and the Jack Ferguson PHL Diversity World Education Congress Scholarship for students enrolled at regional universities. It produces programming designed to provide guidance to high school and college students interested in careers in the hospitality field. The program strives to ensure that Philadelphia’s diverse communities have the opportunity to participate in and benefit from the economic benefits driven by the tourism industry. The PHLCVB also supports programs that benefit Philadelphia Public Schools and Community College of Philadelphia.

Hospitality Sector Support

The Foundation’s programs highlight and support the region’s dynamic hospitality sector and events that showcase and celebrate the work of everyone employed in the region’s hospitality industry. By highlighting existing employees and their accomplishments, the Foundation helps develop a robust workforce for the regional hospitality industry. The Foundation also supports Tourism Diversity Matters, the collaborative leader of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and concepts in the tourism industry.