Events

2024 Angel Award Event

October 24, 2024

The Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia's Grant Committee will present the 2024 Angel Award on Thursday, October 24. This award will be given to an organization that supports funding innovative efforts to promote evangelization in the greater Philadelphia area. This grant was first awarded in 2023, and it was created to proactively impact the future of the Catholic church in our community.

Throughout the grant cycle, CFGP's Grant Committee will provide guidance and assistance to applicants. The final round of applicants will be presented to CFGP's Board of Trustees and other local philanthropists, and a live vote will be held to determine the recipient of the 2024 Angel Award. The event will take place at the Union League Liberty Hill from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Stay tuned for more details! To learn more about the grant, visit thecfgp.org/grants. To register for the event, visit thecfgp.org/2024-angel-award.

Create Your Catholic Legacy: Estate Planning Workshop

May 21, 2024

This workshop offers a unique opportunity to learn about estate planning from a Catholic perspective, providing insights on aligning your legacy with your faith values.

8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
St. Helena Church, Empress Room
1489 DeKalb Pike
Blue Bell, PA 19422

Presenter:
Deacon Donald P. DiCarlo
President, Family Office
Wilmington Trust
Guides clients in the creation, implementation, and execution of financial, estate, and succession plans.
Register Here

Create Your Catholic Legacy: Estate Planning

May 14, 2024

This workshop offers a unique opportunity to learn about estate planning from a Catholic perspective, providing insights on aligning your legacy with your faith values.

8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.
St. Mary Magdalen Parish
2400 N. Providence Rd
Madia, PA 19063

Presenter:
Andrew J. Barron 
Associate, Stradley Ronon
Experienced tax, trusts and estates lawyer.
Register Here 

CFGP Catholic Workshop Series

February 22, 2024

It’s the Circle of Life: Conversations Catholics should have now about end-of-life planning.

On February 22nd, CFGP hosted the second event in our Catholic Workshop Series. The workshop provided helpful information to the Catholic community about end-of-life care and planned giving. Proper planning for the future can have a significant impact on the lives of our loved ones, as well as the Catholic causes that we hold dear.

Daniel Solecki and Terry Lamplugh were the speakers at the event and shared their expertise on end-of-life planning. They explained the advantages of getting one's affairs in order and presented the current-day views of the Catholic Church. Garrett Owen, our Chief Philanthropy Officer, also shared information about how to create a Catholic Legacy. CFGP thanks everyone who shared their expertise on this topic.

If you are interested in attending future workshops or would like more information on this topic, please contact Garrett Owen at gowen@thecfgp.org.

Women in Philanthropy 2023 Forum

November 15, 2023

We held our annual Women in Philanthropy Forum on November 15th. The goal of the Women in Philanthropy Forum is to bring women together and highlight the critical impact that we have on the nonprofit sector.

This year, we were delighted to have the following philanthropists on our panel: Meghan Cokeley, Director, Office for the New Evangelization; Sister Isabella Davila, DC, Behavioral Health Coordinator, Face-to-Face Germantown; Sarah Hanley, President & CEO, The Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia; Barb Riley, President, Riley Family Foundation; Barbara Rose, Fertility Care Practitioner and nurse practitioner, Gianna Center of Philadelphia; and Dr. Laura Sicola (moderator) Founder, Vocal Impact Productions.

In 2018, we introduced our Women in Philanthropy Leadership Fund. This Fund was created to make grants to local nonprofit organizations that support women. This year, our grant recipient was the Gianna Center of Philadelphia. This grant will help the Gianna Center continue providing general gynecologic care, natural family planning education, and infertility services while honoring the sanctity of each human life, the dignity of women, and the integrity of marriage.

Thank you to everyone who attended Women in Philanthropy Forum. It was an amazing morning filled with networking, sharing, and learning from each other. A special thank you to our panelists and moderator, who generously shared their time and expertise. We are continually touched by the remarkable women who work in this sector and give their resources for the well-being of others. It is what Women in Philanthropy is all about. We hope to see you all next year.​​​

10th Anniversary Celebration

October 30, 2023

On Monday, October 30, 2023, The Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia celebrated our 10th Anniversary at the Union League Liberty Hill, The Lodge, Liberty Ballroom. Thank you to our dedicated Board of Trustees for the gifts they selflessly share. Thank you to Archbishop Pérez for his inspiring words and continued commitment to the Foundation. We would also like to thank all the fundholders, clients, and donors who attended the event. We are reminded that our work at CFGP is only possible because you trust us to steward your projects. A special thank you to all our sponsors for supporting the event, including our Presenting Sponsor: The Kim Family.

Finally, a very special thank you to Monsignor Francis W. Beach, who received the inaugural Heart of Charity Leadership Award. This award is presented to a leader who has made a lasting contribution to our Catholic faith and is dedicated to our mission of growing philanthropy according to the teachings of Jesus Christ.  Monsignor Beach personifies those qualities and attributes; he is the spirit of charity. Congratulations, Monsignor Beach, on this well-deserved honor, and thank you for being the heart of charity at The Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia

2023 Angel Award

October 19, 2023

On October 19th, we hosted our first-ever Angel Award ceremony, a dynamic grant competition. This inaugural event showcased the vibrant spirit of innovative evangelization within the local Catholic community as organizations competed to receive funding for their initiatives. The winners, Live Vertical and Roman Catholic High School were awarded a total of $60,000, with $35,000 going to Live Vertical and $25,000 to Roman Catholic High School.  We would also like to acknowledge St. Charles Borromeo Seminary and Father Dailey for participating in the event. We appreciate all the effort everyone put into this endeavor.

After hearing these dynamic presentations, investors in attendance contributed an additional $12,000. Though not every organization could receive the Angel Award, the generosity of those in the room allowed for every project to have some level of financial support.

The Angel Award runs on a yearly grant cycle. Watch for the announcement of when we will open the Letter of Intent window for the 2024 Angel Award. For more information about CFGP grants, please click here.

Introduction to Planned Giving: Preparing Now for Your Catholic Legacy

May 17, 2023

Introduction to Planned Giving: Preparing Now for Your Catholic Legacy with special guest speaker Colin Devlin, ESQ, an estate planning legal expert, was hosted by CFGP on Wednesday, May 17th. This event, open to families, individuals, and organizations in the Greater Catholic community, discussed how easy it is to make a significant impact on Catholic giving without impacting discretionary income. Colin offered tangible and practical suggestions for planned giving that can be implemented now. He also explained the different planned giving vehicles that are available and how a planned gift can help achieve financial planning goals with significant tax benefits.

To view the presentation on Planned Giving, please click here. To learn more about Planned Giving with CFGP, click here. To learn how to make your FreeWill with CFGP, click here.

Colin Devlin, Esq., Lex Nova Law LLC
Colin Devlin concentrates his practice on estate and tax planning, trust and estate administration, and asset protection. He represents individuals, families, and business owners with their estate planning and business succession planning. Colin develops strategies to address his clients’ goals and objectives in the most tax-advantageous manner and with the greatest opportunity for wealth preservation.

Catholic Leadership Speaker Series

April 21, 2021

Our second virtual Catholic Leadership Speaker Series featured special guest speaker Christopher Franklin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Essential Utilities, Inc. Christopher discussed what it is like to run a highly successful enterprise that focuses on delivering excellent service, acting as stewards of the environment, enhancing economic development, and making charitable contributions. He also discussed his company’s core values, how he implements compassion and stewardship into his company's culture and the importance of diversity both in the workplace and through company partnerships.

Christopher has served as CEO since July 2015, and as Chairman since December 2017. Since being named CEO in 2015, the company’s market capitalization more than doubled, to more than $11 billion. Through the company’s growth-through-acquisition program, customer count nearly doubled and total return to shareholders was more than 100%.

In 2018, the company welcomed its one-millionth customer, and in 2019, it announced what will be the largest municipal acquisition in the company’s history – an agreement to acquire the wastewater assets of the Delaware County Regional Water Quality Control Authority (DELCORA), adding 165,000 new customers. But the accomplishment Christopher is most proud of is building a strong management team. He has worked deliberately to bring diversity to the company’s Board of Directors, employee base and management team. Under his leadership, the company has been recognized by the Forum of Executive Women in Philadelphia. Additionally, he was named one of the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Most Admired CEOs.

Christopher earned his Bachelor’s degree from West Chester University and his MBA from Villanova University. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three children and are members of St. Norbert Parish.

To watch a recording of this event, please click here.

Catholic Leadership Speaker Series

December 09, 2020

Our first-ever virtual Catholic Leadership Speaker Series featured special guest speaker Montse Alvarado, Vice President and Executive Director for The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty.

Montse Alvarado joined the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty in 2009 and was named Vice President and Executive Director in February 2017.

With a background in public policy, she has led initiatives at Becket that have secured seven Supreme Court religious liberty victories including two wins against the contraceptive mandate, two protecting the rights of religious groups to choose their leaders, and one safeguarding the free speech of crisis pregnancy centers and religious groups on campus. Montse was profiled by the Wall Street Journal’s Weekend Edition with the following introduction: “A defender of all religion, on the front lines of America’s culture wars."

Montse has degrees from George Washington University and Florida International University. 

To watch a recording of this event, please click here.

2019 Women in Philanthropy Forum

October 22, 2019

Our fourth annual Women in Philanthropy Forum might have been our best one yet! This year’s theme focused on the Catholic giving landscape from a woman’s perspective, and our panel was filled with representatives from across the nonprofit sector. From development professionals to philanthropists, each female panelist brought something unique and inspiring to the table. Discussion topics also included the importance of female leaders in the nonprofit sector and how to effectively convey your mission’s message.

Special thanks to our panelists Irene Hannan, Charlene Flaherty, Linda McDonough and Theresa Murtagh, and our moderator, Dr. Laura Sicola, who did a fabulous job guiding our discussion!

Catholic Executive Breakfast: An Inspirational Presentation by Rev. Rob Hagan, O.S.A.

October 18, 2019

For our first-ever Catholic Executive Breakfast, CFGP teamed up with local businesses to host a morning of reflection and empowerment. With Fr. Rob Hagan, O.S.A., of Villanova University as our keynote speaker, our guests were destined for an inspirational morning. Fr. Rob spoke to us about hope, gratitude, and most importantly, faith, and we all left just a little more motivated than we were before. We thank Fr. Rob for being with us for this event, and our sponsors, Kistler Tiffany, PMC Property Group, FirstTrust and KeyBank for making it possible!

CFGP Fundraiser’s Forum

May 23, 2019

Our spring Fundraiser’s Forum featured a panel of development experts who provided insight into key factors impacting volunteer management, stewardship, grant and foundation relations, alumni relations and more. Our panelists included:

• Rob Weinstein, Vice President of Development, Gesu School
• Marty Farrell, Director of Development and Community Relations, St. John’s Hospice
• Christina Haciski, Director of Advancement, St. Mary Interparochial School

CFGP and Rothman Orthopaedics Spring Health Care Forum: Pain Management and the Opioid Crisis

May 01, 2019

This event brought together health care practitioners and executives from our area who are regularly impacted by the opioid crisis. Our speakers shared their thoughts on pain management and patients with addiction. Guest speakers included:

• Dr. Asif M. Ilyas, President, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute Foundation for Opioid Research & Education
• Dr. Nicholas Tenaglia, Board Chairman and CEO of the Progressions Companies and Malvern Institute
• Dr. Alexander Vaccaro, President, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute
• Mr. Geoff Botak, Malvern Institute

Fall Philanthropic Workshop Series: Website Best Practices and Prioritizing Your Development Efforts

November 07, 2018

Gillespie Group’s Vice President, Mike Gillespie, Jr. and CFGP’s Associate Director of Mission Advancement Services, Emily Gambino, discussed web design and content marketing for nonprofits and gave effective and efficient tips to prioritizing development goals.

Women in Philanthropy Luncheon

October 16, 2018

This annual luncheon celebrates women leaders who inspire others in philanthropy and faith. Women in Philanthropy 2018 honored Dr. Rosalie M. Mirenda, President Emeritus of Neumann University with the Love in Action Award. The Love in Action Award is given to a female leader and philanthropist who has bettered her community through her love of the Faith and dedication to service. Women in Philanthropy 2018 also featured guest speakers from the first beneficiary organization of CFGP’s Women in Philanthropy Leadership Fund, the Gianna Center of Philadelphia.

Spring Philanthropic Workshop Series: Navigating the New Tax Law and the Future of Planned Giving

May 22, 2018

CFGP’s Planned Giving and Development Officer, Ms. Kelly Diaz-Albertini, Esq., informed workshop attendees of what to expect from the new tax law, evaluating the challenges and opportunities in ‘The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.’ Ms. Diaz-Albertini also hosted a segment on the future of planned giving where she discussed development strategies and the role of professional advisors to help create a planned gift pipeline.

Catholic Athletes for Christ Philadelphia Kick-Off

May 17, 2018

Catholic Athletes for Christ (CAC), a nationally recognized nonprofit that helps Catholic athletes share the Gospel through athletics, officially launched in Philadelphia in May of 2018. To celebrate their arrival, CAC worked with CFGP to host a kick-off celebration, attended by local, Archdiocesan athletes and their families. Event highlights also included the appearances of special guests Jason Avant (former Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver), Dwight Gooden (former Major League Baseball pitcher), Bernie Parent (former Philadelphia Flyers goal tender) and the Phillie Phanatic!