The Philadelphia Center for Arts and Technology

Foundations, Inc. is the parent organization of PCAT and is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization committed to improving educational experiences for America's children and youth—throughout the day, everywhere they learn. Partnering with education and community leaders, Foundations supports those who enhance the lives and prospects of our mostvulnerable children.Founded in 1992, Foundations works with educational programs in three main areas: schools and school districts, afterschool and out-of-school time, and community and family. While Foundations has historically supported schools and districts through capacity-building efforts, a defining feature of our work is the commitment to being ‘grounded in practice.’ In developing our instructional strategies and educational materials, we incorporate the latest educational research and test our methods in programs that we operate. Our community education initiatives help thousands of students succeed in school and prepare for success in life.

Complementing our community education initiative, our direct program management and community-building efforts are focused on the greater Philadelphia area. Building on years of work in Northwest Philadelphia, Foundations has integrated the best of its local programs into the comprehensive model of our Philadelphia Center for Arts and Technology (PCAT). PCAT was established to serve as a vibrant community learning center located in the heart of Northwest Philadelphia. PCAT is a high-tech, state-of-the-art learning space, where youth receive academic instruction and personalized attention from caring adults, explore career pathways, and ready themselves for skilled positions in the high-growth fields of the arts, sciences, technology, and emerging "green" trades. PCAT fosters engaged and well-rounded citizens by offering children, youth, and adults the opportunity to use arts and technology as vehicles to develop the academic, work, and life skills needed to thrive in the 21st century.

Currently, well over 700 students and adults attend PCAT programs on a regular basis. With a focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) and the Arts, all PCAT programs offer a safe educational space for participants to explore their interests and develop new talents and skills. PCAT has been recognized nationally and locally as providing high-impact, engaging programs that keep kids interested in learning and on a pathway to success.