Independent Creative Production Grants

Who is eligible to apply?

Only University of Pennsylvania faculty (standing and non-standing) and staff are eligible to apply for Sachs Program Independent Creative Production Grants. Full-time Penn students who also work as staff or teach courses should apply in the Student Grants category.

What do the grants support?

Independent Creative Production Grants offer Penn faculty and staff members resources to support (partially or fully) the production of their artistic work.
Examples of previously supported projects can be reviewed on our website.

How much can I apply for?

Applicants may request up to $7,500.

How and when do I receive the grant funds?

Independent Creative Production Grants can be disbursed in one of two ways, in accordance with University of Pennsylvania policies.
1. Applicants may identify a Penn department, program, or center to manage grant funds as a designated Fiscal Conduit.
2. Applicants may alternatively receive the full grant as an award through Penn Marketplace, in accordance with the university’s employment compensation policies.
Please refer to our general information page about grants disbursement for complete guidelines about receiving grant funds. Understanding these guidelines is important as we cannot provide support outside of university-approved options for receiving and managing grant funds.
The earliest date funds may be available in the 2026 grants cycle is May 2026, though in most cases, they will be available in June or July. This timeline depends on several factors, including the responsiveness of grantees and their designated Fiscal Conduit (when applicable).
Any questions? Please email Sachs Program Associate Director Chloe Reison at reison@upenn.edu.

What do I need to know to apply?

The deadline to submit a grant inquiry form for 2026 Independent Creative Production Grants is NOON on Tuesday, November 25, 2025.
Applicants must submit a grant inquiry form from the Sachs Program website to receive a link to the full online application. A link to the online application (via SlideRoom) will be sent to the email address provided when submitting the grant inquiry form.
The grant inquiry form will prompt applicants to indicate if they wish to schedule a meeting with the Sachs Program to discuss their project idea. Meetings are encouraged but are not required. Meetings are also based on availability and are not guaranteed. If you wish to schedule a meeting with Sachs Program staff, we encourage you to submit your inquiry early.
The deadline for submitting completed applications online via SlideRoom is MIDNIGHT on Friday, December 19, 2025.

Grant Inquiry Form

You must submit a grant inquiry form from the Sachs Program website to receive a link to the full online application. A link to the online application (via SlideRoom) will be sent to the email address provided when submitting the grant inquiry form.

The last day to submit a grant inquiry form is November 25, 2025.

The grant inquiry form for 2026 Sachs Program Independent Creative Production Grants is now closed.

Applicant Guidelines

A complete list of grantmaking criteria can be found on the Sachs Program website. The Sachs Program grantmaking criteria serve as guideposts for our grantmaking process and describe what is expected of a competitive application.
Applicants opting to work with a designated Fiscal Conduit to manage their grant must seek approval from that department, program, or center before submitting their application. If a Fiscal Conduit does not agree to manage a grant, the applicant can receive the grant as an award, only if the grant or project is completely distinct from the faculty or staff member’s employment at Penn. If not, it becomes compensation, as per university policy. Please refer to our general information page about grants disbursement for complete guidelines about receiving grant funds.
Applicants may submit only one application per grant category in a given year.
Independent Creative Production Grants are intended to support the creative practices of individuals. Projects that are more programmatic in nature may be better suited to the Project Support Grants category.
Independent Creative Production Grants are not intended for course buyouts. However, if a leave has already been approved, Independent Creative Production Grants can support the production of work during that time, so long as the faculty member has plans to return to Penn at the end of their leave.
Independent Creative Production Grants can directly support the production of artistic work. Applications do not need to include plans for the immediate presentation of works to be produced.
Sachs Program grants are not intended for ongoing support. Priority may be given to applicants or projects not previously supported by the Sachs Program. If a project has been supported by the Sachs Program or another Penn entity previously, the applicant must make a compelling case for why there remains a need for support.
Sachs Program funding is competitive and is not guaranteed.
Applicants with an open Sachs Program grant must submit their final report before the current application deadline before submitting an application for another Sachs Program grant.
To be eligible for consideration, an application must be an appropriate fit for the category in which it’s submitted. If an application is not an appropriate fit for its category or does not align with Sachs Program mission priorities, the Sachs Program reserves the right to withdraw submitted applications.
If you are applying for support for equipment, software, or other resources that may already be available to you through the University of Pennsylvania, a strong case must be made for why these purchases are necessary for the success of your project.
If you have any questions about the eligibility of your proposal, please contact Sachs Program Associate Director Chloe Reison at reison@upenn.edu.

Evaluation Process

Independent Creative Production Grant applications are evaluated by a group of committee members, which may include former grantees, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community members. All deliberations will be guided by Sachs Program mission priorities and grantmaking criteria. More information about application evaluations can be found on the Sachs Program website.

Award decisions for the 2026 grants cycle will be made in March 2026.

Important Information

While grant application advice meetings with Sachs Program staff are optional, they are encouraged—particularly for individuals and groups who have not previously applied for a Sachs Program grant and for those unsure which grant category might be most appropriate for their application or are having difficulty identifying a department, program, or center that will manage their grant.
Sachs Program staff will do their best to meet with all individuals and groups seeking advice on their application; however, meeting with Sachs Program staff does not guarantee funding, and meetings are subject to scheduling availability.
The Sachs Program has limited resources and will, therefore, be unable to fund all requests.
The Sachs Program aims to support projects that meet our grantmaking criteria, align with the guidelines for each grant category, and support our mission priorities. Should a proposal or application not meet the criteria or not align with our priorities, Sachs Program staff may recommend that a previously submitted application be withdrawn.
The Sachs Program provides equal opportunity and supports a pluralistic Penn community. We are committed to supporting individuals and groups from all races, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, religions, disabilities, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

2026 Information Sessions

Following the opening of our 2026 grant cycle in September 2025, the Sachs Program will host a series of information sessions during October and November to review 2026 grant opportunities. Interested applicants are encouraged to attend for a chance to learn about each opportunity in discussion with Sachs Program staff and previous grantees.

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