Student Grants
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible to apply?
Individual University of Pennsylvania undergraduate and graduate students and student groups are eligible to apply for Sachs Program Student Grants.
What do the grants support?
- Student Grants support creative practice, from independent projects to thesis and dissertation-related work to programs and initiatives intended to engage the student body or broader public.
- Examples of previously supported projects can be reviewed on our website.
How much can I apply for?
Students and student groups may request up to $3,500.
How and when do I receive the grant funds?
- Students will receive the full grant as an award through the Penn Marketplace.
- Student groups may either designate one individual to receive the grant on the group’s behalf or set up an LLC to manage the grant award and route funds to the group.
- Please refer to our general information page about grants disbursements for complete guidelines about receiving grant funds.
- The earliest date grant funds may be available is March 2025. Students should take this into account when planning their project timelines and budgets. For students looking to support activities taking place in the spring, we encourage you to think carefully about what is feasible. We are happy to discuss this with you and will do our best to assist you on a reasonable timeline. Grant funds can be used to reimburse students for expenses already incurred, within reason.
- Any questions? Please email The Sachs Program Associate Director Chloe Reison at reison@upenn.edu.
What do I need to know to apply?
- The deadline to submit a Grants Inquiry Form for Student Grants is NOON on Monday, November 22, 2024.
- Applicants must submit a Grants Inquiry Form 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 Grants Inquiry Form.
- The Grants 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 not required but are encouraged. The Sachs Program cannot guarantee meetings for applicants who submit the Grants Inquiry Form on or just before the deadline.
- Students who would like to receive optional feedback on a draft of their application will have an additional deadline to submit a draft for review. Drafts should be emailed to Elizabeth Shaw at elizshaw@upenn.edu by NOON on November 15, 2024 to receive feedback before the application deadline. All drafts should respond to the questions included in the Slideroom application.
- The deadline for submitting completed applications online via SlideRoom is MIDNIGHT on Friday, December 6, 2024.
Grants Inquiry Form
You must submit a Grants Inquiry Form 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 Grants Inquiry Form.
The last day to submit a Grants Inquiry Form is November 22, 2024.
Eligibility and Criteria for Applications
- A complete list of general application criteria can be found on the Sachs Program website.
- Students must receive Student Grants as an Award through the Penn Marketplace. This change was implemented in the 2024 grant cycle and is a University of Pennsylvania policy. International students will be taxed on their award based on the relevant tax treaty between the US and their home country, not to exceed 30%.
- Student Groups may either designate one individual to receive the grant on the group’s behalf or set up an LLC to manage the grant award and route funds to the group. This setup is similar to the President’s Innovation and Engagement Prize Awards disbursement process.
- Students must be enrolled when they apply.
- If a student group is supported by the Penn Student Activities Council (SAC), they may only apply to The Sachs Program for projects and activities that are not covered by their SAC budget.
- 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. Any student applying for support for thesis work or other degree-related projects must develop and share a backup plan for supporting their project should their Sachs Program application not be successful.
- Applicants with an open Sachs Program grant must submit their final report before they apply for another Sachs Program grant.
- To be eligible for consideration, an application must be an appropriate fit for the category in which it is submitted. If an application is not an appropriate fit for its category or does not align with Sachs Program priorities for grantmaking, 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
Student Grant applications are evaluated by a group of committee members, which may include former grantees, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members. All deliberations will be guided by Sachs Program grantmaking priorities and criteria.
Award decisions for Student Grant applications in the 2025 grants cycle will be made in February 2025.
Important Information
- While grant application advice meetings 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.
- Sachs Program staff will do their best to meet with all individuals and groups seeking advice on their application; however, a Sachs Program review of an application 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 the criteria established for each grant category and align with our priorities for grantmaking. 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 supports a creative, culturally diverse, and pluralistic Penn community. We are committed to supporting individuals and groups from all races, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, religions, disabilities, and socioeconomic backgrounds.