Community Partnerships Grants

Who is eligible to apply?

University of Pennsylvania faculty (standing and non-standing), staff, departments, programs, and centers are eligible to apply in collaboration with community arts and civic non-profit organizations and organizers.

What do the grants support?

Community Partnerships Grants support collaborations between Penn faculty, staff, programs, departments, and centers, and community arts and civic non-profit organizations and organizers—to cultivate meaningful partnerships between Penn and its surrounding communities. Projects should be community-centered, and applicants should clearly explain what communities they plan to engage, how their project will accomplish this, and what they intend the impact to be.

Examples of previously supported projects can be reviewed on our website.

How much can I apply for?

Community Partnerships Grant applicants may request up to $15,000, a significant portion of which should go directly to the community partner(s) or the communities being served. If the community partner prefers not to receive or manage grant funds and wishes for this to be managed by their Penn partner instead, then this can be explained in the application.

How and when do I receive the grant funds?

Please refer to our general information page about Grants Disbursement for complete guidelines about receiving the grant funds.
The earliest date for grant funds to be available is May 2024, though in most cases, the funds will be available in June or July. This timeline depends on several factors, including the response times from grantees and their fiscal conduits (when applicable).
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 Community Partnerships Grants is NOON on Monday, January 15, 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 with the Grants Inquiry Form submission.
We invite anyone interested in applying to set up an initial meeting to discuss this grant opportunity. However, before submitting an application via Slideroom, we require at least one meeting with the community and Penn partners to take place with Sachs Program staff.
Applicants who would like to receive optional feedback on a draft of their application will have an additional deadline of Friday, January 5, 2024 to submit a draft. Drafts should be emailed to Chloe Reison at reison@upenn.edu by NOON on January 5, 2024 to receive feedback before the application deadline. All drafts should respond to the questions included in the Slideroom application.
Completed applications will be due through Slideroom at MIDNIGHT on Monday, February 5, 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 with the Grants Inquiry Form submission.

The last day to submit a Grants Inquiry Form is January 15, 2024.

* Required Fields

First Name *

Last Name *

Email *

Title

I am submitting this inquiry as (select one) *an individual.on behalf of a Penn department, program, or center.

What is the name of your department, program, or center? *

Please describe your role within this group. *

Intended Community Partner(s)? *

Project Description (one paragraph) *

Select your grant review meeting preference. *Online (via Zoom)Site visit

Thank you. We will follow up to schedule an appointment via the contact information provided with this inquiry form.

Preferred meeting times for you and your partner(s)? *

Please note: When submitting this form, your name and email address will be added to our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from The Sachs Program for Arts Innovation.

Eligibility and Criteria for Applications

Applicants must obtain approval from a sponsoring University of Pennsylvania department, program, or center to apply for a Sachs Program Community Partnerships Grant. The sponsoring department, program, or center must agree to manage any grant funds awarded if an application is successful.
Penn applicants must apply in collaboration with at least one community arts or civic nonprofit organization or organizer.
The proposed project should be community-centered, and applicants should clearly describe the communities they plan to engage, how their project will accomplish this, and what they intend the impact to be.
A significant portion of the grant award should go directly to the community partner(s) or the communities being served.
If the community partner prefers not to receive or manage grant award funds and wishes for this to be managed by their Penn partner instead, then this can be explained in the application.
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 may apply for support for another project, but only if they have clear plans to finish the first project before the second one begins.
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

Community Partnerships 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 grantmaking priorities and criteria.

Award decisions for the 2023–2024 grants cycle will be made in April 2024.

Important Information

At least one representative from the community partner(s) and the Penn applicant must participate in at least one grant application review meeting together with Sachs Program staff.
A Sachs Program review of an application does not guarantee funding.
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 is 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.