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?

Individuals now have two options for receiving and spending against their grant funds.
- Applicants may identify a University of Pennsylvania department, program, or center to manage grant funds as a designated Fiscal Conduit.
- Applicants may alternatively receive the full grant as an award. This option allows grantees to manage grant funds directly, which can sometimes be more efficient.
Please refer to our general information page about grants disbursements for complete guidelines about receiving grant funds. Understanding these guidelines is important as we cannot guarantee support outside of university-approved options for receiving and managing grant funds.
The earliest date grant funds may be available is May 2025, though in most cases, they will be available in June or July. This timeline depends on several factors, including response times from grantees and their designated 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 Independent Creative Production Grants is NOON on Friday, January 3, 2025.
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 those applicants who submit the Grants Inquiry Form on or just before the deadline.
Applicants who would like to receive optional feedback on a draft of their application will have an additional deadline to submit a draft for review. Draft applications should be emailed to Elizabeth Shaw at elizshaw@upenn.edu by NOON on Friday, December 6, 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, January 10, 2025.

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 January 3, 2025.

* Required Fields

First Name *

Last Name *

Email *

Title or Position *

Penn Department(s) or Program(s) *

Project Description (one paragraph) *

Do you have plans to present the proposed work? *YESNO

Describe your planned presentation (one paragraph) *

Would you like to schedule a meeting to discuss your application? *YESNO

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

By declining to schedule a meeting, you are confirming the following:

You have read and understand the Independent Creative Production Grants application guidelines described on the Sachs Program website.
You are a Penn faculty or staff member, even if you are taking courses at Penn.
You understand the application process for a Sachs Program Independent Creative Production Grant.
You understand the options for receiving and managing grant funds, and, if applicable, you have discussed this proposal with the Penn department, program, or center that will serve as your Fiscal Conduit.

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

A complete list of general application criteria can be found on the Sachs Program website.
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.
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. Please refer to our general information page about grants disbursements for complete guidelines about receiving grant funds.
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 Grant applications do not need to include plans for the immediate presentation of works to be produced. However, it is important that applicants identify the intended audience for the work, explain why they are not yet ready to present the work and outline future aspirational plans for sharing the work.
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 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’s 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.
Applicants are encouraged to itemize the project budget and include notes about why each line item is important. It’s ok to include an honorarium for yourself in the budget, but like all other budget items, it’s important to indicate why this payment is important to your end-goals.
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 grantmaking priorities and criteria.

Award decisions for the 2025 grants cycle will be made in March 2025.

Important Information

While grant application advisement 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 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, 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.