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.
Grant budgets may include support for research and indirect expenses necessary to make one’s work or advance one’s practice (childcare fees, for example).
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 2027 Independent Creative Production Grants is MIDNIGHT on Friday, November 6, 2026.
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 deadline for submitting completed applications online via SlideRoom is MIDNIGHT on Friday, November 20, 2026.

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 6, 2026.

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.
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.
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 funding is competitive and is not guaranteed. Applicants must make a case for the urgency and expected impact of funding in their applications.
Applicants with an open Sachs Program grant must turn in their final report before the current application deadline before submitting an application for another Sachs Program grant.
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 2027 grants cycle will be made in March 2027.

Important Information

The Sachs Program has limited resources and will, therefore, be unable to fund all requests.
Receiving counsel from Sachs Program staff or board members on an application does not guarantee funding.
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.

2027 Information Sessions

Following the opening of our 2027 grant cycle on September 21, 2026, the Sachs Program will host a series of information sessions during the month of October to review 2027 grant opportunities.

Applicants are encouraged to attend for a chance to learn about each opportunity in discussion with Sachs Program staff and previous grantees.

Learn More