Awards and Prizes

Creative Ventures Capital Prizes

award: $2000 project budget
deadline: March 17, 2024 11:59 PM
apply here: Creative Ventures Capital Prizes

Do you have a creative mission to fulfill? Are you looking for a way to fund an interdisciplinary or out-of-the-box idea? Writers House — through the Creative Ventures Program —provides budgets of up to $2000 for innovative projects and ideas. Creative Ventures Capital Prizes have funded furniture refurbishing, rockumentaries, greening initiatives, culinary adventuring, star-gazing, craft-work, and more. Your project need not be writing-related (though it can be). We are most interested in intellectually adventurous ideas that cross disciplinary boundaries, ideas that encourage you to learn or apply a special skill, or ideas that fall outside traditional modes of learning. The Creative Ventures Fund has been supported annually since 2011 by Marc Wolpow (W'80) and Robin Wolpow.

The Goldstein Prize

award: $2000 prize payment
deadline: March 17, 2024 11:59 PM
apply here: Goldstein Prize application

Do you have a great writing project you want to complete but need a financial cushion in order to do it? Awarded annually, the Goldstein Prize is a "writing scholarship" intended to afford you some time to write. Prize awarded on the merits of proposed project; preference for award is given to students with financial need. Endowed in 2010 by Penn parents Michael Goldstein and Danielle Goldstein.

The Terry B. Heled Travel & Research Grant

award: $3000 for travel
deadline: March 17, 2024 11:59 PM
application information: Visit the Heled page

The Terry B. Heled Research and Travel Grant enables students to travel in order to conduct research for a significant writing project. The winner of the Heled Travel Grant will receive $3,000 toward the costs of summer travel (between mid-May and the end of August). Any travel plan — to any place, of any length — will receive serious consideration based on the quality of the project. Priority will go to candidates who propose a trip of longer rather than shorter duration and candidates who propose to travel beyond North America. Click here for more information on how to apply. Endowed in 2007 by Mali Heled Kinberg (C'95, G'95) in memory of her mother Terry B. Heled.

Writers House Salmon Junior Fellows Award

award: $2000 prize payment + $2000 project budget
deadline: March 17, 2024 11:59 PM
apply here: Junior Fellows application

Are you a graduating senior or recent Penn grad with an idea for a creative project? Do you plan to stay in Philadelphia and deepen your connections to the KWH community post-graduation? The purpose of the Writers House Salmon Junior Fellows program is to support creative writing projects by KWH-affiliated alumni and to encourage continuing connection with the resources and community of the Kelly Writers House. Priority for the award will go to applicants who intend to remain in Philadelphia. The award year should include or culminate in a public event or other form of community engagement that takes place at the Writers House for the benefit of the Writers House community. Endowed in 2022 by Advisory Board member Leslie Dezer Salmon (W’92) and Ricardo Salmon (W’93).

The Kerry Sherin Wright Prize

award: $1000 prize payment + $2000 project budget
deadline: March 17, 2024 11:59 PM
apply here: Kerry Prize application

Do you have an idea for a project or event to take place at Writers House next academic year? Named for Kerry Sherin Wright, the first director of the Writers House, the Kerry Prize supports project proposals that match Kerry's vision for this space: projects that are communal by nature and intellectually open. Kerry Prize programs and projects have included readings and workshops by visiting authors, ongoing group writing projects, art installations, panel discussions and more. Endowed in 2021 with a lead gift by Al Filreis (HOM'91) and Jane Treuhaft, in honor Jean-Marie Kneeley.

Universe In Verse Prize

award: $5000 prize payment
deadline: March 17, 2024 11:59 PM
apply here: Universe in Verse application

Open to currently enrolled Penn students, the Universe in Verse Prize recognizes and encourages the writing of poetry about or engaging with science. Applicants should propose to undertake or complete a poetic project that connects with science — its discoveries, its human histories, its processes — or with scientific thinking. Funded annually by Maria Popova (C'07).