supporting the Writers House
At the Kelly Writers House, we seek to foster a vibrant literary community, where writers, thinkers, and artists from around the world can come together. Whether you find us in our cozy, bustling cottage on Locust Walk, or in one of our many digital gathering spaces, the Writers House has been a place for community members to gather, exchange ideas, and ignite inspiration. With your support, we can take the Writers House to new heights and ensure that this special place endures for generations to come. Will you become a "Friend" of the Writers House and help us sustain this project?
become a friend
"Friends" of the Kelly Writers House give gifts that may support specific projects or general programming, semester by semester. Friends can also choose to support our endowment campaign. Anyone can make an impact on our campaign and give a gift of any amount to the newly established Possibility Fund.
Established in honor of Al Filreis, the founding Faculty Director of the Kelly Writers House, the Possibility Fund supports all the activities of the Writers House. Its capaciousness reflects the founding principles of the Writers House as a House of Possibility: a place for intellectually adventurous initiatives, collaborative work, and a learner-centered approach.
We are excited to announce that gifts to the Possibility Fund present an exciting new opportunity! Thanks to a generous donor, we have a challenge match of one-million dollars.
For each and every gift to the Possibility Fund, our challenge donor will make a matching gift, dollar for dollar.
Special Funds
You can direct your support towards a number of very special funds that make possible a targeted project or effort here at the Writers House. Such funds are endowments, so a gift today will make an impact today, tomorrow, and forever.
The Blaze Bernstein Memorial Fund was established in memory of Blaze Bernstein, an extraordinary young writer and beloved member of the Writers House community. Gifts in his memory to this fund will support an annual RealArts@Penn internship as well as community events here at the House.
The Jamie Albrecht Memorial Fund for Student Initiatives celebrates Jamie Albrecht, a deeply devoted citizen of the Writers House, as well as a student, alum, and staff member. Gifts in his memory to the fund will fuel a wide range of creative projects and ventures driven by Penn students.
The Kerry Sherin Wright Prize Endowed Fund honors the literary communitarianism of Kerry Sherin Wright, the first director of the KWH. Each year, applicants from the Writers House community apply for a cash prize and funding for an interconnected independent project.
The Faculty Director's Discretionary Fund enables Writers House Faculty Director Al Filreis to seek out, encourage, and invest in student talents and innovations. Gifts to the fund help the Writers House in its mission to serve as a creative incubator, where students can develop ambitious writing and art projects.
The Digital Projects Fund supports several Writers House initiatives to make poetry and writing accessible in the digital realm. Gifts to this fund will assist us in our efforts to archive, preserve, and distribute digital recordings of poetry, writing, and other forms of creative discourse. Projects supported by this fund include: ModPo, PoemTalk, PennSound, Jacket2, and more!
