PENN GLOBAL RESEARCH & ENGAGEMENT GRANT PROGRAM Apply for a Convening Grant

On a semesterly basis, Penn Global welcomes proposals from faculty, senior administrators, Ph.D students, post-docs, and graduate students seeking support for their global convenings. Start preparing for your application by reviewing the important information below. 

Thing to Know Before You Apply

flag_circle

Our Priorities

As part of its mission to promote global engagement in all its forms between the University of Pennsylvania community and the wider world, Penn Global manages a competitive grant program that provide resources to help members of the Penn community pursue activities both in specific focus countries and regions and around the world. The grant program includes four funds including:

Before applying, all applicants are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with our grant program priorities, in addition to our fund-specific goals (see above). You may also choose to download a copy of our grant priorities and fund-specific goals. 

Download the Priorities & Goal

check_circle_outline

Eligibility & Minimum Requirements

Penn faculty and senior administrators are eligible to apply. In addition, Penn-affiliated graduate students, Ph.D. students, post-doctoral researchers, and researchers holding an appointment of one year or more at the University are also eligible to apply, provided that:

  • The use of award funds is completed at least six months prior to degree completion or end date of the applicant’s appointment at Penn, and

  • They obtain two Letters of Support, including:

    • A Letter of Support from a willing faculty sponsor who holds a standing faculty appointment at the University

    • A Letter of Support or e-mail copy from a Business Administrator from their faculty sponsor’s School or Center confirming the Business Administrator would fulfill the prospective Awardee’s purchasing needs, account reconciliation/reporting, and account set-up needs.  

Note for Applicants with a Current, Separate Grant Program-Supported Project, or Planning Multiple Applications:

Penn Global’s Grant Program endeavors to support as diverse an array of projects as possible across regions, disciplines, Penn Schools and Centers, and principal investigators (PIs), and we welcome PIs to concurrently have one Convening and one Research and Engagement project running at any given time. Applicants are also welcome to submit new applications while an existing project is finishing its final outputs, such that the existing project would conclude prior to the launch of their new notional project. Exceptions to this general project limit guidance may be made on a case-by-case basis, and there is no limit to the number of projects one may serve on as a primary collaborator.

PIs are welcome to submit multiple applications for different projects in the same application cycle, and in the event we receive multiple applications from the same PI, these applications may be in competition with each other during the review process.

insights_

Types of Support

Penn Global Convening Grants primarily support one or more workshops, conferences, and/or other events, and generally do not exceed $10,000 per Award. 
 
These awards are designed to support conferences, symposia, workshops or scholarly meetings with clear end products and avenues for continued research, curricular or course development initiatives, and/or significant contributions to broader debates on global issues. Convenings should provide enrichment opportunities to interested faculty, students, and staff and enhance existing research and scholarly programs, particularly in disciplines where external funding is difficult to obtain. Priority will be given to inter- or cross-disciplinary conferences that include primary collaborators from more than one School or Center.  

Support for virtual, hybrid, and in-person models for conferences and gatherings are supported, the latter two pending compliance with University of Pennsylvania and public health guidelines. 

  • For projects with a focus on India: Our India Research and Engagement Fund (IREF) recipients are strongly encouraged to partner with the University of Pennsylvania Institute for the Advanced Study of India (UPIASI) to perform projects and activities in India. UPIASI-partnered activities are subject to a 10% facilitation fee. Project PIs and BAs are expected to keep this facilitation fee in mind if they plan to engage UPIASI. 

  • For projects with a focus on China: Our China Research and Engagement Fund (CREF) recipients are required to engage with the Penn Wharton China Center as part of their project (e.g. conferences hosted at the Penn Wharton China Center), and all project expenditures (excluding additional matching funds beyond those that match CREF's initial 50% contribution) are subject to a 20% facilitation fee. Please figure this PWCC facilitation fee into your budget proposal. 

block

What We Do Not Fund

The Convening Grants program is not designed to support annual or other regularly-occurring events. Rather, the program is designed to stimulate new events and discussions on key questions, issues, and challenges facing focus countries, regions, and the world at large.

The Convening Grants program is not designed to support for-profit events. Generally speaking, convenings are expected to be free and open to their entire target audience and/or partners. 
In the event that a project leader determines that charging a small admittance fee for attendees is necessary for the project to remain within its budget, Penn Global must be consulted in advance of the opening of event registration: we may be contacted at global@upenn.edu

Full List of Allowable & Unallowable Costs
Please click here for a list of allowable and unallowable costs for Convening Grants expenditures. You will be prompted to enter your PennKey and password in order to view them.

price_check

Term, Budget & Matching Funds

TERM 
Penn Global Convening Grants must be spent within one year of award. Exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis. 

BUDGET 
Penn Global Convening Grants will be funded up to $10,000.  

Allowable & Unallowable Costs 
As you build your budget, applicants and their business administrators are strongly encouraged to review our list of allowable and unallowable costs. You will be prompted to enter your PennKey and password in order to view them. 

MATCHING FUNDS 
For convening grants, Penn Global strongly encourages matching funds, with a goal of catalyzing impactful dialogue. A range of matching fund ratios can be accepted, but matching funding will increase the likelihood of awards.  

Matching funds do not have to be in-hand when proposals are submitted, but the proposal review process will take into consideration likelihood of securing match funds as evidenced by letters of intent or other documented expressions of support. The expectation is that any matching funds will be in-hand at the time of award.  

find_in_page

What We Look For in Applications

Penn Global looks for projects that enhance Penn’s engagement with one or more countries or regions outside the United States or issues, trends, topics, or challenges that are of global importance. Projects must focus on international and/or multinational issues that are not United States-centric. 

Successful applications can be measured by a variety of criteria; there is no “one-size-fits-all” model. But in general, benchmarks for successful applications may  be measured by any or more of the following: 

  • Academic outputs (e.g., conference reports, videos, podcasts, etc) 
  • Engagement with new partners 
  • Creation and development of new educational opportunities for the Penn community and international partners 
  • Ability to attract Penn school/center and/or external matching funding 
  • Potential for media coverage 
  • Research or policy impact. 

Penn Global welcomes all proposals that meet its minimum criteria, but proposals that feature the following will receive preferential consideration: 

  1. Led by faculty, senior administrators, post-doctoral researchers, Ph.D. students or other graduate students from  two or more Penn Schools and/or Centers, and/or involve faculty members, students, researchers, or other collaborators from two or more distinct disciplinary fields, including the natural and applied sciences; the social sciences; the humanities; and clinical or professional training; 
  2. Involve tenure-track but currently untenured faculty members; 
  3. Demonstrate potential for strong and equitable partnerships between Penn and collaborating institutions, organizations or communities abroad; and 
  4. Include a clear plan for obtaining matching funds equal to or greater than the amount requested from a Penn Global fund. 
flag_circle

Our Priorities

As part of its mission to promote global engagement in all its forms between the University of Pennsylvania community and the wider world, Penn Global manages a competitive grant program that provide resources to help members of the Penn community pursue activities both in specific focus countries and regions and around the world. The grant program includes four funds including:

Before applying, all applicants are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with our grant program priorities, in addition to our fund-specific goals (see above). You may also choose to download a copy of our grant priorities and fund-specific goals. 

Download the Priorities & Goal

check_circle_outline

Eligibility & Minimum Requirements

Penn faculty and senior administrators are eligible to apply. In addition, Penn-affiliated graduate students, Ph.D. students, post-doctoral researchers, and researchers holding an appointment of one year or more at the University are also eligible to apply, provided that:

  • The use of award funds is completed at least six months prior to degree completion or end date of the applicant’s appointment at Penn, and

  • They obtain two Letters of Support, including:

    • A Letter of Support from a willing faculty sponsor who holds a standing faculty appointment at the University

    • A Letter of Support or e-mail copy from a Business Administrator from their faculty sponsor’s School or Center confirming the Business Administrator would fulfill the prospective Awardee’s purchasing needs, account reconciliation/reporting, and account set-up needs.  

Note for Applicants with a Current, Separate Grant Program-Supported Project, or Planning Multiple Applications:

Penn Global’s Grant Program endeavors to support as diverse an array of projects as possible across regions, disciplines, Penn Schools and Centers, and principal investigators (PIs), and we welcome PIs to concurrently have one Convening and one Research and Engagement project running at any given time. Applicants are also welcome to submit new applications while an existing project is finishing its final outputs, such that the existing project would conclude prior to the launch of their new notional project. Exceptions to this general project limit guidance may be made on a case-by-case basis, and there is no limit to the number of projects one may serve on as a primary collaborator.

PIs are welcome to submit multiple applications for different projects in the same application cycle, and in the event we receive multiple applications from the same PI, these applications may be in competition with each other during the review process.

insights_

Types of Support

Penn Global Convening Grants primarily support one or more workshops, conferences, and/or other events, and generally do not exceed $10,000 per Award. 
 
These awards are designed to support conferences, symposia, workshops or scholarly meetings with clear end products and avenues for continued research, curricular or course development initiatives, and/or significant contributions to broader debates on global issues. Convenings should provide enrichment opportunities to interested faculty, students, and staff and enhance existing research and scholarly programs, particularly in disciplines where external funding is difficult to obtain. Priority will be given to inter- or cross-disciplinary conferences that include primary collaborators from more than one School or Center.  

Support for virtual, hybrid, and in-person models for conferences and gatherings are supported, the latter two pending compliance with University of Pennsylvania and public health guidelines. 

  • For projects with a focus on India: Our India Research and Engagement Fund (IREF) recipients are strongly encouraged to partner with the University of Pennsylvania Institute for the Advanced Study of India (UPIASI) to perform projects and activities in India. UPIASI-partnered activities are subject to a 10% facilitation fee. Project PIs and BAs are expected to keep this facilitation fee in mind if they plan to engage UPIASI. 

  • For projects with a focus on China: Our China Research and Engagement Fund (CREF) recipients are required to engage with the Penn Wharton China Center as part of their project (e.g. conferences hosted at the Penn Wharton China Center), and all project expenditures (excluding additional matching funds beyond those that match CREF's initial 50% contribution) are subject to a 20% facilitation fee. Please figure this PWCC facilitation fee into your budget proposal. 

block

What We Do Not Fund

The Convening Grants program is not designed to support annual or other regularly-occurring events. Rather, the program is designed to stimulate new events and discussions on key questions, issues, and challenges facing focus countries, regions, and the world at large.

The Convening Grants program is not designed to support for-profit events. Generally speaking, convenings are expected to be free and open to their entire target audience and/or partners. 
In the event that a project leader determines that charging a small admittance fee for attendees is necessary for the project to remain within its budget, Penn Global must be consulted in advance of the opening of event registration: we may be contacted at global@upenn.edu

Full List of Allowable & Unallowable Costs
Please click here for a list of allowable and unallowable costs for Convening Grants expenditures. You will be prompted to enter your PennKey and password in order to view them.

price_check

Term, Budget & Matching Funds

TERM 
Penn Global Convening Grants must be spent within one year of award. Exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis. 

BUDGET 
Penn Global Convening Grants will be funded up to $10,000.  

Allowable & Unallowable Costs 
As you build your budget, applicants and their business administrators are strongly encouraged to review our list of allowable and unallowable costs. You will be prompted to enter your PennKey and password in order to view them. 

MATCHING FUNDS 
For convening grants, Penn Global strongly encourages matching funds, with a goal of catalyzing impactful dialogue. A range of matching fund ratios can be accepted, but matching funding will increase the likelihood of awards.  

Matching funds do not have to be in-hand when proposals are submitted, but the proposal review process will take into consideration likelihood of securing match funds as evidenced by letters of intent or other documented expressions of support. The expectation is that any matching funds will be in-hand at the time of award.  

find_in_page

What We Look For in Applications

Penn Global looks for projects that enhance Penn’s engagement with one or more countries or regions outside the United States or issues, trends, topics, or challenges that are of global importance. Projects must focus on international and/or multinational issues that are not United States-centric. 

Successful applications can be measured by a variety of criteria; there is no “one-size-fits-all” model. But in general, benchmarks for successful applications may  be measured by any or more of the following: 

  • Academic outputs (e.g., conference reports, videos, podcasts, etc) 
  • Engagement with new partners 
  • Creation and development of new educational opportunities for the Penn community and international partners 
  • Ability to attract Penn school/center and/or external matching funding 
  • Potential for media coverage 
  • Research or policy impact. 

Penn Global welcomes all proposals that meet its minimum criteria, but proposals that feature the following will receive preferential consideration: 

  1. Led by faculty, senior administrators, post-doctoral researchers, Ph.D. students or other graduate students from  two or more Penn Schools and/or Centers, and/or involve faculty members, students, researchers, or other collaborators from two or more distinct disciplinary fields, including the natural and applied sciences; the social sciences; the humanities; and clinical or professional training; 
  2. Involve tenure-track but currently untenured faculty members; 
  3. Demonstrate potential for strong and equitable partnerships between Penn and collaborating institutions, organizations or communities abroad; and 
  4. Include a clear plan for obtaining matching funds equal to or greater than the amount requested from a Penn Global fund. 

Application Process

Proposals for Penn Global Convening Grants are accepted on a semesterly basis. To ensure sufficient time for review, follow-up (if merited), and award journaling (if successful) prior to the semester of the proposed project, applications must be submitted by the following respective dates: 

  • For Fall semester convenings (Sept 1 – Dec 31), applications due June 1 

  • For Spring semester convenings (Jan 1 – Apr 30), applications due October 1 

  • For Summer semester convenings (May 1 – Aug 31), applications due February 1 

Proposals should include information about the proposed convening, its outputs, objectives, and planned approach; partners and participants; and basic budget details along with a description of any plans to contribute or solicit matching funding. Proposals will be evaluated against our grant program's priorities and fund-specific objectives.  

Apply for a Convening Grant

Click below to apply for a Penn Global Convening Grant today! Applications are accepted through out grant management platform, Survey Monkey Apply.

Apply Today