International Visitors Grant Program

To that end, Perry World House welcomes the Penn community — faculty, research centers, institutes, programs, students, and student groups — to apply for funding of up to $3,500 to bring an international policy visitor to Penn from abroad. With this grant program, PWH hopes to foster greater exposure of Penn students and faculty to interdisciplinary international research and policy engagement, as well as to identify speakers who embody the PWH mission of bridging research and policy.

Invitees should be policymakers, practitioners, thought leaders or scholars based outside the United States whose work engages pressing global policy challenges. We encourage visits that engage both deeply and broadly across Penn’s campus. Visitors may, for example, speak at a conference, make a guest appearance in a class and/or collaborate on a research or policy project. To facilitate interdisciplinary engagement, we likewise encourage visits that connect a guest to multiple schools, departments, research centers, and programs.

Applications to the PWH International Visitors Grant Program are competitive and will be judged based on the goals of the program and Perry World House’s priorities, including, but not limited to, the visitor’s engagement with key global policy challenges and the commitment of potential hosts to maximize the impact of the visit on the Penn community. Applications for funding will be considered both in the fall and spring semesters.  Funding cannot be used for any other purpose than that for which it was applied.

Preference will be given to speakers who satisfy the below criteria. Depending on the qualifications of the visitor and the nature of the program, Perry World House may ask the visitor to participate in a seminar, lecture, student meeting, or other activities that advance Perry World House’s mission.  A grant report will be required at the end of the visit.

Preferred qualifications of speakers

PWH seeks to bring diverse, interdisciplinary visitors from a variety of national backgrounds to Penn. However, we will give preference to prospective visitors who:

• Engage in pressing global policy questions through scholarly research, praxis, or policy advocacy;
• Propose a program for the visit that engages deeply with Penn faculty and students and facilities interdisciplinary work;
• Are recognized global thought leaders; or
• Demonstrate desire/commitment to interdisciplinary engagement.

Eligibility

Penn faculty and students are eligible and encouraged to apply. Students must apply with the documented support of at least one faculty member. Applicants may apply for a grant no more than once a semester. All questions on the application should be answered completely and thoroughly.

Grant Term and Budget

The grant term is limited to the end of the academic year. Larger, multi-year initiatives will be considered (up to two years maximum). Exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis. Grant funds must be used in this academic year and cannot be used for receptions, speaker fees, or payment of an honorarium.  Grant funds cannot be used for any purposes other than the ones for which the grant funds were solicited. Grants will not exceed $3,500.

Acknowledgment

In the event that a grant is awarded, advertisement for the speaker is expected to acknowledgment that the speaker’s visit was made possible in part by a grant from the Perry World House International Visitors Grant Program. (Perry World House will provide its logo upon request.)

If you have any questions, please contact worldhouse@pwh.upenn.edu.

Applications will open on October 21, 2024.