← Back to US Funders Directory

John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation

Annual Giving
$8.8M
Grant Range
$40K - $0.1M
Decision Time
7mo
Success Rate
5%

John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: Approximately $7.5-11 million (based on 175-200 fellowships at $40,000-$55,000 each)
  • Success Rate: ~5% (approximately 175-200 fellowships from 3,000-3,500 applications)
  • Decision Time: 7 months (September application to mid-April notification)
  • Grant Range: $40,000 - $55,000 per fellowship
  • Geographic Focus: United States and Canada (Latin America & Caribbean competition currently suspended)

Contact Details

Address: 90 Park Avenue, 33rd Floor, New York, NY 10016, United States

Phone: +1 (212) 687-4470

Website: https://www.gf.org

Contact: Online contact forms available for fellowship applications, archival research, press inquiries, and career opportunities at gf.org/contact

Overview

The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation was established in 1925 by Senator Simon and Olga Hirsh Guggenheim in memory of their son John Simon, who died in 1922. Since its founding, the Foundation has awarded over $400 million in fellowships to more than 19,000 individuals across the creative arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. In 2025, the Foundation celebrated its centennial and announced its 100th class of Fellows, comprising 198 recipients across 53 disciplines. The Foundation's mission is to support individuals "who have already demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts" by providing grants that allow Fellows to pursue independent work "under the freest possible conditions." Among past recipients are more than 125 Nobel laureates, as well as winners of the Pulitzer Prize, Fields Medal, Turing Award, and other internationally recognized honors. Under President Edward Hirsch's leadership since 2003, the Foundation continues to identify and support mid-career professionals who have made significant contributions to their fields and show exceptional promise for future achievement.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Guggenheim Fellowships: $40,000 - $55,000 per fellowship (amounts vary by recipient)

  • Approximately 175-200 fellowships awarded annually
  • Available in over 50 disciplines across creative arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences
  • Six to twelve-month grants for independent work
  • Application opens mid-August, closes mid-September
  • Fellows announced in mid-April

Priority Areas

The Foundation supports exceptional individuals across a remarkably broad range of disciplines, including:

Creative Arts: Fine arts, photography, music composition, film, dance, theatre, fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction

Humanities: History, philosophy, religion, literary studies, and cultural studies

Social Sciences: Anthropology, political science, sociology, economics, and psychology

Natural Sciences: Physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, computer science, earth sciences, and applied sciences

The Foundation seeks individuals who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts, with emphasis on mid-career professionals who have already made significant contributions to their fields.

What They Don't Fund

The Foundation explicitly does not support:

  • Students (undergraduate, graduate, or postgraduate)
  • Individuals who have already received a Guggenheim Fellowship (past Fellows cannot reapply)
  • Literature for children or young readers, or any other work intended for young audiences
  • Anthology, oral history, e-book, or textbook projects
  • Applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States or Canada

Governance and Leadership

Officers

  • Edward Hirsch, President - Serving since 2003, Hirsch is the fourth president of the Foundation and himself a 1985 Fellow in Poetry. He has led the organization for over two decades, overseeing its centennial celebration.
  • Laura Auricchio, Vice President
  • Susan Mellin, Chief Advancement Officer
  • Sari Sharaby, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer

Board of Trustees

Lili Lynton serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees, which includes 16 members alongside President Hirsch. Notable trustees include:

  • Robert A. Caro, Author and biographer
  • Eric S. Maskin, Economist
  • Cindy Sherman, Artist
  • Janet Yellen, Economist and former U.S. Treasury Secretary

Key Staff

  • Keith B. Lewis, Program Director
  • Kate Welsh, Director of Communications
  • Hanna Pennington, Archivist & Associate Director
  • Josiah Posey, Director of IT

Educational Advisory Board and Committee of Selection

The Foundation maintains an Educational Advisory Board of 30+ distinguished scholars and artists, and a six-member Committee of Selection that oversees fellowship evaluations.

Leadership Perspective: In his centennial remarks, President Edward Hirsch emphasized the Foundation's commitment to supporting "exceptional individuals in pursuit of scholarship in any field of knowledge and creation in any art form, under the freest possible conditions."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through an online portal at the Foundation's website (gf.org). The application process requires:

  1. Three Supplementary Statements (PDF format):

    • Brief narrative account of career and previous accomplishments (not a resume), mentioning prizes, honors, and significant grants
    • Chronological list of no more than 10 most significant works (publications, exhibitions, performances, etc.)
    • Statement of Plans (maximum 1,000 words, approximately 4 pages double-spaced) with optional additional page for endnotes or bibliography

  2. Four References: Recommendations from individuals who can speak to the applicant's achievements and potential

  3. Curriculum Vitae

  4. Work Samples: May be requested from individuals in the arts (submitted by mid-November deadline)

Applicants who created an account in a previous year's competition may log in and reuse their account information.

Decision Timeline

  • Mid-August: Application portal opens
  • Mid-September: Application deadline (typically September 17)
  • Mid-November: Deadline for submitting work samples (typically November 19)
  • Mid-April: All applicants notified of results via email
  • Early April: New Fellows publicly announced

The total timeline from application submission to notification is approximately 7 months.

Success Rates

The Foundation receives between 3,000 and 3,500 applications annually and awards approximately 175-200 fellowships, resulting in a success rate of approximately 5%. This makes the Guggenheim Fellowship one of the most competitive awards in the arts and sciences. In specific fields, competition can be even more intense—for example, approximately 300-400 photographers apply each year with only 5-8 photography fellowships awarded.

Reapplication Policy

Unsuccessful applicants may reapply in future competitions with no restrictions or waiting periods. The Foundation encourages applicants to use their existing account from previous applications when resubmitting.

Important restriction: Individuals who have already received a Guggenheim Fellowship are permanently ineligible and cannot reapply.

Application Success Factors

The Foundation emphasizes several key factors that distinguish competitive applications:

Demonstrated Excellence: The Foundation seeks applicants who have "already demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Without substantial publications, exhibitions, performances, or other professional achievements, applications are unlikely to be competitive. As one source notes, "If you have not published a book, or don't at least have one under contract, it's safe to say that there's no point in applying for a Guggenheim fellowship."

Mid-Career Timing: Guggenheim Fellowships are often characterized as "midcareer" awards, intended for individuals who have established track records but are still actively producing new work.

Focused Project Proposals: Applications should focus on a single, well-defined project. "Applications that attempt to span too many disparate disciplines, or that include too many objectives, are less competitive than those that propose a balanced approach."

Writing Style for Scholars: Applicants in science or scholarship should "provide a detailed, but concise, plan of research, written in first-person singular."

Strong References: The four required recommendations should come from individuals who know the applicant's work well. Advice suggests "a mixture of people that know you well but they should mostly be teachers who have won it before or curators."

Persistence: Multiple attempts are common among successful applicants. One recipient "applied three times without success, stayed away for two years, then once they got some encouraging reviews, decided to try again" and succeeded.

Examples of Recent Funded Work: The 2024 cohort of 188 Fellows included:

  • Nicholas Galanin, Indigenous (Tlingit/Unangax̂) multi-disciplinary artist developing workshops and new artistic works on indigenous art
  • Jonathan Alter, political writer examining Caesar as a parable on contemporary political culture
  • Sara Bennett, photographer documenting lives of women after imprisonment
  • Paul K. Newton, mathematician using game theory to study cancer evolution models
  • Tracy K. Smith, former U.S. Poet Laureate (Harvard University)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Establish your track record first: This is a mid-career award requiring substantial prior achievement—major publications, exhibitions, performances, or research contributions are essential before applying
  • Timing matters: Apply when you have momentum in your career, ideally with recent positive recognition or completed major works
  • Focus and clarity: Propose one well-defined project rather than multiple objectives; write concisely and specifically about your plans
  • Peer review is rigorous: With a 5% success rate and evaluation by distinguished committees, applications undergo extremely competitive peer review
  • Reapply if unsuccessful: There are no restrictions on reapplication, and many successful Fellows applied multiple times before receiving the award
  • References are crucial: Secure recommendations from distinguished individuals in your field who know your work well, ideally including past Guggenheim Fellows or recognized leaders
  • The award provides maximum freedom: Unlike project-specific grants, Guggenheim Fellowships are designed to give recipients freedom to pursue their work "under the freest possible conditions" for 6-12 months

References

← Back to US Funders Directory