Note: We first upgraded our donation platform to improve the giving experience, and we’ve now made a second upgrade to further streamline donations and expand our fundraising capabilities. With this latest move, we can now accept Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) contributions, and it’s easier than ever for donors to check if their employer offers matching gifts.

We’re incredibly grateful to the 33 individuals who have helped us reach 40% of our goal on our previous upgrade. Thank you for your support—we’re excited to continue growing with you and sharing what’s next!

Now onto the ask...

This year, we will not receive the approved $15,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) — a shift that will impact our ability to take creative risks and support artists at every stage.

At PlayPenn, we believe in the power of new stories and in the playwrights who tell them with courage, curiosity, and a deep desire to connect. Developing new work is an act of hope: a way to imagine the world not just as it is, but as it could be. And right now, that hope can go twice as far. Your donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $10,000, doubling your impact.

Your support helps us say yes to bold new voices and the possibility they bring. Every contribution brings us closer to making these stories a reality. Whether it’s $10, $25, or $50 — or $500, $1,000, or more — every gift makes a difference.

If you're in a position to give more, we invite you to go beyond the match and join the campaign as a PlayPenn Producer with a gift of $1,000 or more. As a Producer, you'll receive special recognition and benefits — and help us not just meet, but exceed our goal.

$50 pays for transportation for a playwright!

$100 pays for per diem for out-of-town artists!

$200 pays for an Equity actor’s health and pension!

$300 provides a class scholarship to a student!

$400 pays an Equity actor or stage manager’s salary!

$600 helps support a professional dramaturg’s fee!

$800 helps support a professional director’s fee!

$900 helps support professional playwright’s fee!

$1,000 makes you a 2025 Conference Producer!

$1,500 pays housing for 2 out-of-town artists!

$2,500 pays for our Playwrights Cohort guest speakers!

$5,000 pays for rehearsal and performance space!

We’re not stepping back, we’re stepping up — to ensure our programs continue to champion diverse voices, bold new work, and equitable opportunities for all. You can read more about our commitment to these values in our NEA Statement.

Your generosity directly fuels programs that uplift new plays and playwrights.

This July, PlayPenn’s 2025 New Play Development Conference returns — expanded and more collaborative than ever, with free public readings, in-depth workshops, and new plays brought directly into communities across Philadelphia. With your help, we can continue to make Philadelphia a national center for the creation and development of bold new work.

With your continued generosity, PlayPenn can offer valuable opportunities to writers through programs like:

The Foundry

A free three-year professional development program for emerging Philadelphia-area playwrights, culminating in First Spark public readings.

The Playwrights Cohort

A free year-long mentorship focused on the business of playwriting — contracts, agents, publishing, and more — open to emerging playwrights in the Mid-Atlantic region (Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, & D.C.).

Independent Workshop Readings

Collaborative readings with theaters across the country, helping more plays reach the stage by sharing resources and expertise.

Continuing Education Classes

Affordable, accessible education for writers at all levels, both in-person and online, in partnership with the Dramatists Guild Institute.

Producer Levels & Benefits:

$1,000+ — First Spark Foundry Producer

Recognition in the Conference program;
Recognition in a curtain speech;
Autographed copy of a Conference script;
Two tickets to the reading you produce with preferred seating;
Invitation to exclusive events, including our End of Season Wrap Party.

$2,500+ — Resident Playwright Producer

All $1,000 level benefits, plus:
Two tickets to each 2025 reading with preferred seating;
Invitation to attend a rehearsal.

$5,000+ — Full Conference Producer

All $2,500 level benefits, plus:
A full-page thank-you in the conference program;
Your choice of any two items from our PlayPenn Merch Store;
Dinner with the Artistic Director and Board Members;
Quarterly check-ins with the Artistic Director for exclusive updates before they go public.

Your contribution is tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law. No goods or services were received in exchange. The official registration and financial information of PlayPenn, Inc. may be obtained by calling, toll-free within Pennsylvania, 800.732.0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.

We Got a Matching Grant: Help PlayPenn Raise $10,000 — and Beyond

Team Members