Typically, between 20 and 40 recipients are selected each year, but the program operates under no fixed quotas or timetables. Recipients are chosen for their potential to make exceptionally creative contributions to their respective fields. The stipend carries no restrictions. It is designed to provide a kind of seed money or venture capital for intellectual, social, and artistic endeavors. Substantial unconditional funding can remove significant constraints on recipients productivity or creativity and can free them to change the emphasis or direction of their work.
Fellows use the support in many ways.
Some put the funds toward current or future work, research or travel, release time from their institution for more extended independent work periods, or the support of assistants. Others use the money to pay off debts or plan for future expenses. Some Fellows have used the stipend to inaugurate new programs or institutions, or to provide grant or fellowship money for other groups. It is entirely up to them. There are no restrictions on how the money can be spent, and we impose no reporting obligations.