Professional Development Grants are available to members of the UW–Madison advising, career services, and learning support communities. Staff can apply for grants to support attending a national conference for the first time, site visits, and many other professional development opportunities.
Application Cycle: May 1– June 12, 2023 (Recipients will be notified on or around June 30, 2023)
(Note: Professional development activities need to happen between July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2024)
National Conference Grant for First-Time Attendees
The National Conference Grant was created to support advisors, career services, and learning support community members interested in attending a national conference for the first time. Conferences should be related to career services, higher education, academic affairs, or issues that impact undergraduate students. 1-3 grants are available per year, and grants may range up to $2,500. Suggested conferences are offered through (but not limited to) the following organizations:
- American College Personnel Association (ACPA) Annual Convention
- The Annual Conference on The First-Year Experience (FYE)
- Career Leadership Collective Annual Conference
- College Reading & Learning Association – National Conference
- Social Justice Training Institute
- NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising’s Annual Conference
- National Association for Colleges and Employers (NACE) Annual Conference
- National Career Development Association (NCDA) Annual Conference
- National College Learning Center Association – National Conference
- The National Conference on Race & Ethnicity in American Higher Education (NCORE)
- National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Annual Conference
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Call for First Time Conference Attendance Proposals
Application process is open May 1, 2023–June 12, 2023. View a PDF of the application before submitting.
Submit a National Conference Grant for First-Time Attendees Application
Summary
- Only staff members who have never attended a national conference before are eligible to apply
- We encourage staff whose units have limited to no funding available for professional development to apply
- This grant will cover all expenses (up to $2,500) that meet the requirements of the UW policies & procedures for reimbursement (including airfare)
- Grant recipients are responsible for arranging all lodging and travel accommodations
- Applicants must submit a signed Supervisor Support Form with their application
Selection Process
Members of the advising, career services & learning support communities will do initial screening of all applications, before making recommendations to the Office of Academic & Career Success.
Applications will be evaluated on the following:
- Clarity of purpose and goals for the conference attendance
- Ways in which you believe the attendance can benefit the advising and/or career services community
- Ways in which you hope to share your experience to improve practices at UW–Madison
Site Visit Grant
The Site Visit Grant is an opportunity for small groups (up to 4 people) of UW–Madison advisors, career services and/or learning support staff to visit other locations with the purpose of discovering innovative practices, sharing ideas for improving services, and learning new approaches for helping students. Be creative with how your team defines a site visit! Ideas for the Site Visit Grant might include visiting:
- A similar office at another campus
- A city/geographical area that many UW students land after graduation
- An employer/group of employers in a particular industry
- Graduate schools that students gravitate towards
- A nonprofit that aligns with the mission of your work
Campus Site Visit Grant recipients may be awarded up to $2,500 total for their group.
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Call for Site Visit Grant Proposals
Application process is open May 1, 2023–June 12, 2023. View a PDF of the site grant application before you submit.
Summary
- This grant will cover all expenses (excluding airfare) that meet the requirements of the UW policies & procedures for reimbursement
- Teams must be willing to share some of their learning and experience with the advising and/or career services community
- Teams may consist of 1-4 members from one or several units across campus
- The team leader agrees to submit the grant proposal, make all visit and travel arrangements, and work with OACS to secure funding (if the team’s proposal is selected).
- Each team member must submit a Supervisor Support Form with their application.
Before Applying
- Contact the site your team wishes to visit and determine a main contact at that site
- Verify that the site your team wishes to visit is able to accommodate your visit
- Work with your main contact to co-create a visit itinerary
- Inquire into additional funding from team member’s units, if available
- Ensure that all team members are prepared to share their knowledge/experience with the advising and/or career services community
Selection Process
Members from the advising, career services, and learning support communities will do an initial evaluation of all applications and then make recommendations to the Office of Academic & Career Success.
Applications will be evaluated on the following:
- Clarity of purpose and goals for the visit
- Ways in which you believe the visit can benefit the advising and/or career services community
- Ways in which your team hopes to share their findings to improve practices at UW-Madison
OACS "Choose Your Own Adventure" Professional Development Grant
These grants are available for professional development and/or training to improve the effectiveness of advising, career services, and learning support professionals in their current roles. Some suggested ideas for using this grant might include funding a speaker or trainer to visit your office, pursuing a continuing education workshop, attending a conference, taking a class, etc. Grant funding may be up to $2,500.
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Call for "Choose Your Own Adventure" Proposals
Application process is open May 1, 2023–June 12, 2023. View the grant application before submitting.
Summary
- Any member of the UW–Madison advising, career services, or learning support community is welcome to apply
- We encourage staff whose units have limited to no funding available for professional development to apply
- This grant will cover all expenses that meet the requirements of the UW policies & procedures for reimbursement (including airfare)
- If applicable, grant recipients are responsible for arranging any lodging and travel accommodations
- Applicants must submit a signed Supervisor Support Form with their application
Selection Process
Members from the advising, career services, and learning support communities will do an initial evaluation of all applications and then make recommendations to the Office of Academic & Career Success.
Applications will be evaluated on the following:
- Clarity of purpose and goals for the activity or experience
- Ways in which you believe the experience will benefit your program, unit, or university as a whole
- How you plan to share the information gained from the experience