Special Grant

Special Grant funding is available as an alternate source of funds for professional and personal development for JCCC full- and part-time faculty and full-time staff. Funds are available on a first come first serve basis. Once the allocated yearly amount has been met, the committee will no longer be able to review applications.

Grant Type	Description
Conference Presentation–up to $1,000	Presenter for a specific session at a conference.
Conference Attendance–up to $800	(Full-time faculty NOT eligible)
Specialized Training–up to $1,500	Training for new skills which result in continuing education hours, certification, or licensure

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Apply here:  Special Grant Application

When you access the application, download it to fill out.

Submit application to: Staff Development within HR, GEB 262, Box 46 or email staffdev.dept@jccc.edu.

Deadlines:

Approval:
Staff Development and Faculty Development reserves the right to interview applicants if deemed necessary.

• Grants will be awarded on activity merit and availability of funds.
• Reimbursement will not exceed the total amount approved.
• Limited to once per fiscal year.
• Part-time staff are not eligible.

Obligations & Important Considerations:

• A Special Grant submission does not count as a travel request. Employees must submit a travel request through Concur prior to event date. For more information on how to submit a travel request, visit the Travel Information & Procedures page and the Travel & Expense Reminders page.
• Airbnb and Vrbo are not covered by special grant funds.

Frequently Asked Questions

How will I know if I should apply for a Special Grant?
You should apply if you need assistance attending or presenting at a conference, or if you plan to complete specialized training that results in certification or CEUs.

Please note: Special Grants are meant to assist after department funds have been applied. Department funds must be the first source for employee travel and professional development. Special Grants are merely a supplement to what department training funds cannot cover. We do this to ensure we can assist as many people as possible all across campus.

When should I submit my application?
Employees are strongly encouraged to leave a buffer of about 3 weeks between the deadline date and the first date of the event. This allows enough time to finalize plans, make payments, or secure funding elsewhere in the event your application is denied.

Can Adjunct Faculty apply for Special Grants?
Short answer: Yes! Long answer: Adjunct faculty members must be on-contract the semester during which they apply for Special Grant funds.

What can the Special Grant money be used for? What can it NOT be used for?
Special Grant funds may go toward:

• Registration
• Per diems
• Gas mileage
• Airfare
• Hotels
• Airport parking
• Uber/Lyft/taxi to and from the airport (both in KC and in destination)

Special Grant Funds may NOT go toward:

• Food costs for same-day travel (meaning you can drive to and from the conference within a 24-hour period)

When should I make my travel arrangements?
We encourage all applicants to wait until their application is approved before spending money or finalizing travel plans. (And don’t forget, you must submit a Travel Request through Concur before arrangements can be made and paid for.) This is why we suggest the buffer period of at least 3 weeks between the deadline and the first day of the event.

Do I have to pay for everything up front before submitting my application?
Nope, you can document the likely cost for the expense.

For example, with documenting Airfare: If you are browsing an airline’s website and add a flight “to your cart” – you can simply attach a screenshot of the cart without actually completing the payment portion.

Who is responsible for approving Special Grants?
Farrell Hoy Jenab, Director Faculty Development and Rachel Haynes, Director Employee Engagement & Development

Where do the Special Grant funds come from?
Staff Development budgets a certain amount of money each year to support Special Grants. When that money has been used, Faculty Development may opt to continue supporting with their own funds, or they may choose to stop Special Grants for the remainder of the fiscal year. 

What all is involved in applying for a Special Grant?
The first two pages of the application details the steps and required documentation for accurately completing a request for Special Grant funds. Applicants are required to sign their acknowledgement of the requirements and that their application may not be considered or approved if anything is missing or done incorrectly.

For help getting comfortable with the Special Grant application process, applicants can read through the entire FAQ. Any questions not answered by those resources can be directed to the Staff Development.

Will the Special Grant Committee reimburse me if I pay for my conference/training out of pocket before applying?
Reimbursements are not guaranteed.

Does the Special Grant cover membership fees in addition to registration and travel costs?
Yes, Special Grant funds can be used for membership fees. Many conferences roll membership costs into their conference attendance fees.

I’ve read the instructions on the application, and I still need help. Who should I contact?
Email Staff Development at staffdev.dept@jccc.edu or call ext. 7654.

Any questions about the Special Grant process and/or application should be sent to staffdev.dept@jccc.edu.