Staff and Manager Career Development Grants
Staff and manager grants support staff pursuing professional development. Human Resources in partnership with the University Staff Advisory Committee (USAC) offer the grants to advance the university’s mission of creating and discovering knowledge to improve our communities.
Several updates have been made to the grant process for the 2024 fiscal year. Please thoroughly review the below information.
Grant funding of up to $1,500 for individuals and $2,250 for groups of two or more is available for staff with at least a 0.75 FTE status who have been employed for at least one year. Only an interest in development is needed to apply. A specific course, program or use for the funds is not required prior to applying or receiving a staff or manager grant.
Fiscal year 2024 applications
Applications for fiscal year 2024 closed August 31, 2023. USAC will review completed applications to screen for eligibility and select recipients by a random drawing. All applicants will be informed of award decisions by Oct. 2, 2023. If awarded, recipients have 30 days to provide Workday worktag information. Upon receipt of that information, requested grant funds will be transferred to the recipient’s department, and the recipient will work with their fiscal team to use the funds. Awarded funds are available for use through June 30, 2024.
Applications for fiscal year 2025 are anticipated to open in May 2024 with awarded funds available for use during fiscal year 2025 (July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025).
What changed this year?
- Simplified application process
- Scoring rubric replaced with random drawing
- No proposed career or professional development activity required for application
- Shifted from two award cycles per year to one and aligned to the fiscal year
- Awarded funds transferred directly to the department, removing reimbursement requirement
- Increased award amounts, combined group
Frequently Asked Questions
All university and Ohio State Wexner Medical Center staff who have been employed at least one consecutive year as of the application close date (August 31, 2023) with more than a 0.75 FTE status are eligible to apply for a manager or staff grant. Faculty and students are not eligible. Recipients of manager or staff grants are only eligible to receive a grant every three years and eligibility will be confirmed prior to grant award decisions.
Staff and manager grants are designed to support the professional and career development of staff and can be used to cover any number of activities. Departments should use their discretion as to what defines professional or career development activities. All Ohio State-sponsored training is approved, including undergraduate, graduate, or professional course books or fees, MAPS courses, and/or the Staff Leadership Series. Other activities could include workshops, seminars, conference registration, travel, professional organization fees/membership, books, and/or educational/professional software.
Coursework
Approved:
- Tuition related to undergraduate, graduate, or professional coursework (Ohio State or other institution)
- can include courses in a degree program or non-degree coursework
Not Approved:
- Taxes assessed on tuition for Ohio State coursework that exceeds the IRS educational benefit threshold
- Application fees
Trainings, Seminars and Conferences
Approved:
- Ohio State sponsored training, seminars, workshops and programs
- MAPS courses and/or the Staff Leadership Series
- Professional conference registration/fees
- Enrollment fees for courses, workshops, etc.
Not Approved:
- Application fees
Materials and Supplies for Professional Activities
Approved:
- Specialized computer software (must be approved by OTDI)
- Books
- Required course, workshop and training materials
Not Approved:
- Office equipment and supplies
- Lab and/or clinical supplies
- Computer hardware
- Office, college or unit “swag”
- Rewards or gifts for self or team members
Food and Travel
Approved:
- Costs associated with professional-related travel (food, parking, transportation, hotel, etc.)
Not Approved:
- Personal travel (includes working vacations, missions trips, volunteer projects)
- Parking fees (unless associated with travel/per diem)
- Food for self or team members (unless associated with travel/per diem)
Coaching and Consulting
Approved:
- One-time professional consultation
- Professional coaching
- Career coaching
Not Approved:
- Self-promotion activities (personal coaching, personal branding consultants, etc.)
- Self-care activities (life coaching, therapy, etc.)
- Work-life balance activities
Miscellaneous Expenses
Approved:
- Professional organization membership fees/dues
- Examinations for professional certifications
- Publication costs
- Invited speaker fees
- Processing fees
Not approved:
- Application fees
- Hiring additional staff
- Donations
The maximum for an individual award (staff or manager) is $1,500. The maximum for a group (2 or more people) is $2,250. On the application, applicants will select the amount they are requesting. Each year there is a finite amount of funds available and as many eligible grants as possible will be funded.
For manager grants, a manager is defined as anyone who supervises at least one full-time employee. The application is the same for both manager and staff grants, and eligibility will be determined prior to awarding.
Previously, this program operated as a reimbursement process. New for 2023, awarded grant funds are now transferred directly to the recipient’s department. This adjustment simplifies the process for award recipients and eliminates the need for recipients to pay up-front for development opportunities. Workday worktag (financial account) information will be gathered from grant recipients in partnership with their fiscal team to process the transfer.
The Office of Human Resources and University Staff Advisory Committee worked together to ensure grants are being administered within a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive framework. Specifically, the task force wanted to:
- Remove unnecessary verbiage and requirements that gave an advantage to staff with strong writing skills, advanced education, and/or previous experience with award applications.
- Simplify the application process to only require a brief description of desired future professional and career development activities.
- Ensure greater or more equitable access to grant information and resources, especially for staff who do not have office-based jobs or regular computer access.
- Streamline access to funds and have a more clearly defined and transparent award period and process.
- Go to HR Connection
- Click the “Submit a Request” link (near the top of the page)
- Under Categories (left nav), click Learning and Development
- Click the catalog item called Staff Grants Application