Retain - Ignite - Skill building - Exploration

Application opens February 3, 2025 ⇒ Application closes February 28, 2025

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GRANT PURPOSES & OVERVIEW

The RISE Grant is awarded to eligible Division of Academic Affairs staff to cover costs related to attending various Professional Development opportunities including conferences, workshops, classes, webinars or any other opportunity to enhance relevant work-related knowledge and skills (not to use towards tuition fees for a degree).

A grant of $2,500 will be awarded to selected staff who have shown excellence in their unit and demonstrated an interest to excel in their career through professional development. They will need to explain how this experience will help build their skills and contributions to the university. The grant is not paid directly to the employee. Instead, the funding will be distributed to the department and used to cover professional development opportunities for the selected employee. Excess funds can be used by grantees in the future for other professional development opportunities. This grant is split into three categories based on the length of employment. You can nominate a co-worker, supervisee, or yourself!

This grant is for Professional Development opportunities during FY26, 7/1/25 - 6/30/26

GRANT CATEGORIES

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• Nominee/Self-nominator must be regular full-time staff within the Division of Academic Affairs at the University of Maryland, College Park (non-exempt or exempt)

• Members of the award committee are not eligible to receive this award

• Grant application may be started by self-nominator or nominator (can be supervisor)

  • • • • Applications must be completed in tandem between staff, nominator/reference and supervisor with all the required materials submitted by deadline (Friday, February 28th 11:59 PM)

          • • • • Must be from same college and department

                • If nominator/reference is not supervisor, staff must receive support from supervisor

                • Faculty can be nominator/reference

• Application should... 

  • • • • Show how this staff has excelled in their current role and should receive recognition

        • Explain how this experience will enhance the employee’s skills and contributions to the university 

        • Specify which professional development opportunities interest the nominee/self-nominator

• Grantees are expected to share gained knowledge from their professional development experience