Grants & Scholarships

Mini-Grants

INSSWA offers two opportunities during the school year for full members to apply for a mini-grant in the amount of $100 - $500. While mini-grant applications may be submitted anytime during the year, the deadlines for each cycle are November 1st & June 1st, with funding decisions being made shortly thereafter. Grant requests may be fully or partially funded.

The purpose of these grants is to help school social workers establish or enhance programs that provide direct services to students and/or their families. Grant recipients are expected to write a short descriptive paragraph about their program, as well as provide a curricular outline of their program to be posted on the INSSWA website (non-copyrighted information). Members are encouraged to apply if they have an existing program for which new materials are needed, or have an idea for implementation of a new program.

Grant guidelines and information may be found on the INSSWA website or by contacting our Midwest Chair at insswamidest@gmail.com.

INSSWA Mini-Grant Guidelines

1. Mini-Grants will be made available to the regular membership of INSSWA, ranging in amount from $100 to $500. The grant request may be fully or partially funded. The number of grants given will be dependent on the availability of funds.
2. Applicants must hold regular membership in INSSWA and have an IDOE license.
3. Regular members may apply based on their practice needs, with priority given to those who have not previously received a mini-grant.

4. Mini-Grant programs and materials must provide direct service to students and/or their families. INSSWA will consider proposals which include, but are not limited to:

   1. Curriculum for counseling, classroom presentations, and/or school wide programs
   2. support of programs that strengthen your school social work services; support of parent/child development and family life programs
   3. * No clothing or food may be purchased with grant monies

5. Timeline:

   1. All mini-grant applications are due to INSSWA by May 15th (for first semester) and October 15th (for second semester).
   2. The INSSWA Mini-Grant Committee will review the applications within three weeks and make their recommendations to the INSSWA Board of Directors.
   3. All applicants will be notified by July 1st (first semester cycle) and December 1st (second semester cycle) of the Board’s decision. Notification information will be sent by the Board President or designee by email.
6. Mini-Grants will be disbursed by reimbursement. Grant monies will need to be expended and reported to the INSSWA treasurer by August 30th (first semester cycle) and January 30th (second semester cycle). If additional time is needed, the awardee is expected to contact the INSSWA treasurer.
7. Grant monies not expended by August 30th (first semester cycle) and January 30th (second semester cycle) of the same year the mini-grant was awarded will be returned to the INSSWA treasury, with the exception of those who have made prior arrangements with the INSSWA treasurer.
8. Grant recipients are expected to write a short descriptive paragraph about their program that will be posted on the INSSWA website (non-copyrighted information) by the end of the semester in which their program was implemented.
9. No mini-grant applications nor materials submitted with the application will be returned to the applicant.

Scholarships

Scholarships will be made available to the regular membership of INSSWA for both the Midwest Conference and SSWAA Conference, as monies are available. The number and amount of scholarships will be dependent on the availability of funds and decided by the INSSWA Board each year.

For further information, please contact our INSSWA President.

Scholarship Guidelines

1. Scholarships will be made available to the regular, charter, or retired membership of INSSWA for both the Midwest Conference and SSWAA Conference, as monies are available. The number and amount of scholarships will be dependent on the availability of funds and decided by the INSSWA Board each year.
2. Applications will be accepted 2 months before the date of the conferences.
3. Regular, charter, or retired members may apply annually for a scholarship. However, if numerous applications are received, priority will be given to those who have not been awarded a scholarship in the previous year.
4. Scholarship monies are to be spent on expenses directly related to the conference such as registration, hotel, and transportation, including air travel or mileage, reimbursed at 30 cents per mile. No other expenses will be reimbursed. Awardee letter will be sent by the INSSWA president and includes reimbursement form for above expenses. Reimbursement form and receipts are to be submitted to the INSSWA treasurer within 30 days of the conference.

5. Scholarship monies may be disbursed in two ways:

   1. Reimbursement: Scholarship recipient submits receipts to INSSWA treasurer after making incurring expenses, within 30 days after conference (no later than Oct. 25 for Midwest due to fiscal year ending Oct. 31).
   2. Recipients may request that INSSWA treasurer make direct payment for registration for the conference.
6. Scholarship recipients are expected to share with INSSWA president information on conference presenters, including contact information, for possible INSSWA conferences.