Professional Development Funding

FY26 Fiscal Year Funding Schedule

Quarter I (July-September)

Applications available May 5 – 26, 2025

Quarter II (October-December)

Applications available August 4 – 29, 2025

Quarter III (January-March)

Applications available October 27 – November 17, 2025

Quarter IV (April-June)

Applications available February 2 – 23, 2026

Quarter I FY27 (July-September)

Applications available May 5 – 26, 2026

Purpose

The University of Central Arkansas (UCA) Staff Senate is committed to the professional growth and advancement of our staff. Staff Senate established the Professional Development Fund to assist a staff member in pursuing opportunities for professional development. All full-time classified or non-classified staff with a minimum of six months of service are eligible to apply. The value of the funding depends on the available funds and the number of applicants. The maximum award amount per quarter is $2,000 per applicant; the final value of the funding depends on the available funds and the number of applicants.

Eligibility Requirements

To ensure that funding is distributed equitably across staff members at the university, the following eligibility rules apply:

Employment Status: Applicants must be current full-time staff members with at least six months of service at UCA. Faculty are not eligible to apply.
Funding Frequency: An individual is eligible to receive a grant only if they have not received Staff Senate professional development funding in the current or the previous fiscal year.
- Example: If you received funding in FY24, you are not eligible again until FY26.
Application Timing: Applications must be submitted and approved before the start of the professional development activity.

Post-Award Requirements

Award recipients will be required to obtain at least 8 hours of staff senate comp time by working a combination of football, basketball, public performances operated by Staff Senate, or Commencement. Volunteers cannot leave partway through a game/event just because the minimum hours were met.

These funds are provided as reimbursements to your departmental budget. The funds will be awarded after your development opportunity has taken place to ensure that only eligible expenses are covered. After accepting the funds, the committee will provide deadlines and additional guidance on how to seek reimbursement.

Allowable Expenses & Activities

Grants are awarded specifically for professional development opportunities. Qualifying expenses include, but are not limited to:

Conference Travel: Registration fees, airfare/mileage, and lodging associated with professional conferences.
Certifications & Licensure: Fees for obtaining or renewing professional certifications or additional licensures relevant to the applicant’s role.
Continuing Education: Workshops, seminars, or specialized training courses.
Webinars/Virtual Learning: Registration for online professional development series.

Review Priorities & Criteria

The Staff Senate Professional Development Committee reviews all applications. Because funds are limited, the committee prioritizes applications based on the following considerations:

Conference Presentations: Staff members selected to present a paper, poster, or workshop at a regional, national, or international conference.
Certifications: Activities leading to a professional certification or licensure that benefit the professional development goals of a staff member.
Continuing Education: Workshops or conferences that provide direct skill-building or required CEUs (Continuing Education Units).

Secondary Considerations

In the event that the committee receives multiple qualified applications that exceed the available budget, the following factors may be used to determine final awards:

Years of Service: Preference may be given to staff members with longer tenures of service to the University.
Departmental Support: The level of partial funding provided by the applicant’s home department.
Impact: The degree to which the activity aligns with the applicant’s current job duties or career path at UCA.

All full-time staff with at least six months of service are eligible to apply. Faculty are not eligible.

Award recipients will be required to obtain at least 8 hours of staff senate comp time by working a combination of football, basketball, Reynolds Performance Hall events, or Commencement. Volunteers cannot leave partway through a game/event just because the minimum hours were met.

Questions? Contact Alexandria Todd (asmith75@uca.edu) or Bo Blew (bblew@uca.edu).

Name*
First Last
UCA ID Number*
Found on your Faculty/Staff ID BearCard and often referred to as your "B" number. Replace the B with a zero as this is a numeric field.
UCA Physical Address*
UCA Email Address*
Phone*
Employment Start Date*
Job Title*
Department*
*IMPORTANT* Application Submission Confirmation*
Please initial here to acknowledge you will receive both an on-screen confirmation message as well as a confirmation email once your application is submitted. Please do not exit this browser window until you confirm your application was submitted.
Primary roles and responsibilities in UCA position.*
Describe the opportunity you are seeking. Please provide detailed information including date(s), location, host, breakdown of costs, agenda topics, etc.*
Don't forget to include a breakdown of known expenses & an agenda.
Amount of Funding Requested*
Overall awards cannot be more than $2,000.
Amount of Registration Fee*
Total Cost of Opportunity*
Describe how this professional development opportunity will benefit you as an employee of your department. How will this experience benefit UCA?*
Describe the professional development opportunities that you participated in during the 2024-2025 academic year that were funded by your department or division.*
Do you have any other source of funding to assist with your professional development opportunity?*
- Yes
- No
"No" indicates to the committee that you will be unable to complete your Professional Development opportunity if your request is not fully funded.
If you answered yes to the previous question, please provide an estimate of the funds you will receive and what the amount will cover.
Example: $375 for registration
If you are working on a certificate or degree, what institution are you enrolled in?
If you are working on a certificate or degree, how many hours have you completed? How many are you currently enrolled in?
Did you receive a Staff Senate scholarship or Professional Development award last fiscal year?*
Volunteer Agreement*
Please initial here to acknowledge that recipients will be required to obtain at least 8 hours of holiday time by working a combination of football, basketball, or Reynolds Performance Hall events. *Volunteers can not leave partway through an event just because the minimum hours are met.*
Supervisor Approval*
All recipients of Staff Senate Professional Development funds are required to seek approval from their supervisor for the specific professional development activity they are requesting funds for (with the exception of book scholarships). Initial above that you have read and are aware of this requirement.
Supervisor Email*
Information Release*
By submitting this form you agree to allow the Professional Development Chair to verify your employment status.
Upload a File
If you would like to submit additional documentation or receipts, please upload your file here.

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