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Professional Development Enhancement and Retention Fund

To support the professional success of OHIO faculty and staff who enhance the diversity of our institution, academic and administrative units may request professional development and retention funds to supplement professional development opportunities for a member of the unit or for the entire unit. In addition, faculty and staff who engage in research, scholarly or creative activities that advance our knowledge and make contributions to the field of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility may request professional development enhancement and retention funding to supplement their individual professional development opportunities.

Funding

The Division of Diversity & Inclusion will provide professional development enhancement funds up to $20,000 per college/unit/department and up to $5,000 for individual requests. Requesting units are expected to provide matching funds to support their request. Application approval will be based on availability of funds. Preference will be given to departments/units/individuals not funded during the previous year/cycle.

Funding Application Criteria

Professional Development Enhancement and Retention Funds are available to support the following categories:

  1. Professional Development (Individual). Applications may request funds to support professional development for individual faculty or staff in the area(s) of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Funds may be used for attendance at professional conferences, professional certifications, collection of data needed to advance research activities, support for book or article publications, travels to engage in research, leadership/professional development opportunities, etc. 
  2. Professional Development (Group). Applications may request funds to support professional development opportunities or training in diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and sense of belonging for offices, department/school, college, or other academic/administrative units. Funds may be used to support guest speakers, host workshops, make training/certification investments, etc. Requesting units are required to provide matching funds to support the application.
  3. Retention (Individual). Applications may request funds that support a college, school, or department's efforts to retain individual faculty or staff work whose presence adds to the diversity of the campus and its culture. Applications needs to include justification on how a one-time funding request of this kind will contribute to the retention of the individual. In the case of salary augmentation to retain an individual, and application must also include a description of how the salary augmentation will be sustained beyond the award year.

Request Process for Professional Development Funds

Funding requests should include:

Requests made on behalf of an individual:

  • The name of the potential recipient for the funding.
  • Potential recipient鈥檚 accomplishments and potential as it relates to their contributions to the office, teaching, scholarship and/or service.
  • Description of how the candidate brings diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and/or belonging to the unit and/or field (I.e. research and scholarship, pedagogical approaches, service, etc.).
  • Proposed use of the funds and anticipated impact.
  • In the case of salary augmentation, a description of how the salary augmentation will be sustained after the initial year.
  • Timeline for the use of funds (Note that funds will not carry over to next fiscal year).

Requests made on behalf of a group:

  • Name of the college, department, or unit.
  • The name of the professional development opportunity for which funding is sought.
  • Description of how the activity will advance the unit鈥檚 understanding/practices in the areas of diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and sense of belonging.
  • Description of how the activity aligns with the college/department/unit鈥檚 strategic plan
  • Timeline for the use of funds (Note that funds will not carry over to next fiscal year).
  • Funding amount requested and source of matching funds from the unit.

Note: A follow-up meeting may be requested to understand the request and to agree on expectations.

Request Review Procedures

Requests for funds are accepted August 15 through May 15 each year. Requests will be reviewed during the first week of each month, or thereabout, with a decision made by the 15th of each month. *This process may be delayed if the selection committee determines more information is needed. Requests will be reviewed, and funds awarded based on funding availability each year. Funds must be used by June 30th.

Faculty/Staff receiving Professional Development Enhancement Funds will be required to provide a report to the Opportunity Hire Committee on the use of the funds by July 15th. A report template can be provided upon request. In some instances, fund recipients may be asked to share their research and experiences with the campus community.

Units/Schools/Departments receiving flexible professional development funds will be required to provide a report to the Opportunity Hire Committee on the use of the funds and impact within a year of funding. A report template can be provided upon request.

Required Application Materials 

Please review the below materials in preparation to submitting your application. 

For Retention (Individual) 

  • Describe the proposed retention plan.
  • What are the candidate's accomplishments that support the need for this funding?
  • Describe how the candidate enhances, diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and/or belonging for the unit or office and/or field in relation to their contributions to the office, teaching, scholarship, and/or service?
  • What are the anticipated impacts or intended outcomes to the unit as a result of participation in this opportunity?
  • How will the funds be used?
  • How will the funds be used? In the case of salary augmentation, please provide a description of how the salary augmentation will be sustained after the initial year.
  • What is the timeline for the use of funds?

For Professional Development (Group)

  • Describe how the activity will advance the unit's understanding/practices in the areas of diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and sense of belonging.
  • Describe how the activity aligns with the college/department/unit's strategic plan.
  • What are the anticipated impacts or intended outcomes to the unit as a result of participation in this opportunity?
  • What is the timeline for the use of funds?

For Professional Development (Individual) 

  • What are the candidate(s) accomplishments that clarifies the need for this funding?
  • Describe how the candidate brings diversity to the unit or office and/or field in relation to their contributions to the office, teaching, scholarship, and/or service?
  • What are the anticipated impacts or intended outcomes to the unit as a result of participation in this opportunity?
  • How will the funds be used?
  • What is the timeline for the use of funds?

Note: Funds will not carryover to the next fiscal year.