National ESP needs your help to award over $40,000 to it members this year.

May 1, 2021 is the deadline for scholarships and grants.

Through scholarships, grants, and conference stipends the National ESP program wants to award $40,000 back to our members in 2021. Check out the new Conference 1st Timers Scholarship for members.  And chapters should look at the new (3rd year) Rita T Wood Grant.

Scholarships

ESP will be awarding multiple scholarships in five different categories from applications received by May 1. The amount of funds given this year could be a record setting year. Don't be left out.  Submit your scholarship application before May 1. 

Attending ESP conference for the first time?  The NEW First Timer's Scholarship will award multiple scholarships to cover conference registration for ESP members attending the national conference for the first time.

Are you a program administrator or leader at the county, regional, state or national level and never attended ESP national conference? Check out the Redinger Administrative Leader Scholarships.

Are you actively involved in helping to reengage a struggling chapter? Attending a national conference could give you new ideas. We will help you get to the 2021 National Conference with the ESP Chapter at Risk Scholarships.

The Justin Morrill Scholarships offers $1000 scholarships to members employed by our 1890 or 1994 Land Grant institutions.

Finally the Angus Professional Development Scholarships are available to all ESP members for any type of professional development activity. 

Grants

ESP offers grants in two categories to support projects resulting in growth of our members and chapters. We will be awarding grants in both categories from May 1 applications.

Is your chapter looking to increase membership and develop leadership skills amongst members? The Rita T Wood Grant can help! Rita is a life member of ESP, Alpha Xi Chapter in New Jersey. She served in many leadership roles in her chapter, including President for 5 years, before serving as national vice president and on national committees. Because of her desire to promote leadership in individuals within chapter development she established this grant.

This grant can be used to increase local chapter visibility, strengthen chapters and chapter leadership, especially amongst new members.

The Alpha Kappa Chapter in Kentucky was one of the first Rita T. Wood Grant recipients. The Alpha Kappa Chapter used the funds to support the ESP-Alpha Kappa Chapter Leads program. The program's focus on leadership development allows members to prepare for future roles in associations and promotion within the extension system. The first cohort of Leads began meeting in the Fall of 2019, with program graduation set for March of 2021. Participants were to attend a variety of in-person sessions focusing on essential leadership skills and learning opportunities. Each participant also had to implement and evaluate a program on the local level and present findings at the 2021 Annual meeting. The program was adapted due to COVID 19, but this provides a great example of the type of project this grant was meant to fund.

The Professional Development Programming Grants are awarded to interdisciplinary teams to simulate development of a broad audience of Extension Professionals.