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The Michigan Community Service Commission, in partnership with the Sara Ballard Volunteerism Fund, is pleased to offer scholarships to support professionals seeking to enhance their careers by developing skills in volunteer management and other areas. The scholarships can be used for either conferences or certification opportunities. An individual is eligible to receive one scholarship. Applicants will need to identify how they are able to meet costs of attending a conference or receiving a certificate if the scholarship does not provide enough to cover all costs. If attending a conference, a recipient must plan to attend the entire time of conference they registered to attend.
Eligible Conferences and Certificate programs
Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement Leadership Conference – St Paul, MN
Date: June 5-7
Website https://mavanetwork.org/
Registration AmeriCorps Members $490 Other Professionals $720
Scholarship up to $1,500
Use of Funds Registration, hotel, travel costs, food
Deadline March 21, 2024 – 12:00 pm
Points of Light Foundation Conference - Houston TX
Website: https://www.POLF.org
Date: June 11-14
Scholarship up to $2,000
Use of Funds Registration, hotel, travel costs, food
Deadline March 21, 2024 – 12:00 pm
Minnesota Alliance for Volunteer Advancement Leadership Conference, Virtual
Date: June 12
Website https://mavanetwork.org/
Registration AmeriCorps Members $55 Other Professionals $175
Scholarship Cost of Registration – Early Bird Rate
Use of Funds Virtual Conference
Deadline: May 20, 2024
Michigan Community Service Commission Volunteer Conference – Lansing, MI
Date: TBD – Potential September 26
Scholarship Cost of Registration
Use of Funds Registration, hotel, travel costs, food
Deadline: August 30, 2024
Certifications
Volunteer Administration CVA
Website https://cvacert.org/
Testing Timeline October 1 – 14, 2024
Scholarship $400
Requirements Meet all qualifications to be able to take exam before applying.
Deadline September 1, 2024
Other Certifications
Opportunities Individuals may identify a certification that fulfills a need as a nonprofit professional and apply for a scholarship
Scholarship Up to $2,000
Deadline: Applications no later than August 30, 2024
Application Review Process
• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, but applicants must meet deadlines listed with each opportunity as identified above.
• After selection, applicants will be notified if they received a scholarship and the amount by March 27 to allow them to take advantage of the early bird registration discounts for the first round of conferences.
• Applicants will confirm their acceptance of the scholarship.
Cost Reimbursement Process
• All expenses are reimbursed following the submission of invoices and will be paid through the Michigan Sigma Vendor system.
• Details about the vendor payment system will be shared once recipients have been selected.
• To open a vendor account with the state, use this link https://sigma.michigan.gov/webapp/PRDVSS2X1/AltSelfService
About Sara Ballard
Sara grew up in the East Lansing area and graduated from Alma College. From a young age, she had a passion for volunteerism. She was active with the Lansing Jaycees and excelled at organizing community events, such as the easter egg hunt on the capital lawn. Her passion for volunteerism was infectious as she challenged her friends and family to give of their time, funds, and talent to support causes that were close to them. In the early 2000’s she served the Volunteer Centers of Michigan and later moved to Washington state where she served as Executive Director of a Volunteer Center in Olympia Washington. Sadly, in 2011, Sara suffered a fatal stroke. In honor of Sara’s love for volunteerism and community service, her parents Jim and Nancy Ballard along with Sara’s brother Paul, have provided scholarship funds to support sending Michigan volunteer leaders to the Points of Light Conference to further enhance and support quality education for this important field of community engagement. This year they have expanded the opportunities to assist individuals attend conferences and certification requirements to further their professional development. The Michigan Community Service Commission and the State of Michigan are honored to be fulfilling Sara Ballard’s desire of supporting Michiganders make a difference in their communities.