Professional Development Grant

The PSS Professional Development Grant supports professional development, growth and/or advancement opportunities for professional staff at 91社区. Activities funded by this grant will contribute to the overall success of the staff member(s), their campus unit and the University as a whole. Successful applications will make a clear case for how an activity will directly benefit both the individual and the university.

Eligibility and Requirements

Please read carefully. Applications that do not meet the requirements listed below will have their applications turned down without review. If you are unsure whether you meet one of the following criteria, please contact PSS (pss@binghamton.edu) before submitting.

  1. Applications may only be submitted by current RF, M/C and/or UUP-represented professional  staff. Full- or part-time faculty, graduate students and CSEA-represented staff are NOT eligible for this grant. Full- or part-time faculty may qualify for the UUP鈥檚 Individual Development Award, and graduate students may find options with the Graduate School, Graduate Student Organization (GSO) or Graduate Student Employment Union.
  2. This grant is intended to reimburse personal payments toward past or future activities. For those who are unable to personally front their professional development expenses, you can now request your department to cover the costs prior to reimbursement using a foundation account; any approved applications will reimburse your department directly. Your department must use a foundation account in order to avoid transfer fees. However, please remember that your application for funding will still undergo review and approval - you are not guaranteed to be awarded a grant. Additionally, those who personally cover their expenses will be given priority over those whose department covers the costs. (Please see 鈥淨ualifying vs. Non-Qualifying Activities鈥 below.)
  3. If you are receiving additional support for this activity from another source, such as the UUP Individual Development Award, you must indicate the amount of funding in the 鈥淏udget鈥 section of the application form including expenses that are temporarily covered by your department. You may only submit expenses not already permanently covered by internal or external funding sources. You are required to disclose all other sources of funding. (Note: all applications are considered on their own merits; having other funding source[s] will neither help nor hinder your application.)

  4. There will be two application cycles in 2024-2025:
    • Fall submission deadline: Covers eligible costs incurred between June 1, 2024 and Dec. 31, 2024.
    • Spring submission deadline: Covers eligible costs incurred between Jan. 1, 2025 and May 31, 2025.
  5. Grant awardees must provide receipts detailing the dates and amounts of these costs no later than Jan. 15, 2025 for fall submissions and June 15, 2025 for spring submissions; failure to provide this documentation may result in your grant funds being rescinded. PSS will disburse grant funds after the activity is completed and if the recipient has submitted the required receipts.

Deadlines

Fall:

Period for eligible activities: June 1, 2024 - Dec. 31, 2024
Applications due by: Oct. 2, 2024
Decisions issued on or around: Oct. 16, 2024
Receipts/documentation due by: 30 days after start of event/activity or by Jan. 15, 2025, whichever comes first 

Spring:

Period for eligible activities:               Jan. 1, 2025 - May 31, 2025      
Applications due by:                   March 5, 2025
Decisions issued on or around: March 19, 2025
Receipts/documentation due by: 30 days after start of event/activity or by June 15, 2025, whichever comes first 

Please email PSS@binghamton.edu with any questions.

Qualifying Activities/Costs

  • Basic, applied or historical research
  • Curriculum or instructional material development
  • Workshop, seminar, internship or course (not covered by another waiver)
  • Conference participation or attendance
  • Equipment purchases
  • Preparation of material for publication
  • Grant proposal development
  • Artistic or creative endeavors
  • Professional reading or independent study
  • Other work-related professional development projects or activities

Non-Qualifying Activities/Costs

  • Tuition already covered by Contract Article 46/SUNY tuition waiver
  • Stipends, compensation or salary
  • Personal expenses
  • Departmental operating expenses
  • Parking/traffic tickets or fines of any type
  • Per diem and mileage will not be paid but individual meals, gas, etc. with original receipts are allowed 

Frequently funded activities include:

  • Registration fees (for conferences, workshops, webinars, or other events) 
  • Travel expenses (transportation, lodging, meal receipts and other expenses)
  • Research support (computer time, network access or support, etc.)
  • Course-related supplies (books, materials, fees, etc.)

Examples of Review Criteria

  • Individual need
  • Benefit to the University
  • Alignment to the Road Map strategic plan
  • Active involvement (i.e. presenting or committee involvement)

If you have any questions concerning this program, please contact the Professional Staff Senate.

To apply: 

Complete the PSS Professional Development Grant Application. Applicants will be required to upload a letter of support from their immediate supervisor. In this letter, please ask your supervisor to describe their support for your activity and to explicitly state if the department will or will not be funding, in whole or in part, any of this professional development opportunity. Contact pss@binghamton.edu if you have any questions.


FAQs

How much funding is offered?

PSS typically receives dozens of applications each grant cycle. While we strive to allocate more dollars to meet the high demand on campus, the total grant budget for 2023-24 is $25,000, restricting our ability to fully fund the majority of applications. Some, and often most, grants are given at less than the full request.


Current Professional Development Grant recipients

SPRING 2024
  •  Abagail Breidenstein
  • Stacey Brown
  • Michael Coyle
  • Kayla Elder
  • Megan Fegley
  • Laura Hensley
  • Patricia Hill
  • Whitney Inkster
  • Kirsten Knox
  • Kaitlin Maynard
  • Meghan McCarthy
  • Tenley Peak
  • Randi Scheiner
  • Mahum Siddiqi
  • Meryl Stromberg
  • Marjorie Weiland
  • Andrea Witteman
  • Marnie Wrighter
FALL 2023
  • Amy Breski
  • Stacey Brown
  • Sandra Conklin
  • Mikala Ferry
  • Jesse Fuca
  • Ola Habboub
  • Aaron Irvine
  • Sangmoon Kim
  • Ramona Lena
  • Caitlin Light
  • Kaitlin Maynard
  • Andrew Morris
  • Yongabi Ngoh
  • Troy Norton
  • Patti Reuther
  • Allen Wengert
  • Marnie Wrighter
SPRING 2023
  • Kevin Boettcher, Office of Strategic Research Initiatives
  • Jennifer Bourassa, Facilities Management
  • Rebecca Cetta, Residential Life
  • Michael Coyle, Psychology
  • Jennifer Drake-Deese, Watson College Advising
  • Brian Grill, Residential Life
  • Courtney Ignarri, Harpur College of Arts and Sciences
  • Aaron Irvine, Decker College of Nursing
  • Corey Konnick, University Center for Training and Development
  • Maggie Moore, Athletics
  • Kim Mousseau, Communications and Marketing
  • Emily Pearson, Laboratory Animal Resources
  • Joey Raniero, Athletics
  • Beth Riley, Violence Abuse Rape Crisis Center (VARCC)
  • Manar Sabry, Student Affairs Assessment and Solutions for Engagement (SAASE)
  • Nyra Serrant, Health and Counseling
  • Meryl Stromberg, Residential Life
  • Yan Sun, S3IP
  • Margaret Wolford, Watson Graduate Recruitment and Admissions
  • Emily Ziemba, New Student Programs
Fall 2022
  • Jeremy Boyle, Office of Development
  • Stacey Brown, Watson Career & Alumni Connections
  • Patrick Collette, Communications and Marketing
  • Karson Hahn, Athletics
  • Kim Mousseau, Communications and Marketing
  • Sara Oliveira, Center for Learning and Teaching
  • Mekenna Tallman, Office of Emergency Management
  • Riley Thomas, TRIO Upward Bound
  • Vincent Van Nostrand, Chemistry
  • Marvin Vinluan, Watson Dean's Office
  • Rocky Weintrob, Financial Aid and Student Records
  • Allen Wengert, Div. of Communications & Marketing
  • Lidia Zaka, Business Office
SPRING 2022
  • Jesse Fuca, Athletics
  • Sophia Givre, Dean of Students / TRIO
  • Kathleen Hart, Facilities Management
  • Gerald Hovancik, Creative Services
  • Stephanie Kotz, Harpur Academic Advising
  • Andrew Morris, CCPA Dean鈥檚 Office
  • Allison Nyamuame, Dual-Diploma Program
  • Cherie van Putten, Center for Learning and Teaching
  • Maggie Wolford, Watson Dean鈥檚 Office
Fall 2021
  • Caprice Chavez, Psychology
  • Tracie Conklin, Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences
  • Gary Dewey, ITS
  •  Jesse Fuca, Athletics
  • Zachary Jones, Telecommunications
  • Manar Sabry, SAASE
  • Sean Sherwood, Financial Aid and Student Records
  • April St. John, Computer Science
  • Genevieve Vallerga, Information Technology Services
  • Vincent Van Nostrand, Chemistry
  • Cherie van Putten, Center for Learning and Teaching
  • Allen Wengert, Division of Communications and Marketing

Past Professional Development Grant Winners

2020-2021
  • Cohley Acenowr, Psychology
spring 2020
  • Meghan Crist, Watson College
  • Kerri Culhane, Intercollegiate Athletics
  • Aynur de Rouen, Libraries
  • Megan Garton, Teaching, Learning and Educational Leadership
  • Brian Grills, Public Archaeology Facility
  • Kathryn Keesler, Business Affairs
  • Claire Kovacs, Art Museum
  • Fabiola Moreno Olivas, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Partnerships
  • Linda Salomons, Dean of Students
  • Randi Scheiner, Counseling
  • Genevieve Vallerga, Information Technology Services
  • Allen Wengert, Communications and Marketing
  • Andrea Witteman, University Center for Training and Development
  • Margaret Wolford, Watson College
fall 2019
  • Alycia Lackey, Biological Sciences
  • Amanda Osborne, Residential Life
  • Kari Bayait, Theatre
  • Caprice Chavez, Psychology
  • Jesse Fuca, Athletics
  • Madhuri Govindaraju, Office of Communications and Marketing
  • Monica Majors, Watson Dean's Office
  • Zoraya Cruz-Bonilla, Student Affairs Assessment and Strategic Initiatives
Spring 2019 
  • Rachel Cavalari, Institute for Child Development
  • Samantha Christ, Center for Learning and Teaching
  • Marcia Focht, Art History
  • Marcus Newton, Art and Design
  • Alison Nottke, Residential Life
  • Lyne Roglieri, Facilities Management
  • Manar Sabry, Student Affairs Assessment and Strategic Initiatives
  • Casey Slocum, Print Solutions
  • Virginia Stever, Economics
  • Cheryl Tarbox, ITS
  • Vincent Van Nostrand, Chemistry
Fall 2018
  • Ada Robinson-Perez
  • Olga Petrova
  • Cheryl Tarbox
  • Patti Dowd
  • Charles Grochowiak
  • Jason Gilbert
  • David Lewis
  • Todd Schmidt
  • Trevar Haefele
  • Kari Bayait
  • Lucia Pfizenmaier
  • Kim Garrison
SPRING 2018
  • Kristie Bowers, Athletics
  • Kelli Campa, Residential Life
  • James Hundley, Global Studies and LxC
  • Mark Jensen, Information Technology Services
  • Gregory Ketcham, Undergraduate Admissions
  • Celeste Lee, Harpur Academic Advising
  • Erin Marulli, Broome County HEARS
  • Cory Rusin, Broome County HEARS
  • Kate Shinko, University Counseling Center
  • Betsy Staff, New Student Programs
  • Virginia Stever, Economics
  • Casey Ward, CCPA - Promise Zone
FALL 2017
  • Robert Emmett, Athletics
  • Linda Salomons, Office of the Dean of Students
SPRING 2017
  • Renee Andrews, Facilities Management Long Term Planning
  • Erik Colon, Educational Opportunity Program
  • Colin Evans, Residence Life
  • Mary Petrosky, Facilities Management
  • Josu茅 Qui帽ones, Educational Opportunity Program
2016
  • Mark Allen
  • Janine Bautista 
  • Andrea MacArgel
  • Alexsa Silva
2015
  • Mary Jane Sager