PennACE Grant Requests
Timeline for submitting Grant proposals:
- The Grants Committee will accept proposals beginning July 1, 2026. Decisions will be made and awards presented on a rolling basis until all grant money has been awarded or until the March 1, 2027 deadline.
- Grant recipients will be notified by email when a decision has been made in regard to their proposal. If the grant has been approved, recipients will receive an award letter and a check from the PennACE Treasurer within 30 days of the decision.
To be eligible to receive maximum funding of $1,000, grant applicants must:
- Demonstrate that the project is a collaborative effort between a minimum of two PennACE organizational members.
- Present an idea that is new and innovative. If your group is adding a new twist to an old program, we will consider partial funding, which will not exceed $500.
- Complete the project by May 5, 2027 and present a final report electronically to the Grants Committee chairperson by May 12, 2027.
- Guarantee that one member of your team will attend the 2027 PennACE Conference, and that person will agree to do an Express Session presentation during the conference to showcase the project.
To be eligible to receive funding of $500, grant applicants must:
- Demonstrate that the project is sponsored by one or more PennACE organizational members and the project can include participants outside the organization.
- Present an idea that is new and innovative. If adding a new twist to an old program, we will consider partial funding, which will not exceed $250.
- Follow the same completion dates and conference presentation responsibilities outlined above
Grant proposals must include the following:
- Title of the Project.
- Name and contact information including address, phone, and email of the Project Manager. This person must be a PennACE member willing to accept responsibility for managing the project funds. Please also include to whom the award check shall be written (for example, an individual name, department or college/university.)
- A list of the Project Team members and/or the Project Sponsor (if relevant) and their contact information.
- The total amount of grant money being requested.
- A report of Matching Funds that will be provided by the sponsoring institutions. *Note-Matching funds are not required but may have a better rate of approval.
- Description of the Project, not to exceed three typed/double-spaced pages. Please include an introduction, some narrative about the background and purpose of the project, and a brief explanation of why this is an innovative or new project.
- Indicate the relationship between the proposed project and PennACE’s mission by identifying which purpose(s) this project addresses.
- Define the intended outcomes of the project; provide a methodology on how the project objectives will be measured.
- Describe how you plan to evaluate by presenting a plan for determining the degree to which the Program Objectives will be met, including a method of data analysis.
- Outline the timelines for planning, presenting and completing the project.
- Provide a simple breakdown of how you plan to spend both the grant and any matching funds that will be used to develop and implement this project.
SPECIAL NOTES:
- Grant proposals can be submitted to Steve Hassinger by stated deadline.
- Grant proposals requesting funds to pay speakers are a low priority, and will diminish the likelihood that the grant will be approved. If grant moneys are used for speakers, only 50% of the grant awarded may be used to compensate speakers.
- Application for grant funds does not guarantee that the Grants Committee will fund your project.
2025-2026 Grant Recipients
Kutztown University, Alvernia University, Reading Area Community College, and Brentwood Industries
Berks Internship Summit
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Crimson Closet
Past Grant Recipients
2021 – 2022
Central Penn College – Adulting Fair
2022-2023
Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Coffee & Career Conversations
Indiana University of Pennsylvania - Professional Panel Series
2023 – 2024
2024-2025
Indiana University of Pennsylvania – My Cool Career
