Scholarship Application Guidelines
The purpose of the OCCMA Scholarship Program is to assist members with accessing educational/professional development opportunities. Scholarship applications and/or questions should be sent to Angela Speier at aspeier@orcities.org. Students will still apply through the Roger Jordan Perpetual Scholarship Fund.
The Scholarship Committee shall manage the application process and select scholarship recipients where possible.
Application Deadlines:
Applications for training programs and conferences will be accepted quarterly by the dates listed below. The applicant should be aware of conference deadlines and submit their application accordingly.
- Round One: February 1
- Round Two: May 1
- Round Three: August 1
- Round Four: November 1
OCCMA members are welcome to submit other programs for consideration for inclusion in the OCCMA Scholarship Program. Such suggestions should be submitted to the OCCMA Scholarship Committee for review and recommendation to the OCCMA Board of Directors. The ICMA International Exchange Program, while eligible, is a lower priority than the other approved professional development programs and conferences. Applications will be considered when a lack of applications exists for other professional development programs.
Professional Development Conferences
| Eligible Conferences | CAP |
|
International City/County Management Association (ICMA) – Annual Conference Up to 50% tuition and up to 50% travel/accommodations |
$1,500 |
|
OCCMA Summer Conference Full tuition and travel/accommodations |
$1,500 |
|
League of Oregon Cities Fall and Spring Conference Up to 50% tuition and up to 50% travel/accommodations |
$800 |
| NW Regional Manager’s Conference | $500 |
| Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) – Annual Conference | $500 |
| NW Economic Development Conference | $500 |
Eligibility Requirements:
- Active and affiliate members in good standing. Members in Transition are encouraged to apply.
- Interns serving an OCCMA member community one year prior may apply to attend the following years OCCMA Spring Workshop.
Other Considerations:
- Past or current service to OCCMA.
- Future potential of the candidate to make an impact in the profession.
- Other service to the profession such as city/county management associations in other states, ICMA, LOC, etc.
- Members of the Scholarship Committee shall be eligible to apply. During an application period when there are more applications than funds, a Scholarship Committee member submitting an application must recuse themselves from the award discussion.
- Size of community currently serving. Preference/weight will be given for individuals serving small cities under 5,000 population.
Application Letter Requirements:
- Eligibility and Considerations: Demonstrate program eligibility and address program considerations.
- Statement of Need: How will the scholarship make the difference to attend the conference?
- Attachments:
-
- Resume
- Program information and costs
- Travel budget if submitting for travel
Note: The Scholarship Committee will consider conferences not listed. Applicants must clearly demonstrate the applicability to the profession and individual’s professional development goals. All conference scholarships will be distributed as a reimbursement following proof of payment and event attendance. Applicants are encouraged to seek and leverage scholarship opportunities through other organizations such as ICMA in addition to the opportunities through OCCMA.
Professional Development Training Programs
| Eligible Professional Development Training Programs | CAP |
|---|---|
| Local Government Reimagined Conferences (formerly the ICMA Regional Conferences) | $2,500 |
|
Leadership ICMA (Fall) (2 Year Program) Up to 50% tuition and up to 50% travel/accommodations Note and additional application requirement: Leadership ICMA requires a significant time and travel commitment to complete. Applicants must clearly demonstrate their personal and community’s commitment to support and fund full participation in this two-year program. |
$5,000 |
|
ICMA High Performance Leadership Academy (12-week online program) Up to 50% tuition for ICMA members |
$1,000 |
|
Gettysburg Leadership Institute Up to 50% tuition and up to 50% travel/accommodations |
$2,500 |
|
Williamsburg Leadership Institute Up to 50% tuition and up to 50% travel/accommodations |
$1,000 |
|
ICMA International Regional Summit or Exchange Up to 50% tuition and up to 50% travel/accommodations |
$2,500 |
|
Commonwealth Center for High Performance Organizations Up to 50% tuition and up to 50% travel/accommodations |
$4,000 |
Eligibility Requirements:
- Five years of service to the profession, with a preference in Oregon.
- OCCMA active or affiliate member in good standing. Members in Transition are encouraged to apply.
Other Considerations:
- Future potential of the candidate to make an impact in the profession.
- Other service to the profession such as city/county management associations in other states, ICMA, LOC, etc.
- Members of the Scholarship Committee shall be eligible to apply. During an application period when there are more applications than funds, a Scholarship Committee member submitting an application must recuse themselves from the award discussion.
- Size of community currently serving. Preference/weight will be given for individuals serving small cities under 5,000 population.
Application Letter Requirements:
- Applicant must clearly articulate the value of attending this program to themselves, their community and OCCMA.
- Eligibility and Considerations: Demonstrate program eligibility and address program considerations.
- Statement of Need: How will the scholarship make the difference to attend the professional development program?
- Program follow up: Propose a follow-up to the program experience that will inform/benefit OCCMA members.
- Attachments:
-
- Resume
- One letter of recommendation from a current OCCMA member
- Program information and budget (differentiate between registration and travel/accommodations where applicable)
Note: The Scholarship Committee will consider other training programs not listed. Applicants must clearly demonstrate the applicability to the profession and individual’s professional development goals. All training scholarships will be done as a reimbursement following successful completion of the program. Leadership ICMA will be distributed in two parts following the completion of year one and upon proof of certification/completion. Applicants are encouraged to seek and leverage scholarship opportunities through other organizations such as ICMA in addition to the opportunities through OCCMA.