The NCAA recently awarded its Ethnic Minorities and Women's Internship Grant, designed to provide financial assistance to Division II and III member schools and conferences that commit to enhance ethnic minority and gender representation in entry-level athletics administrative positions, to a group of 22 young professionals who recently began their new roles.
In positions approved for grant funding, schools and conferences are encouraged to include exposure to a variety of these areas: strategic planning, budget management, fundraising, campus and NCAA compliance, sport oversight, student-athlete welfare issues and initiatives, academics, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and staff oversight/management.
As part of the grant, interns and their supervisor spent two days in July taking part in personal and professional development programming led by the NCAA's leadership development department. In addition to providing funds for other professional development opportunities, the Ethnic Minorities and Women's Internship Grant includes funding to attend an NCAA Convention, where recipients come together to network, learn and grow in their shared mission to provide the best student-athlete experience on their campuses.
"The offices of Division II and III at the national office continue to show their commitment to diversity and inclusion through these diversity grants," said Lamarr Pottinger, associate director of leadership development at the NCAA. "This commitment, along with the commitment from member schools and conferences, has afforded opportunities to current and future executive leaders of both divisions."
The NCAA provides $30,000 in funding directly to schools and conferences selected for the grant to support the salary and wages of the intern. The NCAA additionally provides $3,000 at the beginning of each year to be used for professional development.
In Division III, grant recipients are on two-year funding cycles. In Division II, grant recipients are on one-year funding cycles. Each division funds its grant recipients from its divisional budget. Grant recipients are chosen by selection committees comprising five representatives from their respective division.
More information on the Division II grants is available here, and on the Division III grants here. Applications for next year's grant cycle open in September and close at the end of January 2024.