FIAA Alumni Professional Development Grant


About the Grant

Alumni of the Faculty of Information and its predecessors are invited to apply for funding up to a maximum of $500 for professional development activities.

This grant is currently not available due to limitations in hosting the Alumni Reunion’s Silent Action.

This grant — given during the spring and also sometimes during the fall* — is intended to support attendance at a conference or a professional development program (e.g. workshop, course or other similar activity deemed appropriate by the FIAA Grants and Awards Committee). Preference will be given to individuals who are unemployed, underemployed, switching careers or receiving limited professional development funding from their workplace.

* The ability to offer a second grant in the fall term is based on funds raised at the Alumni Reunion’s Silent Auction.

Eligible Expenses

Eligible expenses include course, workshop or conference registration fees. The grant cannot be applied towards a University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies course if the applicant is eligible for a course credit offered to new graduates.

The date of the professional development activity must fall within the period of January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022.

The grant recipient will be required to submit official receipts for the reimbursement of expenses (up to a maximum of $500) related to the professional development activity. The recipient may be asked to provide proof of course completion.

Qualifications

In order to be considered for the grant, all of the following criteria must be met.  The applicant must:

  • Be a graduate of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Information or its predecessors (e.g. Faculty of Information Studies (FIS), FLIS, FLS, SLIS, etc.)
  • Not have received a similar grant from FIAA (e.g. Student Conference/Research Grant, Alumni OLA Conference Grant, Alumni Professional Development Grant) in the past three years
  • Clearly demonstrate how the grant will benefit the applicant’s professional development

Meeting the minimum qualifications does not guarantee receiving a grant. Grant applications are assessed on a competitive basis. The Committee reserves the right to not award the grant if submissions lack sufficient overall merit.

The successful applicant will be required to submit an article, 300-500 words in length, for inclusion in a future edition of Informed, the FIAA alumni magazine and website. The submission of a photo of the grant recipient is also highly encouraged.

Application Process & Deadline

Please submit one application package containing the following items:

A completed Application form
A written statement (maximum 2 pages) detailing how the professional development activity will benefit her/his career path and how the grant will assist with defraying the costs of participating in the activity
A current resume or CV
A letter of support from an employer, peer or professional colleague
Questions and complete application packages can be sent to:

Hujma Chowdhury (Chair, FIAA Grants & Awards Committee) h.chowdhury@utoronto.ca

The deadline date for the 2022 grant applications is Friday, April 15, 2022.