This funding, established in 2021, promotes the diversification of the larger archival community through the support of continuing education. The award provides financial support to individual archivists of color for archives-related training and professional development, or to organizations proposing educational events for archivists or archives volunteers centered on the records of communities of color.
Community organizations in California, or SCA members in good standing and not enrolled in a degree-granting program, who have limited or no access to institutional funding for continuing education, may apply. Up to $1,000 may be awarded per event, with $2,000 allotted annually for this award.
Intent: The intent of the scholarship is to promote the diversification of the larger archival community of California by providing financial support for continuing education for archivists of color or for community organizations seeking to provide archival education events benefiting underrepresented communities.
The Award: a cash amount established each year by the Board will be awarded by check. The maximum award amount established in 2021 is $1,000, with a total of $2,000 budgeted annually.
Publicity: Notice of award availability will be publicized by the Awards Committee in SCA publications, on the SCA website, and to relevant listservs. The application form will be made available on the SCA website.
Eligibility:
Individual applicants must be SCA members in good standing, not enrolled in a degree-granting program, and have limited or no access to institutional funding for continuing education. Applicants must self-identify as being from historically underrepresented groups. Those from Black/African, American Indian, Asian or Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern or North African, or Latinx descent are strongly encouraged to apply.
Organizations must be community-based organizations in California with an interest and mission involving community history and its preservation. Organizations based in and primarily serving Black/African, American Indian, Asian or Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern or North African, or Latinx communities are highly encouraged to apply.
Award recipients are not eligible to apply again within the calendar year. Unsuccessful applicants may apply for additional events within the calendar year, with no prejudice. Awards Committee members are not eligible to apply.
Application Requirements:
Applications must be submitted to the Awards Committee by the deadline published on the SCA Awards website. The deadline will generally be at least three weeks (21 days) prior to the educational event, but may be adjusted, with new parameters posted online, at the discretion of the committee. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
Individual applicants must submit an application form, a resume or CV, a personal statement (250-500 words in length) describing how the workshop/class fits into their career path and why outside funding is required, and a letter of recommendation from someone familiar with the applicant’s goals in the archival profession.
Organizations must submit an application form and a brief overview of the organization and the proposed educational event (250-500 words in length) describing how the event fits into their archival mission and why outside funding is required. Following the event, a brief article describing the program should be submitted by the organizers to the SCA Newsletter.
Note: since this award is not tied to a specific event and is available on an ad hoc basis, there is no set application deadline. Applications are considered as-received, and awarded based on the availability of annual funding. If multiple individual applications are received for the same event, or for events in a similar time frame, the Awards Committee will select one or more recipients based on the merits of each application as communicated in the submitted personal statement and letter of recommendation.
Payment of Scholarship: Awards are usually made on a reimbursement basis*.
Following the educational event, the awardee will submit a completed SCA Expense Form, along with receipts, to the award Awards Committee Chair. The Chair will sign the expense form and will forward the document to the Treasurer for payment.
*When requested, the Chair may approve up-front payments, with supporting receipts required at the conclusion of the event.
Awards Committee Responsibilities
Revise website information as needed to keep it current with dates and application information.
Monitor the remaining budget and update the website when funds are no longer available.
Notify membership of the availability of the scholarship in the Newsletter and publicize the scholarship through appropriate communication channels.
Share applications judged eligible and complete with Awards Committee members.
Conduct a committee discussion and vote on the applications.
Notify the awardee(s) via a formal award email.
Send an email of acknowledgement to unsuccessful applicants.
Respond to requests for advance payments.
Guide recipients to the Reimbursement Form, receive completed form and receipts, sign approval, and submit to SCA Treasurer.
Remind organizational recipient(s) of the next Newsletter deadline, and their agreement to submit to the editors an article on their hosted program.
Announce award recipient(s) in an SCA Newsletter Awards Committee report.
Request Board budget approval for award amount, or modifications, annually.