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DELEGATE FUNDING INFORMATION
ISC/Professional Delegations host international exchanges for professionals from varying disciplines. Many of the delegates receive continuing education credits for participating in exchanges. Additionally, delegates can often obtain funding from outside sources to offset the cost of the exchange. While securing funding for the trip is the delegate's responsibility, we work with our delegates, offering complete information for submitting applications for grants and scholarships.
Funding policies to assist with exchanges vary according to individual institutions. However, since we assist delegates as they prepare grant requests, we recommend compiling a proposal that includes your complete program schedule, being specific about the number of professional interactions you will participate in, the number of travel days, meals and cultural activities that will be part of the exchange. Providing such complete information will assist your institution as it assesses those expenses it is able to fund.
Below you will find a variety of sources for funding your participation and that delegates have used in subsidizing their ISC/Professional Delegations program tuition:
CONTENT
Employer sponsorship
Civic support
Grants and loans
Tax deductions
Raising Funds for Your Program
The Process of Gaining Sponsorship
Inquiry
Format: Letter of Inquiry
Sample Letter of Inquiry
Writing a Proposal
Cover letter
Introduction for Proposal Letter
Establishing Credibility
Conclusion
Employer sponsorship – Delegates often receive assistance from their employer after they detail their expectations to return to work with new information and skills learned during their international exchange.
Civic support – Many local organizations provide funding for members of their community who participate in international professional exchanges. It should be made clear, as a matter of procedure, your willingness to speak at a group meeting about your experience in return for their donation.
Grants and loans – An uncomplicated proposal needs to be written explaining the purpose of the delegation, along with your own personal goals and the amount of funding you are requesting. Comprehensive listings of organizations offering funding assistance for professionals is available at your local library or bookstore. It is best to only use the latest editions of such listings:
Tax deductions – Expenses incurred during ISC/Professional Delegations Programs are often tax deductible. Of course, only your tax or financial advisor can provide you with more precise information.
Raising Funds for Your Program Top
The benefits of becoming an ISC/Professional Delegations Program Delegate are both meaningful and long lasting. Meeting with colleagues in Russia, and exchanging information and views, allows you to view your profession in ways that are often quite different than found in North America. Also, seeking funds for your participation might be easier by reviewing examples from delegates in past programs:
The Process of Gaining Sponsorship Top
Experience has shown that to successfully acquire funding you must build a solid relationship with potential sponsors. Simply put, the more confident your sponsors are about you and your goals, the greater the likelihood of their assisting you.
Inquiry Top
It may be easiest for you to first contact a future sponsor through a phone call or a letter. Of course, most sponsors will request subsequent correspondences in writing. However, an initial phone call may help you quickly determine whether a particular organization has funds available for assisting in your participation.
Once you have been asked to forward additional information by a future sponsor, it is best to send it immediately.
Letter of Inquiry Format Top
As you know, your letter of inquiry will be the first impression a potential sponsor has of you. An informative and concise letter will be appreciated by its recipient. The following sample format has been found to be effective:
Introduction – If possible, write one-sentence summaries explaining who you are and why you are contacting a particular organization.
Goals to be achieved – Clearly outline what you will accomplish by participating in the program. Demonstrate how you, and your community, will benefit from your participation.
Why this organization – Explain why you have approached this organization.
What you want – Clearly and simply request how much funding you seek and describe how it will be used. Make sure to list all costs: the cost for the program, the expense of flying to the briefing city, and your anticipated out of pocket costs.
Summary and thank you – Inform potential sponsors that you would be happy to make an appointment to meet so you might fully describe the program and your funding request. If they have additional information they can forward to you about their organization, it will be helpful to you in preparing for your meeting. Of course, thank them for their time and their efforts on your behalf.
Sample Letter of Inquiry Top
Dear Mr. Smith:
A delegation of child welfare professionals will travel to Russia this spring with ISC/Professional Delegations Program. I have been invited, as an accomplished professional in the field, to participate. I am writing to determine your interest in sponsoring my participation.
ISC/Professional Delegations Program arranges substantive professional exchanges. As a delegation member, I will have an opportunity to share my technical expertise and discuss new approaches and ideas with my counterparts in Russia. Our community will benefit from my participation as I gain insight into the solutions other countries and communities have developed in response to problems similar to those we face. I will be developing a lecture describing my experiences, and I will be pleased to present this to interested state and county agencies, as well as nonprofit organizations that deal with child welfare in our community.
Your organization has shown a strong commitment to child welfare issues. I hope you will give this project your consideration.
I will be paying my incidental costs for this program, but I ask your assistance in funding documented program costs, including my transportation to San Francisco. The program costs are estimated as $XXXX, and a round-trip flight from XXXXX to San Francisco will cost $XXX.
I appreciate your time. I will be calling shortly to see if it would be convenient to meet. Please send me any information you have concerning an application to receive funding support.
Thank you.
Make a proposal Top
Once the targeted sponsor has responded positively to your inquiry, your proposal should be finished and ready for their review. If the potential funders have required guidelines regarding applying for funding support, you must follow them. Here are our suggestions for writing this important document:
Cover letter Top
Begin with a cover letter that reminds them of who you are, and briefly describes the content of the proposal.
Proposal Introduction Top
Writing your introductory paragraph will be the most important part of your proposal. Keep in mind that a strong, concise introduction will be the first portion read, and funding applications might be screened on the basis of this paragraph alone. You should also fill your writing with interesting points and descriptions to keep your readers engaged. Overall, your proposal should contain what you can draw out of a program of this nature and what you can bring back to your employer and/or community.
Your introduction paragraph can include the following:
- a statement regarding the purpose of the delegation
- personal goals you hope to attain through the program
- total program costs and dollar amount you hope the targeted sponsor can donate toward your expenses
- mention that you have enclosed a copy of the invitation you received to become a member of the delegation
Establish credibility Top
The paragraphs following your introduction should establish credibility. Credibility can be created by talking about your professional accomplishments.
Once you have established your credibility, it’s time to list those reasons why you should take part in this professional program overseas. These reasons should reflect what you are capable of giving back to your community or your employer. The reasons could take the shape of lectures given to civic groups, new classroom projects for students, or the establishment of new business contacts—all areas you can pursue after you return home.
One proven way to show your program costs are worth subsidizing is by giving your targeted sponsors letters of endorsement from respected peers or employers. Ideally, these letters should be specifically written to the sponsor in question and sound positive about your strengths.
Conclusion Top
For your conclusion, go back to the points in your introduction and reiterate them. The conclusion should be similar to the opening paragraph so that your request is clear.
Please use Request form to get detailed information on any program of your interest or contact our Group Coordinators by calling 1.866.958.3254 with any questions you might have.
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