Applications for the Spring 2026 LACUNY Professional Development Travel Grant are being accepted by the LACUNY Professional Development Roundtable: 

• THREE grants of up to $575 each will be awarded to LACUNY members with Full Membership for the purpose of attending library-related conferences, meetings, or events that take place during Spring 2026 or after.
• Proposals will be blind-reviewed.
• This is not a PSC-CUNY Research Awards travel grant. It is separate from any funds which may be available through a particular college or department for faculty travel—the availability of such funds plays no role in the roundtable's decision-making.
• Deadline for submission is March 6, 2026 (11:59 PM EST). 
• Please carefully read the Grant Award Guidelines (see below) before applying.

Please submit to the following link: https://forms.gle/yME4kVd5Mrc3U8Fk6 

Applications will be evaluated on the following criteria:  

1. Proposals should be no longer than 500 words (applications submitted with more than 500 words will not be considered), explaining how presenting or participating in a particular contributing role, other than as audience, can benefit the applicant in his/her professional development, and will be evaluated according to these categories*:

* The rubric is based on 21 points: categories 1 through 4 are 5 points each (where 1 is the lowest score and 5 is the best score) and category 5 will receive either a 1 for yes or 0 for no.

o   Category 1: How does attendance further LACUNY's mission?

o   Category 2: Are the objectives of the proposal clearly communicated?

o   Category 3: How does attendance contribute to areas of special focus within CUNY libraries?

o   Category 4: How does attendance help the participant explore new trends in the field?

o   Category 5: Is the candidate selected as a speaker/presenter in Conference (formal acceptance letter/proof of invitation, or email correspondence, from the organization sponsoring the conference/meeting mandatory)? 

2.      Budget: The inclusion of a detailed budget indicating the following

o   Estimation of travel expenses (by most economical method) 

o   Air

o   Train

o   Car

o   Other

o   Meals

o   Lodging

o   Registration fee

Local travel (to/from the destination train/bus station or airport, or between venues)

Rules and Eligibility: 

o   LACUNY Full Membership is open to anyone on the staff of the City University of New York Libraries holding a Master's degree in library science from an accredited institution, and to anyone holding a Master's degree in educational technology or a Master's degree in computer science.  

o   Awards will not be given to more than one person from each institution.

o   Past grant awardees are eligible to apply two full years after they have won.

o   Availability—or lack of availability—of travel funds at local colleges or library departments are not considered.

Important Information:

o   It is advised that you have a draft of your proposal reviewed for input by a supportive senior colleague prior to submitting.

o   It is important that you demonstrate the impact the conference/event will have on your work when you return.

o   Awardees will need to submit a summary report soon after returning from the conference to co-chairs of the Professional Development Roundtable.

o   Awardees will receive detailed instructions regarding reimbursement of expenses with their notification.    

Nandi Prince, Chair
LACUNY Professional Development Committee
profdev@lacuny.org