Goals of the Program

• To provide support, education, access and service opportunities to individuals from identity groups (i.e. people of color, lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender, people with disabilities) who are under-represented in the association community
• To provide scholars with a mentor, group coaching, and volunteer experiences to enhance their career development and expand their professional networks
• To encourage more diverse candidates to assume leadership roles in association management
• To develop a more diverse leadership pool for the association profession
• To demonstrate the long-term benefit of the program to the scholars, ASAE and to the association profession

Benefits

During their 2-year term, DELP Scholars receive:

• Membership in ASAE
• Registration, travel and lodging to ASAE annual meetings during the scholarship term.
• Registration, travel and lodging to any two (2) other ASAE education programs as selected by the DELP scholar (i.e. Great Ideas Conference, Future Leaders Conference, Finance & Business Operations Symposium, etc.) (1 each year)
• Registration, travel and lodging to one (1) Volunteer Leadership Retreat (2nd year)
• Travel and lodging to an orientation at ASAE in Washington, DC and a DELP reunion in Detroit, MI (1st year)
• Waiver of CAE examination fee (provided the exam is taken within 3 years of DELP participation) and study guide materials
• Connection to an industry leader to serve as a mentor
• Group coaching to enhance the connection of the DELP cohort
• Service experience with an ASAE volunteer group or other association- related volunteer opportunity (2nd year)
• Opportunity to meet with ASAE senior staff and volunteer leadership

Eligibility & Application Process

To be eligible to receive a Diversity Executive Leadership Program Scholarship, candidates must be:

• A member of a racial/ethnic minority group, lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender, or a person with a disability
• Currently employed as a mid-to-senior level association professional with a minimum of three (3) years experience in mid-to-senior level association management position(s) or as an association CEO for a minimum of one (1) year
• Demonstrated professional, volunteer, civic/community leadership experience
• Committed to fully engage in all DELP scholarship benefits

While membership is not a requirement for DELP selection, preference is given to individuals who are members of ASAE.

Application Process

The application period for the DELP class 2013–2015 closed on Friday, March 15, 2013. The next application period for DELP scholars will open January 2014.

A completed application packet includes:

• A completed application form submitted by the due date with the following attachments: current resume, short bio, photo
• Program Agreement Form signed by the applicant's CEO; if the applicant is the CEO, the form should be signed by the Board Chair
• Letter of recommendation from a colleague in the association community
• Letter of recommendation from immediate supervisor

DELP Scholar Commitment

• Attendance at the DELP orientation to be held at ASAE in Washington, DC (starts at 3pm on June 19–June 21, 2013) and the DELP reunion that follows in Detroit, MI ( June 21-23, 2013).
• Attendance at two (2) ASAE Annual Meetings during the scholarship term: August 3-6, 2013 in Atlanta, GA and August 9-12, 2014 in Nashville, TN.
• Attendance at one (1) Volunteer Leadership Retreat. (November 2014, Location TBD)
• Active engagement with a mentor, including assisting in identifying a potential mentor within the association field
• Active engagement in the group coaching
• Active engagement as a volunteer through an ASAE volunteer group or other association-related opportunity
• Complete the Certified Association Executive (CAE) credentialing exam within three (3) years of the first year of the DELP scholarship
• Timely submission of program-related materials

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