WASHINGTON—ASAE Foundation is accepting applications for its 2016 Innovation Grants Program (IGP) through September 25. Now in its fourth year, IGP is a program that provides monetary awards to support innovation exploration and development in the association community. These grants are funded through a major grant from the SunTrust Foundation and additional support from Whiteford, Taylor, & Preston L.L.P. and other donors.

There will be up to four grants awarded in three categories: travel, exploration, or hybrid (a combination of travel and exploration). Grant recipients will receive awards up to $10,000.

“Each year, we receive applications from members who want to create new programs or services that will impact their members and communities. We are able to create this opportunity because of SunTrust Foundation support for the association community. Looking forward to seeing the proposals and learning the new initiatives members’ want to design and implement,” said Chair-Elect, ASAE Chair of ASAE Foundation Abe Eshkenazi, CSCP, FACHE, CPA, CAE, and Chief Executive Officer at APICS.

Individuals from professional or trade associations, nonprofits, association industry partners, and consulting companies that serve the association community are eligible to apply, and applicants or applicant teams must include at least one ASAE member. The ASAE Foundation is looking for proactive and creative ideas that help propel association management in such areas as leadership development, technology, marketing, membership and community engagement, product development, and business practices.

“We have found associations love learning from each other, and it’s important to spur new ideas and innovation. ASAE Foundation strives to educate the community about different approaches in executing projects, ideas or services. These grants give members an opportunity to try a new idea and share lessons they have learned. It’s a win-win for the association sector,” said ASAE Executive Vice President and President of the ASAE Foundation Susan Robertson, CAE.

Criteria and details about the application process are on www.asaecenter.org/IGP. For questions regarding the innovation grants, please contact Dr. Sharon E. Moss, CAE, at smoss@asaecenter.org.

MEDIA CONTACT: Sabrina Kidwai, APR, CAE skidwai@asaecenter.org, 202-326-9505

About ASAE and the ASAE Foundation
ASAE is a membership organization of more than 21,000 association executives and industry partners representing 9,300 organizations. Its members manage leading trade associations, individual membership societies and voluntary organizations across the United States and in nearly 50 countries around the world. With support of the ASAE Foundation, a separate nonprofit entity, ASAE is the premier source of learning, knowledge and future-oriented research for the association and nonprofit profession, and provides resources, education, ideas and advocacy to enhance the power and performance of the association and nonprofit community. For more information about ASAE, visit www.asaecenter.org.