Inclusion Conference Grant

Conference attendance allows people to meet one another, as well as learn and discuss issues and ideas relevant to their work.  As such, members are encouraged to apply for SHRM Inclusion Conference grants.

• Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the SHRM Foundation reserves the right to adjust      the award package as needed.  This may include shifting from an      in-person to a virtual registration, changing travel stipends or canceling      the award.

Eligibility

To be eligible for an award, applicants must be ONE of the following:

• Employed (full or part-time)
• Full-Time Student
• To be eligible for an award, applicants must meet the following criteria:
• Have a SHRM membership through December 31st of the year the award is accepted 
• Not receive any organizational support or reimbursement to attend the conference
• Not be registered for the conference 
• Not have received a SHRM Inclusion Conference grant in the past five years

How to Apply

• Complete online application including:
• Contact & demographic information
• A few short essay questions about your career and learning objectives
• Your resume
• A statement of support from your supervisor, professor, or colleague*

*This statement may be completed by a colleague, current or former supervisor, professor, volunteer colleague or other professional contacts. Statements from family members will not be accepted. Please upload a statement as part of the online application.

Please print/download your application for your records before you submit it. Once you submit your application, the SHRM Foundation will not be able to return it to you, in whole or in part, for any reason.

Selection Criteria

Applications are evaluated and scored by groups of SHRM volunteers and are reviewed by staff. The review committee will select individuals whom they believe are most likely to leverage this learning opportunity. They will seek candidates who are eager to learn and plan to apply the skills and knowledge gained to benefit their careers, their organizations, and their communities. HR professionals who are new to the field are encouraged to apply. All decisions are final.

Grant Distribution

All applicants will receive a decision via email six weeks after the application deadline. If selected to receive a SHRM Foundation Inclusion Conference grant, a member of the SHRM Foundation team will work with the recipients on Inclusion Conference registration and hotel bookings.  Recipients are responsible for scheduling travel plans and submitting all itemized travel-related invoices/receipts not to exceed $750. (i.e., flight, meals, gas, tolls, taxi/Uber, etc.).

Please note, the SHRM Foundation does not reimburse for any fees or expenses incurred by applicants prior to being awarded the professional development grant. SHRM/SHRM Foundation employees or board members and the immediate family are not eligible to apply for SHRM Foundation Scholarships, Grants, or Awards.

The SHRM Foundation offers professional grants to SHRM members seeking their SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP certification. This grant awards one SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP certification exam as well as SHRM's online Learning System.

Eligibility

• Current SHRM member (professional or student membership must be active through December 31, 2025)
• Meet eligibility requirements for SHRM Certification. Please carefully review the requirements before applying.
• You must test in the Winter 2025-2026 (December 2025 – February 2026) or Spring 2026 (May – July 2026) windows.
• Must NOT have access to the SHRM CP/SCP learning system or be registered to take the exam

How to Apply

Complete online application including:

• Contact information
• Short answer questions about academic/training and career experience and your need for the grant
• Current resume (or academic transcript if applicable)
• One letter of reference (letter may be addressed to the 'SHRM Foundation Grant Review Committee' and should provide insight into your character, academic or career and volunteer accomplishments, work ethic, and values. May be written by work or volunteer colleague, professor, coach, etc., but should not come from a family member)

Please print your application for your records before you submit it. Once you submit your application, the SHRM Foundation will not be able to return it to you, in whole or in part, for any reason.

Selection Criteria

*Applicants must request all recommendation letters through our application system. SHRM Foundation cannot accept recommendation letters directly from applicants. We encourage applicants to request recommendation letters early in the application process. Please note, you may submit your application without a letter of recommendation; however, this may result in a lower score.

Applications are reviewed and scored by groups of SHRM volunteers and are reviewed by staff. All decisions are final. Each grant is a one-time grant, however previous applicants and past recipients are eligible to re-apply. Receiving a grant previously is not a guarantee of receiving a future grant.

Grant Distribution

All applicants will receive a decision via email 6-8 weeks after the application deadline. If you are selected to receive a SHRM Foundation Certification grant, you will receive access to the SHRM online Learning System and exam for the SHRM Certification for which you are eligible (SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP). Please note that these components are awarded as a package and cannot be separated. The exam must be taken in one of the following testing Windows: Winter 2025-2026 (December 2025 – February 2026) or Spring 2025 (May – July 2026). If you do not use your Certification grant in either testing windows, you will have to reapply for a new grant, with no guarantee of receiving a new award. 

Please note, virtual testing has been discontinued and exam takers will need to confirm the nearest testing site. Please use this link to find a testing center near you, prior to applying. The SHRM Foundation does not reimburse for travel to a testing site, certification exam fees, learning system fees, transfer fees, or any associated expenses. SHRM/SHRM Foundation employees or board members and the immediate family are not eligible to apply for SHRM Foundation Scholarships, Grants, or Awards.