The Tuition Assistance program was put in place by the NCMA Boston Chapter’s Board of Directors as a pilot program nearly 20 years ago, and made a part of the chapter’s annual program a few years thereafter. One of the reasons that it was piloted first is that there were many questions about it, both in terms of top-level policy and details regarding qualifications and process, that needed illumination. The most interesting question was whether it would be too focused, rewarding just a few people, and should be abandoned (or de-emphasized) in deference in favor of more broadly targeted programs. The Board’s answer to that has been “no” – for one basic reason – we want to underscore the importance of education and continuing education, and the importance of individual initiative in that regard. Contracts professionals need to participate in training programs that help them improve specific job-related skills—and they do that, in part, by participating in programs such as the Chapter’s March Workshop. But they also need to find educational opportunities from time to time, to more broadly stimulate their knowledge and keep them on the path of life-long learning, a hallmark of a true professional.

The actual details of the program can change from time to time, but essentially we’ve settled on keeping it simple for applicants and for Chapter leaders. We created a simple application with simple criteria for qualification and simple process to select those applicants who will be awarded funds. A half-page application, requiring minimal information, is made available, usually in the fall and spring (and on occasion at other times in the year) through The Boston Newsletter, handed out at meetings (such as the March Workshop), and now, with our improved website, always posted on this site. The criteria to qualify are typically that the applicant is already a chapter member, that she/he took a contracts-related course that is not fully reimbursed by a third-party source (e.g., the employer), and that they postmark the application before a specified date. The selection process has been simplified to a random drawing, as we didn’t want to put the chapter leaders in a position of trying to determine financial need. And that’s it – simple. Or course, we try to present the check for reimbursement at a Chapter event for maximum visibility; because, remember, the program is to underscore the importance of education and continuing education, and the importance of individual initiative in that regard.

The Tuition Assistance program is designed to provide some financial help to several NCMA Boston Chapter members who are taking (or have recently taken) a course (or courses) to improve their skills in the contracts (or related) field and whose expenses are not otherwise reimbursed (or not fully reimbursed). The application process is stream- lined — you must complete a simple application and successfully complete the course to receive the assistance funds from the Chapter. The guidelines and particulars for this program are detailed as follows:

• Who is eligible? Any NCMA-Boston Chapter member as of 1 November 2018 is eligible to submit one application for the upcoming drawing.
• What courses qualify? Any contracts or contracts-related course.
• Where do I send the application below? Complete the online application below.
• What is the deadline for submission of applications? The submission is due not later than 31 December 2018.
• How are award selections made? Selections will be made by random drawing. More than one name may be chosen. The awardees will be contacted soon thereafter.
• What is the amount of assistance? A maximum of one thousand dollars will be awarded to each applicant whose name is drawn for un-reimbursed tuition and related expenses.
• When is the tuition assistance received? The awardee will receive the tuition assistance award after NCMA-Boston receives verification of successful completion of the designated course.

Any additional questions? Any comments? Contact us.