CES Professional Development Travel Support

The Office of the Senior Associate Vice President for Agriculture-Extension may assist with  travel expenses for (1) national association meetings for employees who have won national or regional awards, association officers or serving in a major leadership capacity during the meeting, (2) professional development presentations (oral or poster) and (3) the Public Issues Leadership Development Conference (PILD). 

National Association Meetings

Voting Delegates, Officers (Officers must also be voting Delegates), Distinguished Service Award (DSA) Recipients and National or Regional award recipients who are attending a national association meeting may be eligible for travel expenses with the following conditions: 

• The incentive applies to county Extension agents, faculty, program associates, program technicians and support specialists. Other non-classified employees are not eligible for this incentive.
• CES will reimburse actual expenses up to $1,000 in accordance with established travel policy. 
• Employees are eligible either as an award winner or voting delegate OR for a presentation but not both. 
• The annual meetings of the National Association of County Agricultural Agents (NACAA), the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS), the National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals (NAE4-HYDP), and Epsilon Sigma Phi (ESP) are approved associations.
• Other associations and organizations may be approved on a case-by-case basis.
• For groups, the president of each professional organization or an appropriate representative should provide a list of voting delegates, award winners, and presenters along with the titles of their presentations to the Office of the Senior Associate Vice President.
• If additional family members travel to the meeting with the employee, no reimbursement may be made for these individuals.
• For individuals, complete the Professional Development Request to request the funds.

• Others – All others desiring to attend will be granted official time not to exceed the number of days of the meeting itself plus one day’s travel time before and after the meeting. Employees may attend no more than one national association meeting on official time during each fiscal year. 

• Official Time Trips – Approval of official time may be granted to state Extension faculty for trips that are of value to them in their fields of work or for trips that are made in cooperation with other agencies or groups. No expenses will be reimbursed. To request approval, the employee will submit a Spend Authorization in Workday and note that it is an official time only trip. 

Professional Development Presentations

Non-classified personnel making educational presentations at national or regional professional meetings may be eligible for professional development funds with the following conditions: 

• The incentive applies to county Extension agents, faculty, program associates, program technicians and support specialists. Other non-classified employees are not eligible for this incentive. 
• It is available to an employee for one meeting per fiscal year. 
• CES will reimburse actual expenses up to $1,200 in accordance with established travel policy.  
• Employees are eligible either as an award winner or voting delegate OR for a presentation but not both. 
• If it is a joint presentation by more than one Extension employee at the national or regional professional meeting, funds may be divided among the team as appropriate.
• A copy of the acceptance letter/email or an official agenda showing the author's name and title of the presentation/poster must be provided when the request is submitted. 
• For groups, the president of each professional organization or an appropriate representative may provide a list of presenters and the titles of their presentations to the Office of the Senior Associate Vice President.
• If additional family members travel to the meeting with the employee, no reimbursement may be made for these individuals.
• Complete the Professional Development Request to request the funds.

Public Issues Leadership Development Conference (PILD)

The professional organizations (AACES, ACAAA, AAE4-HA, ESP and NEAFCS-AR) send a representative to the Public Issues Leadership Development Conference (PILD) each year. The Office of the Senior Associate Vice President will assist with travel expenses for each representative. 

• CES will reimburse actual expenses up to $1,000 in accordance with established travel policy.
• Requesting funds for the PILD Conference does not affect fund requests for national association meetings or professional development presentations.
• If additional family members travel to the meeting with the employee, no reimbursement may be made for these individuals.
• Complete the Professional Development Requestto request the funds.