Division II Strategic Alliance Matching Grant Enhancement Program


NOTE:  Every application pool is considered on its own merit - recommendations for improvement provided post selection will not guarantee approval in the next cycle.


Division II is a dynamic and engaging group of colleges, institutions and conferences of varying sizes and educational missions.  Division II members are committed to the overall experience and success of their students, coaches and administrators who participate in their membership.  Consistent with the NCAA's ideals of encouraging diversity and inclusion, Division II has renewed its commitment to remedy an ongoing problem with professional development opportunities for minority and women administrators through the NCAA Strategic Alliance Matching Grant Enhancement Program. 

Through this program, Division II has heightened their commitment of encouraging institutions and conference offices to increase the opportunities that enhance diversity and inclusion within their athletics administrative staffs.  


Promoting Diversity

Division II is committed to promoting and supporting diversity and inclusion within Division II athletics departments and conference offices through the Strategic Alliance Matching Grant Enhancement Program.  Division II's principal concern has to do with the lack of progress, or even a regression, for minority hiring in administrative positions, as demonstrated in the most recent NCAA report on athletics personnel demographics.  


To top of page


About the Grant

The Strategic Alliance Matching Grant provides funding for Division II institutions and conference offices to enhance diversity and inclusion through:

Selected institutions and conference offices receive grant funding for three years, with diminishing contributions by the NCAA.  The NCAA will fund 75 percent of the position during the first year, 50 percent the second year and 25 percent during the third year.  Second and third year funding of the grant is contingent upon the submittal of a year-end status report from the institution and conference office supervisor and grant recipient, verifying the position and how the funds were used and the completion of an on-campus site visit.  

Participating institutions or conference offices are required to maintain the position for a minimum of two years after grant funds are exhausted, preferably incorporating the position into their ongoing operations.   All applying institutions and conference offices must show a commitment to continuing the position at the time of the submitted application.  

To top of page

Position Explanations

New full-time position - Use the organizational charts provided as your resource to determine if this is a newly created position.  Newly funded positions are those where no current resources exist within the athletics department or conference office to fund the position.

Enhanced position - The outlined responsibilities should clearly define an elevation of responsibilities; i.e., the inclusion of supervisory, budget and/or inclusion on the management team.  Funding currently exists and additional funds are being requested to supplement additional new job responsibilities.

Examples:  Coaching/senior woman administrator -->  assistant/associate athletics director without coaching, but with new leadership responsibilities.

Director of compliance -->  assistant director of athletics for compliance with new additional responsibilities.

Proposal Evaluation

Proposals from institutions and conference offices for the matching grant will be reviewed by the Division II Strategic Alliance Matching Grant Selection Committee after the February 1, 2008 deadline.  The selection committee will consist of university presidents, conference office representation, current grant recipients or supervisors, and outside representation.  The following criteria will be used to evaluate submissions for eligibility and awards:

  1. Support from the senior leadership of the institution or conference office.                                                                                         
  2. Overall quality and adequacy of design of the proposal.                                                                                         
  3. Innovation and creativity.  Proposals may be inclusive of all athletics positions.  The positions should demonstrate and articulate significant administrative responsibilities.                                                                                           
  4. Potential funding viability and/or expansion during the five-year term of the grant.                                                                                         
  5. Degree of impact (potential or ongoing effectiveness) and factors that increase ethnic and gender diversity, especially where diversity is underrepresented.                                                                                         
  6. Plans for mentoring accessibility, professional development and growth.                                                                                         
  7. Qualitative and quantifiable measurement tools to assess overall project effectiveness of program initiatives in terms of added value.

To top of page

Application - Click here for the new application due February 1, 2008.

To top of page

Timeline - 2008

 February 1      

Membership applications due for diversity grants.

 SpringSelection committee meets to select new diversity grant recipients.  Institutions and conferences notified about selections.
 August 1Deadline for all self-assessments (required). Decisions made regarding continued funding for current recipients.
 SeptemberChecks distributed to new diversity grant schools and conferences.  All hiring decisions must be finalized.  Checks also distributed to recipients for years two and three funding.

Funds not paid toward salary and benefits during any period of vacancy must be returned to the NCAA.

To top of page

Defining Ethnic Minority

For the purposes of the Division II Strategic Alliance Matching Grant Enhancement Program, ethnic minorities are described pursuant to the Federal guidelines of the Office of Management an Budget (OMB).

American Indian or Alaskan Native:  A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North and South America (including Central America), and who maintains tribal affiliation or community attachment.

Asian:  A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand and Vietnam.

Black or African American:  A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.  Terms such as "Haitian" or "Negro" can be used in addition to "Black or African American."

Hispanic or Latino:  A person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.  The term "Spanish origin" can be used in addition ro "Hispanic or Latino."

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander:  A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa or other Pacific Islands.

To top of page

Contact Information

 Kimberly FordKina Davis
 Associate Director of Diversity and Inclusion Staff Assistant for Diversity and Inclusion
 317/917-6222 317/917-6222
 kford@ncaa.org kdavis@ncaa.org 

Mailing Address:  P.O. Box 6222, Indianapolis, Indiana  46206-6222
Overnight Address:  1802 Alonzo Watford Senior Drive, Indianapolis, Indiana  46202

To top of page

2002 Awardees

Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association
Fort Hays State University
Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania
Lynn University
Minnesota State University Moorhead
University of Nebraska, Omaha


2003 Awardees

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
Florida Southern College
Henderson State University
Northeast-10 Conference
Pace University
University of North Dakota
University of West Florida

To top of page

2004 Awardees

Recipient
Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference
University of Hawaii at Hilo
Metropolitan State College of Denver
University of Minnesota, Crookston
Philadelphia University
Shaw University


 2005 Awardees

RecipientPosition Created
Bowie State UniversityAssistant Athletics Director for Operations
University of IndianapolisAssistant Athletics Director for Academic Services
Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics AssociationAssistant Commissioner
New York Collegiate Athletic ConferenceAssistant Commissioner
University of Pittsburgh, JohnstownAssistant Director of Athletics for Student-Athlete Services
Regis UniversityAssistant Athletics Director for Compliance and Game-Day Marketing, Promotion and Management
Saint Leo UniversityAssistant Athletics Director


2006 Awardees

RecipientPosition Created
Barry UniversityAssistant Director Athletics/Compliance Coordinator
Benedict CollegeAssistant Athletics Director for Operations and Development
Mount Olive CollegeAssistant Director Athletics
Paine CollegeAssociate Athletics Director
University of South DakotaAssistant Athletics Director/Compliance Coordinator


2007 Awardees

RecipientPosition Created
Assumption CollegeAssociate Director of Athletics
California State Polytechnic University, PomonaAssociate Athletics Director
Central Athletic Collegiate ConferenceAssociate Commissioner
Colorado State University at PuebloAssociate Director of Athletics
Holy Family UniversityAssociate Athletics Director
Pennsylvania State Athletic ConferenceAssistant Commissioner for Internal Relations
Queens CollegeAssistant Athletics Director - Student Welfare and Strategic Initiatives
Sonoma State UniversityAssistant Athletics Director for Compliance

To top of page


The contact for this page is kford@ncaa.org