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 Chicago—In keeping with its mission as determined by the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA). to advance knowledge and best practices in the profession, the PCMA Education Foundation recently awarded $132,500 in grants to a range of research and education projects. "My philosophy is the PCMA Education Foundation should focus on educating those already in the industry and nurture the next generation," said Gary Seibert, CHA , PCMA Education Foundation Chair.

Perhaps the most cutting-edge PCMA Education Foundation grant will be for the promotion of environmental awareness in the meetings industry. The PCMA Education Foundation has contributed to the Green Meeting Industry Council to establish a locally based green meetings education program for planners. "PCMA at the annual meeting in Toronto held our first fully green, zero-waste meeting, and that shows the commitment of PCMA," said Susan Salem Euritt, Executive Director off the PCMA Education Foundation. "The foundation, which is an extension of PCMA, supports the same concept."

According to Euritt, the program which received the grant is a grass roots initiative. "This is a more regional program to promote the value of green meetings. It’s important that meeting planners are not the sole supporters of green meetings, and that the net we cast is wide, to get other industry organizations, such as our suppliers and venues involved, who we can collaborate with to create green meetings."

Other funding recipients include two grants to CEIR—to support the development of a Return on Investment Calculator; and to identify the events that have been able to keep major exhibitors at their events as well as those events that have experienced the departure of a major exhibitor. In addition, PCMA received significant funding to establish a comprehensive and integrated research strategy to help position PCMA as the critical link between in-depth industry knowledge and the needs of meeting professionals. "We need to live up to our mission," emphasized Seibert

The next application deadline for grants from the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) Education Foundation is March 31, 2007. Applications and accompanying paperwork are accepted three times a year. Due dates are March 31, August 31 and November 30. Proposals are evaluated and recommended for funding by the PCMA Education Foundation Grant Review Committee. Funding decisions are made by the PCMA Education Foundation Board of Trustees.  The PCMA is the professional resource center and premier educator for the meetings and convention industry. Founded in 1957, PCMA represents the interests of meeting management executives from associations, non-profit organizations, corporations, independent meeting planning companies, and multi-management firms who recognize the importance of meetings to their organization. The role of the PCMA Education Foundation is to support the mission of the PCMA through fundraising and grant giving focused on education and research that will benefit the meetings and conventions industry. Established in 1985, the Foundation supports educational programs to improve professionalism in the meetings industry and to provide a university-level meeting management curriculum.