Applications open May 1 for two grants being offered through the National Court Reporters Foundation. The Michelle Grimes Memorial Grant and the Monyeen Black Memorial Grant are open to new professionals who hold the RSR or the RPR certification, are in their first two years of reporting or captioning, provide a letter of recommendation, and answer a short essay question. This year the number and dollar amount of grants have been doubled.
Michelle Grimes Memorial Grant
Michelle Grimes was a stenographer from Illinois who participated in the 100-day practice group on Facebook hosted by Rich Germosen, FAPR, RDR, CRR. “This grant is our way to remember Michelle and her dedication by rededicating ourselves,” said Germosen. The grant was also created in honor of Germosen receiving his FAPR distinction in 2022 through a fundraiser hosted by Allie Hall, RDR, CRR, and many other of his colleagues. A fundraiser was set up in Grimes’ memory and can be found here.
The inaugural Michelle Grimes Memorial Grant was awarded to Bethan Williams, RSR, of Vancouver, Wash. “There are days as a student where you want to give up, and you can’t imagine ever seeing the end of school,” said Williams. “So it feels wonderful to receive this grant knowing that I’m on the other side. Thank you for making this possible!”
Two grants of $2,000 each will be awarded. As part of the submission process, applicants will be required to submit an essay on the topic: “Explain how you believe the service of stenographic court reporting contributes to fair trials, equality, justice, and other legal events.” Applications for the grant will be accepted until June 17. Full grant requirements and an application can be found here.
Monyeen Black Memorial Grant
NCRF is also offering the Monyeen Black Memorial Grant. The grant honors the memory of Monyeen Black, who passed away in January 2021. Monyeen was also an active member of Germosen’s Facebook practice group. A successful fundraiser was set up in her memory which can be found at this link.
The 2023 Monyeen Black Memorial Grant was awarded to Erin Blair, RPR, of Windsor Heights, Iowa. “I am honored to be selected as the recipient of the 2023 Monyeen Black Grant from NCRF,” said Blair. “Monyeen Black’s struggle is a poignant example of striving for greatness through adversity, and as someone who has dealt with many mental health challenges in maintaining practice, I hope I can carry the torch of striving for stenographic excellence despite life’s challenges and inspire the future generation of stenographic professionals.”
Thanks to generous member donations to NCRF, these grants have also been doubled to two grants of $2,000 each. As part of the submission process, applicants will be required to submit an essay on the topic: “How, when, and why did you realize that a career in stenographic court reporting or captioning was right for you? Please explain your practice regimen and how you develop your skills.” Applications for the grant will be accepted until June 17. Full grant requirements and an application can be found here.
NCRF New Professional Reporter Grant
An additional New Professional Reporter Grant is available for working court reporters or captioners in their first year out of school. The grant helps support start-up expenses such as purchasing software and earning credentials. The deadline is June 7. This grant will have two $4K awards and two $2K awards. Learn more and apply.
For additional information about these and other scholarships grants, contact Jill Parker Landsman at jlandsman@ncra.org.
