Southern Legislative Conference (SLC) Staff Scholarship

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Program Overview

The CSG South Southern Legislative Conference (SLC) Staff Scholarship supports professional development for early- to mid-career professionals serving in Southern state governments. The scholarship is designed to expand access to SLC by assisting staff who may not otherwise have the opportunity to attend. Through participation in SLC, recipients gain exposure to policy sessions, professional development training, network building, and cross-state collaboration that strengthen state government across the South. Each year, up to fifteen scholarships of $1,000 each will be awarded to eligible state government staff from CSG South member states.

Use of Funds

Scholarship funds are intended to support expenses associated with attending the Southern Legislative Conference produced by CSG South.

Eligible expenses may include:

Conference registration fee
Hotel accommodations
Travel expenses (airfare, mileage, or ground transportation)

If conference registration is less than the total scholarship amount (for example, $500 registration), remaining funds may be applied toward eligible travel or lodging expenses.

Additional guidance regarding reimbursable expenses and documentation requirements will be provided to scholarship recipients upon selection.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

Be employed by the state government in a CSG South member state
Be an early- to mid-career professional in state government service
Demonstrate an interest in policy, professional development, and public service
Show how participation in SLC will support your professional growth

Applicants are encouraged to first explore travel approvals and funding available through their employer. If such funding is readily available for conference participation, applicants are encouraged to utilize those resources before applying for this scholarship.

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Scholarship Distribution

Scholarship funds will be distributed in accordance with CSG South financial policies. Recipients may receive funding as reimbursement for eligible conference-related expenses (receipts submittal after the conference is required) and a promo code to reduce the registration fee at checkout.

Selection Process

Applications will be reviewed by members of the SAIL Committee. The committee will evaluate applicants based on:

Leadership potential,
Demonstrated commitment to public service, relevance of conference participation to professional responsibilities, and
Geographic representation across CSG South member states.

To encourage broad participation across the region, no more than one scholarship may be awarded per state, unless otherwise determined by the SAIL Committee and CSG South Regional Director.

Application Process

Last day to submit an application is May 15, 2026.

Applicants must complete the submission process in full to be considered for a scholarship. This includes basic professional information and response to short-answer questions describing how the conference will benefit their advancement in policy, professional development, and career in state government.

Selected recipients will be notified by June 1, 2026 and be provided with additional information regarding scholarship use. SLC registration and hotel room block close on June 12, 2026.

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