Small Grants Program

IGSW has developed three nationwide small grants programs designed to encourage NASW state chapters, social work education programs, and community-based agencies to provide training in aging to practicing social workers. IGSW provides grants of up to $5,000 to providers of continuing education to develop training programs to prepare practicing social workers to meet the needs of our aging population.

Training Incentive Program (TIP)

TIP is a small grants program that offers financial support and technical expertise to NASW chapters and social work education programs to provide training in aging. Through TIP, IGSW aims to increase the availability and quality of training in geriatric social work nationwide. To date, IGSW awarded TIP grants to 15 NASW state chapters and 26 social work education programs. TIP grants encourage grantees to forge new community partnerships to develop and present training programs.

GeroRich Training Initiative

GeroRich Training Initiative provides small grants to social work education programs participating in The John A. Hartford schools to build upon their expertise in geriatric social work curriculum to provide continuing education in aging to practicing social workers. To date, 11 GeroRich Training Grants have been awarded, and these are being jointly administered by IGSW and Nancy Hooyman, Co-Director of the newly created CSWE National Center for Gerontological Social Work Education, and former Director of the GeroRich program at the University of Washington's School of Social Work.

Agency Gerontology Enrichment (AGE)

IGSW launched the Agency Gerontology Enrichment (AGE) Training Initiative this year, a new small grants program to support innovative strategies for training practicing social workers in gerontology. Through the initiative, IGSW awarded grants of up to $5,000 to eight community-based organizations serving older adults, which have developed model training programs for their staff. Through AGE, IGSW seeks to identify service providers employing innovative training approaches in their local communities, and provide funding to enable them to enrich and expand their programs. The AGE program will also highlight the training programs of grant recipients through a national dissemination effort.