The EpiCenter

Funding

 

Professional Development Funding

The EpiCenter fields requests for funding professional development events for all employee groups at Santa Monica College. 

The EpiCenter supports the efforts of the college community (students, faculty, staff, administrators) to center the experiences of those most impacted by structural racial inequity in order to advance racial equity in terms of outcomes and experiences. As of the 2026-27 academic year, part of the EpiCenter's current funding is an allotment of Student Equity and Achievement Program (SEAP) grant funds. Decisions about resource and allocations from the EpiCenter funds originating from SMC's SEAP grant require activities/projects/programs grounded in racial equity and intentionally designed to improve the success and experience of our disproportionately impacted students, with a particular focus on our Black and Latinx students. The following are non-allowable expenditures with grant funds:
   1. Gifts
   2. Stipends for Students
   3. Political Contributions
   4. Direct support for Instructional Courses Generating FTES
   5. Supplanting (which means using equity funds to cover expenses previously funded by other sources)

We also have a limited allotment of unrestricted district funds for events and trainings that do not have an equity focus. Please be sure that your request specifies the nature of your event in order to determine the best funding source for it.

Any allocated funds are ONE-TIME in nature. Therefore, please be advised that an approved allocation this year does not guarantee future funding.  

Please direct any questions to EpiCenter@smc.edu.

EpiCenter General Funding Request Form

 

 

Conference Funding

SMC's EpiCenter is sponsoring select SMC employees for equity-focused conferences! Please see the Equity-focused Conference funding tab for full information on this type of funding, as well as potential in person or virtual equity-focused conferences to attend.

Fill out our EpiCenter Conference Funding request form as early as possible (but no less than 60 days) before your conference.

EpiCenter General Funding Request Form

Braiding funding will be crucial for attendance at conferences. Due to the current fiscal conditions at SMC and for all of us individually, we encourage you to seek partial funding from various places to cover as much of your attendance as possible.

For anyone looking to attend a conference, we are asking you to begin the process of seeking additional fiscal support in various employee Professional Development funds, Union or Association grants and scholarships, and various departmental or program funds or grants. Please see the resources available for corresponding employee groups below.

  • Classified: Human Resources can help with available PD funding. Also visit the CSEA website and select "Grants" to view Member Career Grants and Member Reimbursement Subsidies (sign in required)

  • Faculty: Inquire with HR or the Professional Development Committee for information about Professional Development funding and resources. The Faculty Association may also be able to offer advice.

  • Managers: Fill out the Manager's Association District Professional Development Application (max $500). In addition, please seek departmental or allowed program funds or grants in your areas or related programs to braid funding to support your attendance.

Questions or suggestions?
Please reach out! Email EpiCenter@smc.edu with questions or input.