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Parents Leadership Council accepting 2025 grant applications

Members of the student group Kesem at UGA gather on Herty Field. The group, a past recipient of PLC grants, offers free summer camps and year-round peer support for children in the Athens community affected by a parent who has been diagnosed with cancer. (Submitted photo)

The grants are awarded annually to fund scholarships and more

The University of Georgia Parents Leadership Council invites campus organizations with a commitment to enhancing the undergraduate student experience to apply for grant funding for the 2025-2026 academic year.

PLC grants are awarded annually to fund scholarships, support critical undergraduate student needs and assist registered student organizations with initiatives that enhance the quality of life for undergraduates.

Applications are now open with two separate options: one for UGA schools, colleges, units, departments or divisions, and another for registered student organizations through the Involvement Network. The deadline to apply for funding is Thursday, Oct. 31. Late applications will not be accepted.

Grant applications are evaluated by the PLC Grants Committee, comprised of around 100 members, over a five- to six-week period. The committee will convene in early February to make final funding recommendations. After funding is awarded, recipients are required to show a meaningful and positive impact on student life at UGA.

Undergraduate students in the Washington Semester Program Logan Williamson, Jacob David, Emma Brandwein, Caroline Schneider and De’Omini Daniely walk past the U.S. Capitol. (Dorothy Kozlowski/UGA)

Last year, the PLC awarded $1.2 million in grants to 162 organizations. Previous grant awards have supported experiential learning opportunities like the Washington Semester Program. This program allows students to intern full time at an organization of their choice while earning a full semester’s worth of credit in Washington, D.C. The PLC grant they received is helping facilitate opportunities for students to connect with alumni and professionals in Washington and after they return to Athens.

“It’s really important to have a professional network of connections,” said Don DeMaria, the Washington Semester Program’s director and founder. “This grant created an opportunity for WSP students to engage alumni in and beyond D.C. in a way that connects them back to campus, which I think is really important.”

Another past grant recipient is Kesem at UGA, which offers free summer camps and year-round peer support for children in the Athens community affected by a parent who has been diagnosed with cancer.

“Last summer, our campsite took place in South Carolina, so having buses was absolutely essential to getting our campers there and back safely. The PLC grants program funded the entirety of our buses to and from camp last year,” said Leah Banko, co-director of Kesem at UGA. “We are so grateful for everything that they do and continue to do to support student organizations like Kesem UGA.”

The PLC has awarded nearly $7 million to support undergraduate student organizations since it was founded in 2012. To apply for a PLC grant and view the complete list of guidelines, visit give.uga.edu/parents.

For more information, email the Office of Parent Giving at parents@uga.edu.