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Professional Learning Activities Fund

The Professional Learning Activities Fund (PLAF) is available to reimburse full-time EFSC faculty for non-tuition professional learning activities as approved through the PLAF funding process.

General PLAF Information

  • Applications may be submitted from July 1 to March 31. The Professional Development Council (PDC) will review applications during its monthly meetings.
  • The PLAF application is online and will prompt you to log in through the Titan Single Sign On process. It can also be launched from the Employee Applications section of the myEFSC Portal.
  • If approved, it is the requestor's responsibility to submit all required College documentation by published due dates.
  • Approval by the PDC does not guarantee funding of this activity.
  • As of 2023, the maximum PLAF award is $2,000 per faculty member per year.
    • If the cost of the event is in excess of this limit, the faculty member is responsible for the remaining balance.
    • Funding is generally awarded on a first-come first-served basis.
  • Faculty must complete the reimbursement process within the same fiscal year as the funded event.
  • Pursuant to s.112.061, Florida Statute, regarding State employee travel, the 2022-2023 Florida Law 2022-157 section 89 states: "Costs for lodging associated with a meeting, conference or convention organized or sponsored in whole or part by a state agency or judicial branch may not exceed $175 per day. An employee may expand his or her own funds for any lodging expenses in excess of the $175 per day."
    • This means that any State agency sponsored meeting/conference/convention hotel costs cannot exceed $175 per night. Any amount over that will be your responsibility. Please be mindful of this rule when making reservations.
  • For questions about funding of late summer events, contact the Dean of Instruction.

Required Application Information/Material

When completing the application, you will be required to provide the following:

  • Date of the activity
  • Type of activity
  • Description of the activity
    • If the activity is conference attendance, you will be required to attach:
      • Conference presentation abstract or description of conference responsibility
      • Acceptance letter if available
      • Conference/Activity information page including location and dates
      • Other supporting documents
  • Explanation of how this event will enhance teaching; increase student learning, retention, completion, and/or placement; support the College's mission statement, etc.
  • Porposed activity budget that includes line items for registration fees, mileage, airfare, hotel, etc.
  • How you plan to communicate the knowledge or skills gained from this experience with your colleagues and the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning:
    • Submit an article to EFSC's Science2Practice Journal
    • Facilitate a faculty workshop
    • Facilitate a faculty workshop
    • Facilitate a student workshop
    • Facilitate a brown-bag roundtable discussion
    • Present your work to faculty as a poster session
    • Other (explanation will be required)
Are requests prioritized?

Generally, no. However, if funds are limited, conference presenters will be prioritized.

May I apply for PLAF funding if my proposal to present at a conference is still pending?

Yes.

Is travel funded?
Domestic travel is eligible for funding. International travel is not eligible for funding through PLAF.
If students are involved in the requested activity, can it be funded by PLAF?
Faculty who plan to serve in any supporting role (chaperone, mentor, etc.) for students at a College-approved event need to apply for funding through SGA.
Can certification fees and continuing education credits be funded?

If the certifications/credits are being offered by a regionally accredited college or university, then faculty must apply for reimbursement through the College's Tuition Reimbursement Program.

Certifications/credits offered by professional organizations qualify for PLAF funding.

Do individual memberships for professional organizations qualify?
No. One notable exception might be if the individual membership is required as part of the registration fee for attending or presenting at a professional conference.
Do institutional memberships for professional organizations qualify?
Yes. Memberships that allow for multiple faculty members within a discipline to access the organization's resources qualify.