INDIANAPOLIS –The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) was recognized by the Conference Strategic Priorities Fund for exemplary strategy during the 2024-25 academic year for the community service project in conjunction with United Way of Central Illinois during the 2024 GLVC Women’s Volleyball Championship.
The Conference Strategic Priorities Fund, now in its 24th year, has provided millions of dollars to Division II conferences to implement Division II priorities and initiatives that support the Division II Strategic Plan and the Division II strategic positioning platform. The past 24 years have seen funding that runs the gamut of possibilities – from allowing administrators and coaches to continue their professional development, to assisting student-athletes with their degrees, to allowing a conference to purchase banners and other branding items. This grant funding allows Division II conferences and institutions to operate more effectively and efficiently.
Each year, as the Division II Planning and Finance Committee members review the conference grant reports from the previous year, several conferences’ reports stand out above the rest for a program deemed exemplary, or for an exceptional report.
In an attempt to recognize these conferences, the Division II Planning and Finance Committee awarded the GLVC an additional $2,500 to acknowledge its work with the Central Illinois United Way during the 2024 GLVC Women’s Volleyball Championship. All eight teams that qualified for the 2024 GLVC Women’s Volleyball Championship participated in packing bags with food as well as decorating the bags and writing notes to the children that received the donation.
This additional ‘gift’ to the Conference can be used for any program or in any manner that the Conference wishes. The committee hopes this recognition will provide inspiration and ideas that other conferences can build upon.