Description
The John Garvey Scholarship Fund allows young professionals to participate in global knowledge exchange through attendance at a local government management event in a country other than their home country. The ICMA Global Engagement Committee offers two scholarships of up to $3,500 from the John Garvey Fund to applicants who meet the requirements. One scholarship is designated for a U.S. citizen and the other for a non-U.S. citizen. If no applications are received from one or the other of these categories of potential applicants, two scholarships may be awarded within the same category.
The 2025 application cycle for the John Garvey Scholarship is open from April 14 through June 2. Gather your application materials and apply now! Individuals with questions can contact Sophie Weyn at sweyn@icma.org.
Guidance to Applicants
The review committee looks for the following items in a completed application:
- Relevance of proposed event attendance to personal professional goals.
- Relevance of proposed event attendance to home community needs.
- Appropriate explanation of use of funds, including explanation of source of additional funds if necessary.
- Identification of a specific local government event outside of the applicant's home country regardless of whether dates are published.
- Letter of support from applicant's employer detailing how the trip will benefit the applicant and their employer.
- Plan for sharing their experience with the greater ICMA membership.
Requirements
- Applicant must be an active member of ICMA and age 40 or under at the time of application. Learn more about becoming a member of ICMA.
- Applicant cannot be a member of the ICMA Global Engagement Committee at the time of application.
- The scholarship is limited to direct expenses associated with attendance at an international conference or event.
- The applicant, if selected, is responsible for any expenses above the $3,500 amount.
- These funds may not be used to repay student loans or to fund solely cultural experiences.
- Endorsement letters from the applicant’s employer must be submitted as part of the package explaining what assistance the local government will provide to the applicant. The employer should describe what it hopes to receive from the applicant participating in the process.
Individuals with questions can contact Sophie Weyn, assistant program manager, global engagement, at sweyn@icma.org.
Eligible International Local Government Events
ICMA maintains contact with local government organizations around the world. If you are interested in attending the conference of one of these organizations, contact Sophie Weyn at sweyn@icma.org for more information.
Many organizations do not announce their conferences until 1-2 months prior to the conference date. While we make every effort to list the events on the ICMA events calendar and on this page, we do not know every upcoming event. If there is another local government-related event you would like to attend, list this event in your application. If you need help selecting an event, contact ICMA for assistance.
Selection Process
Applicants will be evaluated by a selection committee led by the vice chair of the ICMA Global Engagement Committee.
About the John Garvey Scholarship Fund
The John Garvey Fund was established in 1995 following the recommendation of the ICMA Global Engagement Committee (then called the International Committee) to create a scholarship to assist ICMA members in gaining an international management perspective. The scholarship was named for John Garvey, who served as coordinator of the International Management Exchange Program for many years. A stated desire of the committee is to increase the number of women, minorities, and young professionals participating in international activities.
Given the changing demographics of our world and a desire to include new voices in our profession, ICMA continues to focus on improving diversity and inclusion of membership across the association particularly in terms of race, ethnicity, gender and age. A primary focus of our organization is to serve the needs of those who are local government leaders and aspire to leadership roles in local government. We want to welcome, encourage and develop the future generation of leaders.
ICMA Executive Board
"The emerging and mid-career leaders in our organizations are committed professionals eager to make a difference for our communities. Increasing opportunities for these local government leaders to impact our profession - through service on regional nominating committees, voting on key issues and executive board service - will position ICMA as an organization that recognizes and welcomes those who will be charged with solving the wicked problems of our age for the next generation."
—Jane S. Brautigam, ICMA-CM, ICMA, President, City Manager, Boulder, Colorado
"Diversity and inclusion: it's not a goal. It's not a strategy. It's a value. That means it permeates what we do."
—Karen Pinkos, ICMA Past President City Manager, El Cerrito, California
"These ballot measures are important as diversifying our profession and organization is not only important that we reflect our membership across the spectrum, but that by encouraging and providing greater opportunity for involvement in the profession it is the essence of inclusion and will bring about more creative ideas that reflect the perspectives of a more diverse organization, which or great for the members and organization."
—Jim Malloy, ICMA President-Elect,Town Manager, Lexington, Massachusetts
Regional Vice Presidents
Northeast Region
"I am very excited about the proposed changes regarding board diversity. I spent 23 of my 31 years in local government as a department head for a medium size community, and I believe the changes will engage and give a voice to more members like me as they progress in their careers."
—Teresa Tieman, ICMA-CM, Town Manager, Fenwick Island, Delaware
"To its credit the ICMA has made necessary changes to the association with advancements, changes to local government and the changing of times. ICMA is not an association that sits idle while the world and/or the profession of local government is changing. The diversity ballot measure is the next step for ICMA to evolve as an associations and to be a leader and positive example to others by taking necessary action not just with words but with action to become a more diverse and inclusive organization. Support of this ballot initiative will also show to all of our membership that each member irrespective of title is a valued member of this great organization."
—Christopher Coleman, Assistant Town Manager/Director of Operations, Needham, Massachusetts
"I fully support the proposed ballot measures to provide affiliate members with five years’ service to local government and ICMA with the opportunity to serve on the ICMA Board of Directors and to participate in the key decisions facing our association. ICMA has long promoted diversity and inclusion, and these values are key components of Envision ICMA, our strategic plan. Looking at ICMA’s membership overall, our affiliate members are much more diverse than in decades past. This is a wonderful development as our emerging leaders and young professionals represent the future of our profession. The proposed constitutional amendments will help us to better serve our members across the career spectrum and to remain relevant as the premier local government association in the world."
—Matt Hart, ICMA-CM, Town Manager, Town of West Hartford, Connecticut
Midwest Region
"Voting YES on the proposed ballot measure to expand and diversify the organization’s membership and board composition is key to transforming ICMA and the profession to more accurately reflect the communities we serve. The Board’s scrupulous deliberation of this issue and a comprehensive outreach initiative resulted in the proposed constitutional amendments which will generate more members with voting status and board eligibility while maintaining an allegiance to experience in service to local government. The passage of these amendments is a critical step on our interminable path towards achieving more diversity and inclusion and recruiting new leaders to local government service and ICMA."
—Molly Mehner, AICP, ICMA-CM, Deputy City Manager, Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Mountain Plains Region
"Our communities and those we serve are diverse and becoming even more so. The Association the Board serves has great depth in its diversity when taken in total. The current Board selection and service structure allowing only full members to serve on the Board prevents the Board from tapping into the full strength and capabilities of its complete and comprehensive membership. Diversity of thought has no limits and benefits the whole. Supporting the expansion of the opportunity for service and thought can only benefit our membership and as a result, the communities, the people we serve."
—Michael Land, City Manager, Coppell, Texas
"During my Board service, there has been a disconnect between our strategic vision and priorities as an association and our governance structure. Supporting the Board's constitutional initiatives allows for alignment with our strategic mission, vision and values. Lifting structural barriers rooted in tradition, that are no longer helpful, will provide opportunity for a higher-level of engagement between the Board and membership. Who do I want ICMA to be? Member-driven. Plain and simple, that's the heart of the value of an ICMA membership."
—Heather Geyer, City Manager, Northglenn, Colorado
West Coast Region
"The recommended ballot measures strike an important balance: enabling future leaders to feel welcomed and empowered to participate with ICMA, while also ensuring that ICMA remains focused on services that reflect the priorities and experience of current members. ICMA’s leadership role, including sustaining and enforcing the Code of Ethics, depends on our ability to keep our successors engaged in ways supported by these actions. This also sets the stage for needed discussions of dues and governance structures."
—Ed Shikada, City Manager, Palo Alto, California
"The future began yesterday, and the ICMA board has grappled with the question of how to continue to best serve local government leaders and aspiring leaders in a rapidly evolving environment. The upcoming ballot measures, approved by the board in October, are forward-looking, designed to enable ICMA to better serve its members, and to enhance ICMA’s stature as the preeminent association for all local government professionals."
—Peter Troedsson, ICMA-CM, City Manager, Albany, Oregon
