Three programs
Money MSCI gives away
One grant for your program, one to get you to the island, and one for you. All three are decided by the Executive Board and awarded at the Spring Conference.
| Grant | Who it is for | How much | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Grant | Who it is forMSCI members, for the costs of coaching programs in speech, debate and theatre | How muchSet by the board each year | Closes11:59 pm on the Wednesday following MIFA IE State Finals |
| Mackinac Professional Development Grant | Who it is forActive head debate, forensics, theatre and poetry slam coaches at a Michigan school that has not been to Mackinac since 2020, or has never been | How muchConference, lodging and meals, in kind | ClosesJanuary 15 |
| Ludus Professional Development Grant | Who it is forActive MSCI members, for their own growth rather than their program's | How muchUp to $1,000 | ClosesClosed May 4, 2026 |
For your program
General Grant
Historically these go to the growth of speech programs, the continuation of speech organizations, and advocacy for speech in Michigan. The Executive Board reviews applications and awards them at the Spring Conference.
Closes 11:59 pm on the Wednesday following MIFA IE State Finals.
To get you there
Mackinac Professional Development Grant
A recruitment grant: it pays a new or returning coach's way to the Grand Hotel so they can see the conference for themselves. Recipients share a room with another single adult of the same gender, or pay in full for a guest.
Closes January 15.
What it covers
- Dinner Friday, breakfast Saturday, dinner Saturday, breakfast Sunday
- Both nights at the Grand Hotel
- Every event of the weekend, including the Evening of Champions, the PD workshops and the Guest of Honor reception
What it asks of you
- Join MSCI — the first year is free
- Attend the General Membership Meeting
- Attend the Evening of Champions
- Attend one PD workshop
- Agree to have your photo taken for publication on social media
For you
Ludus Professional Development Grant
Built on the awareness that speech coaches are people too. Try a new activity, learn a new skill, gain exposure to something new. It may go on training, experiences or equipment — but not on your classroom, your program, or recertification. It is an investment in you. Made possible by Ludus.
Applications for this round closed May 4, 2026. When the next round opens, its date will be posted here.
What it asks of you
- Stay an MSCI member for the life of the grant
- Write a short piece for the Year in Review about what you did with it
Who has had it
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 2026 | RecipientSarah Scurti-Argo and Katherine McBride |
| 2025 | RecipientKatarina Moore |
| 2024 | RecipientJenna Russell |
| 2023 | RecipientEvelyn Creutz |
| 2022 | RecipientBill Lapham |
Bill Lapham, Portage North Middle School, took the first Ludus Grant in 2022 for a podcast blending music and conversation. The grant page's own list begins at 2023; this one does not.
The record
What the board has actually given
From the General Membership Meeting minutes and the Year in Review. 2021 and 2023 were not separately reported.
| Year | Awarded | Where it went |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Awarded$4,250 | Where it wentReported at the General Membership Meeting |
| 2024 | AwardedAlmost $2,500 | Where it wentReported at the General Membership Meeting |
| 2022 | Awarded$2,000 | Where it wentDetroit Urban Debate League, Utica Academy for International Studies, Avondale High School — plus the first $1,000 Ludus Grant |
| 2020 | Awarded$5,875 | Where it wentMIFA ($3,000), DUDL ($500), a $375 Groves scholarship, Katarina Moore ($1,000), Henry Ford II Theatre ($1,000) |
| 2019 | Awarded$4,500 | Where it wentMIFA ($1,000, middle school theatre), DUDL ($500), four $500 summer debate camp scholarships, Katarina Moore ($1,000) |