BOSTON – In an effort to support and champion institutional SAACs in building community and enhancing student-athlete welfare, the America East Conference has awarded two Helping Hands Grants for the 2025–2026 academic year. We are happy to announce that UMass Lowell and the University of Vermont will each be receiving a grant.
 
The Helping Hands Grant is designed to fund initiatives and events that promote civic engagement, community service, and other projects aligned with the conference’s core values and priorities.
 
“We are thrilled to award the Helping Hands Grants to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committees at UMass Lowell and the University of Vermont,” said Commissioner Brad Walker. “These grants reflect our conference’s ongoing commitment to supporting student-athletes as leaders on their campuses and in their communities. By investing in civic engagement and student-athlete welfare initiatives, we’re empowering our institutions to lead with purpose and make a lasting impact beyond competition.”
 
The grants may be used to support a variety of initiatives, including programs and events centered on Spread Respect, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging efforts, civic engagement, the conference’s Better Together initiative, or other activities focused on student-athlete mental well-being.
 
The America East Conference is proud to continue providing its campuses with the resources and support needed to strengthen community engagement and promote the overall welfare of student-athletes.


ABOUT AMERICA EAST
Founded in 1979, the America East Conference is an elite NCAA Division I athletic conference that fosters an environment for student-athletes to become champions. Comprised of academically renowned, like-minded member institutions located in the Northeast region of the United States, America East is committed to broad-based excellence and progressive in its approach to supporting its more than 3,500 student-athletes across 18 sponsored sports. For more information, visit www.AmericaEast.com and follow the America East Conference its social media channels, @AmericaEast.