Washington CPA Foundation Awards More Than $37,000 in Grants

by Benjamin Warren

The Washington CPA Foundation's mission is to strengthen and expand the profession by advancing and investing in the accounting profession. As part of this mission, the Foundation awards grants and scholarships each year as a way to increase access to the accounting profession and to support a more diverse pipeline of accounting students. Foundation grants are awarded to organizations with programs or events designed to improve the diversity of the CPA pipeline in Washington. 

This year, the Foundation has awarded a total of $37,400 to four organizations that it felt aligned with the mission of the Foundation and the goal of the grant program. 

Congratulations to this year’s grantees! Continue reading to learn more about the organizations and their programs. 

Accounting Career Awareness Program (ACAP): ACAP is a youth development program serving students of color and those considered underrepresented in the accounting field. ACAP’s signature Residency Week summer program brings students to the University of Washington campus for a week to inspire them to pursue academic and career pathways in public accounting. Grant funds will sponsor several Residency Week participants, offset speaker fees, increase outreach for the program, and support implementation of new participant tracking tools. ACAP Executive Director Max Savishinsky said, “On behalf of everyone involved with ACAP, a very sincere thank you to you and the Grant Committee for your ongoing and very generous support of our work to foster diversity in accounting in our state.” 

Degrees of Change: Degrees of Change prepares diverse, homegrown leaders to succeed in college and their career in order to build more vibrant and equitable communities. By partnering with community organizations, schools, and employers, Degrees of Change is able to provide leadership training, college success support, and career development programming. Their career-centered program, Seed Internships, invests in the future of Pierce and King County by identifying exceptional college students and recent graduates from underrepresented backgrounds, then matching them with top local employers. Grant funds will support placing students in accounting and accounting adjacent internships including covering program fees for not-for-profit or smaller firms and companies that wouldn’t be able to have an intern otherwise. Degrees of Change COO Kelly Bay-Meyer said, “We are incredibly grateful to the Board and staff of the Washington CPA Foundation for this grant opportunity and look forward to continuing our partnership.” 

Central Washington University (CWU): CWU equips students with the expertise needed for diverse career opportunities in public accounting, corporate finance, government, and not-for-profit organizations. Various degree options help students learn accounting principles and practices, as well as essential skills in critical thinking and decision-making. Grant funds will be used to strengthen the CWU College of Business undergraduate accounting program by expanding tutoring services for students enrolled in accounting courses. Through enhancing learning experiences in an inclusive and supportive setting and by connecting students with tutors who are accounting majors pursuing a CPA license, this program aims to increase awareness of and opportunities into the CPA profession for students from underserved and underrecognized communities. CWU Executive Professor of Accounting Jenny Cravens said, “Thanks to the WSCPA Foundation grant, Central Washington University can now double the Peer-Assisted-Learning hours available to students in our intro accounting courses. This funding enables us to connect bright, motivated students with our top upperclassmen accounting mentors, fostering a supportive, inclusive, and encouraging learning experience that promotes their success.” 

Washington Society of CPAs (WSCPA): The WSCPA is committed to supporting aspiring CPAs as they navigate the path to licensure. Recognizing that access to a high-quality CPA review course can be a significant financial hurdle, WSCPA will use grant funds from the Washington CPA Foundation to provide 50 Universal CPA scholarships to students who are paying out of pocket for their CPA exam preparation. These scholarships will be available to students who are ready to sit for the CPA Exam but lack access to a review course, as well as those actively taking the exam who need additional resources to pass. By easing this financial barrier, WSCPA aims to empower more future CPAs and strengthen the pipeline of accounting professionals in Washington. "We know how challenging the CPA Exam process can be, both academically and financially," said Monette Anderson, WSCPA Vice President of Membership & Education. "By providing these scholarships, we are ensuring that motivated students have the resources they need to succeed, regardless of financial circumstances. This grant allows us to directly support those who are investing in their own future and, ultimately, the future of the profession." More details on the application process are available here.