Educational outreach is at our core. ICPF continues to develop relationships with schools through communications, sponsorships, and funding. ICPF funds programs for packaging/graphic majors and has expanded outreach to include non-packaging majors (i.e. supply chain, business, marketing, etc.) ICPF is also working to build relationships and programs with trade/vocational schools and high schools to educate students on the many benefits of choosing a #CareerInCorrugated.
ICPF invests in education. Find below a list of opportunities for you to partner with ICPF.
Funding Opportunities
Students at Cal Poly will receive two Zund digital cutting tables on behalf of ICPF in 2024.
In addition to the University Awards Program, ICPF is accepting sponsorship requests year-round to help grow your students’ exposure to the corrugated packaging industry. Consider submitting your request to continue to grow the corrugated workforce now and into the future. Keep the following details in mind:
- ICPF will accept sponsorship requests year-round for funding opportunities.
- Sponsorship requests should be smaller requests and may include any initiative that will enhance student exposure and/or education to the corrugated packaging industry.
- ICPF will evaluate each request and determine availability for funding on a case-by-case basis.
ICPF’s University Awards Program provides funding to colleges and universities with the intent to help maintain, grow or enhance your packaging or related programs. To date, ICPF has donated over $13 million in corrugated equipment at our partner institutions. In 2023, ICPF generated renewed interest and engagement from our partnering educational institutions through the University Awards Program. A total of 10 universities submitted requests for funding totaling $1,244,624 that included equipment for packaging design and graphic media printing, state of the art research materials, and resources to support packaging faculty and grow coursework. The ICPF Board approved five proposals that will receive funding in 2024. See the guidelines for you institution’s proposal below:
- ICPF will accept proposals through September 1, 2024.
- Proposals should be for larger requests, generally over $25,000, and may include requests for equipment, software donation, and other resources to maintain or grow corrugated packaging or related programs.
- Include details of your proposal, a timetable of completion, relevant program enrollment, annual number of graduates with printing/packaging-related degrees.
- Please include any past participation in ICPF programs and/or previous awards received from ICPF (for recording purposes.
- Please limit to 1-3 pages.
*ICPF policy prohibits using funds from University Awards Program grants and donations on Facilities & Administrative costs.
Interdisciplinary Workforce Degrees with Ivy Tech
ICPF has developed a partnership with Ivy Tech Community College as part of our strategic initiative to initiate trade school and community college outreach to fill plant floor positions in the corrugated packaging industry. In 2025, ICPF will provide a grant to Ivy Tech awarding up to $50,000 in student scholarships for two newly created Interdisciplinary Workforce Degrees—one for machine operators and the other for maintenance technicians. Students and box plants located in Indianapolis, Lake County, Valparaiso, Fort Wayne, and South Bend, Indiana are eligible to participate. To complete either workforce degree pathway, students will complete 19 credit hours of selected coursework, in addition to a three credit hour internship/co-op experience at a box plant near them. Students will begin enrolling for courses in Spring 2025 with ICPF’s first cohort set to begin internships in Summer 2025.
ICPF Partners with Project Learning Tree
In 2024, ICPF announced a two-year partnership with Project Learning Tree (PLT), an initiative of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) to increase youth awareness of corrugated packaging industry careers. The partnership will increase awareness, access, and education about the rewarding green careers in the corrugated packaging industry through the development of educational resources for middle school and high school youth. PLT and ICPF are also partnering to curate professional development experiences for educators and career counselors who work directly with students in all stages of the career development and planning process in an effort to elevate the profile of the corrugated packaging industry. Stay tuned in 2025 for more information about the release of ICPF’s corrugated packaging activity collections and more career resources made in partnership with PLT.
Scholarship Opportunities
Students currently pursuing an academic path related to a career in the pulp, paper, or corrugated industry have the opportunity to take advantage of a variety of scholarship opportunities through AICC – The Independent Packaging Association, TAPPI, PMMI, the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP), and more.
Explore the following scholarship options to help students interested in a #CareerInCorrugated take their education to the next level!