Michelle Grimes was a stenographer from Illinois on the 100-day practice group on Facebook.

For the past few years since we lost Michelle, a group of us practice an extra 15 minutes per day for 100 days before the Contest. The Contest is our day 100/100 and the Contest is our practice for the day.

Rich Germosen, FAPR, RDR, CRR
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Michelle Grimes Memorial Grant

This grant is offered through the National Court Reporters Foundation (NCRF). New professionals must meet the eligibility requirements and submit the completed documentation listed below to qualify for the grant. New professionals who have passed EITHER the RSR or the RPR certification are encouraged to apply for the annual award; two grants worth $2,000 each.

Grant requirements

Eligibility criteria

The following criteria and documentation must be met and submitted to apply:

  • The applicant must be a current NCRA member.
  • The applicant must have passed EITHER the Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) certification or the Registered Skilled Reporter (RSR) certification.
  • The applicant must be in the first two years of reporting with documentation as proof: e.g. agency letter, transcripts with dates.
  • The applicant must be working in any of the three career paths: Judicial (official/freelance), CART, or captioning.

Number of grants: Two
Grant award: $2,000 each

Application deadline: June 13, 2025

How to apply

The following documents are required to be submitted for application:

  • Grant application form.
  • A letter of recommendation from an employer or contracting agency attesting to the applicant's professional demeanor and motivation.
  • An essay (300-500 words) on the topic: "Explain how you believe the service of stenographic court reporting contributes to fair trials, equality, justice, and other legal events." (Essay MUST be double-spaced, with the applicant's full name on each page.)
 

Donate to the Michelle Grimes Memorial Grant fundraiser

This campaign’s success will not only make Michelle Grimes an honorary NCRF Angel, but also will help contribute to the annual grant that honors her memory.

Donate today

 

This grant is our way to remember Michelle and her dedication by rededicating ourselves. It was a shock and surprise for this to be created in my honor, but it really is about memorializing Michelle.

Rich Germosen, FAPR, RDR, CRR

At times we will share things sort of as a family on the practice page. One day in 2017, Michelle posted on the page that she had cancer. She was going through treatment all while still practicing. I dedicated my 2017 second place medal in the Realtime Contest to Michelle that year. I know I wouldn't have been able to do it without that extra 15 minutes for Michelle.

This grant is our way to remember Michelle and her dedication by rededicating ourselves. It was a shock and surprise for this to be created in my honor, but it really is about memorializing Michelle.

Grant winners

2024: McKalie Bellew, RPR, from Florence, Ariz.

2023: Bethan Williams, RSR, of Vancouver, Wash.

Contact

For more information on this and other Foundation scholarships, please contact NCRF at ncrfoundation@ncra.org.