Aug. 20 is the deadline to submit scholarship applications for the Community Development Institute East Sept. 26-Oct. 1 at the Marriott Town Center in Charleston.

Awards to the conferencesponsored in part by the West Virginia University Extension Serviceinclude $500 fee waivers and $1,000 for scholarships, conference fees and lodging.

Community development volunteers and professionals who work in distressed counties or with low- to moderate-income communities are eligible for the scholarships. The conference is a three-tier national training program that offers certification.

The institutes curriculum meets the educational needs of those connected with private and public sector organizations. CDI participants include municipal and county officials, bankers, economic development planners, business owners, grass-roots leaders, educators and community volunteers. College credit, continuing education units and certification are available.

The registration fee is $500, which must be received by Sept. 1. Information about scholarship applications, credits and CDI -East is available on the conferences Web site (http://www.ext.wvu.edu/cdi-east).

CDI -East is sponsored by WVU Extension Service, West Virginia Development Office, Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation and BB&T. Other CDI sessions are held in Arkansas, Idaho and Texas.