The Winpisinger Center has announced that applications are now open for the 2026 Chris Wagoner Memorial Leadership Grant. This grant aims to support local unions that wish to send their current or emerging leaders to Leadership training but may not have sufficient resources.
According to Official Circular 908, the grant will provide funding annually to one local from each International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Territory. These territories include the Eastern, Midwestern, Western, Southern, Canadian, and Air Transport Territories, as well as Headquarters and vicinity, which covers the Rail Division. The grant covers all costs incurred by a local in sending a member to participate in a Leadership program at the Winpisinger Center.
Locals selected for the grant can renew it each year. The chosen member is allowed to attend all four Leadership programs—one per year—as long as they successfully complete each previous program and the local submits an accountability statement confirming that the member has participated in and contributed to local activities.
In 2025, seven locals from across North America received the inaugural Chris Wagoner Memorial Leadership Grant. The recipients were Local 550 (Surrey, British Columbia), Local 4538 (Towson, Maryland), Local 1894 (South Ozone Park, New York), Local 2916 (Corpus Christi, Texas), Local 104 (Huntington, West Virginia), Local 1613 (Vandalia, West Virginia), and Local W38 (Shelton, Washington).
The grant was established by delegates at the 2024 IAM International Convention in honor of Chris Wagoner. Wagoner served as Director of the William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center until his death in 2022. He was a member of IAM for three decades.
“Brother Wagoner…believed that expanding opportunities for Leadership training was critical to our future growth and strength as a union.”
Applications for the 2026 grant are due by November 30.
