Conference Grants Policy

Requests for Conference Grants must be submitted no less than nine (9) weeks before the requested meeting. The Conference Committee will set the deadline for grant requests for each NSGIC conference.

Purpose

To provide funding to those most in need of financial assistance to participate in NSGIC conferences, and to increase participation by states that have not been active in NSGIC and those whose participation would substantially contribute to the NSGIC Conference and Mission. This will provide a more complete and balanced "voice of the states", which is the essential element of the NSGIC mission.

Each NSGIC Conference includes two round table State Caucuses, on the first and last days of the conference, where state and local government members will meet in private to further refine NSGIC's position on its priority issues. Attendance for at least one of these sessions is required for grant recipients. Please be sure to consider this requirement prior to submitting a grant application.

Expenses Covered

Depending on the need, NSGIC will cover all or part of the following expenses: lowest airfare rates, shuttle, registration, meals and shared hotel rooms arranged by NSGIC Staff. NSGIC does not cover mileage, parking, per diem, taxis, rental cars, other hotels, or longer stays at the conference venue than are required to attend the actual conference.

Eligibility

Notice of the grant opportunity will be sent out to the NSGIC discussion forum 12 weeks prior to the conference event. Applicants will complete the online application form that will include the following:

  1. Requested level of funding
  2. Estimates of variable costs such as travel.
  3. Indication of whether the applicant represents their state's GI coordination body, including a letter of support from the state GI coordination body, if applicable.
  4. Past history of membership and involvement by the application and/or the applicant's state in NSGIC, if any, including past conference attendance.
  5. Short description of why they would like to receive the grant.

Selection Process

A committee will evaluate all applications and make recommendations for grant funding to the Board of Directors. The Board will have the final decision authority on grant funding. The committee will rank them using the following criteria:

  1. Known or expected attendance by other representatives from the same state, with higher priority given to applicants with no other expected attendees from their state, and higher priority given to those who represent their state GI coordination body
  2. Individuals that would contribute significantly to the success of the meeting.
  3. Past history of involvement in NSGIC by that state, with higher priority assigned to states that have not participated in the most recent annual conferences.
  4. Preference will be given to first time attendees.
  5. Evaluation of description of need/benefit offered by the applicant.
  6. Level of funding requested (higher priority given to partial funding requests).
  7. Individuals that will contribute to the conference either by presenting or signing up for a committee.

The committee will forward its recommendation to the Board. NSGIC Staff will notify all applicants of the Board's decision. No notification will be made to the NSGIC membership at large about the number and identity of grant applicants and recipients.

PLEASE NOTE:

NSGIC Staff will coordinate with all grant recipients to assist with travel arrangements and hotel accommodations in an attempt to reduce travel related expenses. In order to fund as many eligible applicants as possible, grant recipients are asked to minimize as many expenses as possible. NSGIC requests that applicants fund a portion of their attendance. Preference will be given to applicants that fund their own registration, travel or other expenses related to the meeting. Most meals are provided on each day of the conference; additional meal expenses may be covered through this grant. Additionally, grant recipients are asked to share hotel accommodations whenever possible. This room sharing may be pre-arranged by the applicant, or NSGIC staff can pair with another appropriate applicant. Alternatively, applicants who prefer NOT to share a room are welcome to pay half of the room charge on their own.