Conference Grants

The assessment of applications will be carried out by the BDA Office as they come in, with oversight by the Trustees.

The points-based system is designed to fund only relevant and quality activities while also promoting the priorities of the GET. Each application will be marked against five categories:

1. Previous funding

In order to spread funds widely across the profession, applicants will be awarded more points if they have not previously received GET funding.

2. Subject matter

Applicants will be awarded points if their subject is of clear value to the dietetic profession, particularly if it is a subject currently receiving widespread interest or a subject where research is particularly needed.

3. Conference

Applicants will be awarded points where they can demonstrate how attendance at the conference will benefit research or practice.

4. Wider benefit to dietetics

Applicants will be awarded points where they can demonstrate how their attendance will be of benefit to the wider dietetic community.

The points given within each category are weighted to reflect the relative importance placed on it by the Trustees. There is no set score over which an applicant is guaranteed to be funded, as funding is subject to the availability of funds and the number and quality of applicants.

There are a number of qualifying conditions, without which a grant will be refused.

• The applicant must be a BDA member
• The applicant’s abstract or poster must have been accepted or the applicant will have a formal invitation to present
• The applicant has not already received a GET conference grant this year
• The applicant must agree to acknowledge the GET in their abstract, poster, presentation, etc.

There are restrictions placed on the amount given for a successful application and successful applicants may therefore not receive the full amount they have requested. In this case, they will be informed of the reason for this, which is likely to be due to one of the following:

• Costs must be realistic – elements may be taken out or amounts lowered
  • Applicants will be expected to use the cheapest form of transport eg. Public transport; economy flights
  • Capping transport would likely preclude funding attendance at international conferences in full, but partial funding may be given. As a guide, the average transport cost requested in applications in 2019 has been £155
  • If at all possible, the applicant will be expected to take advantage of earlybird registration rates
• No subsistence costs will be paid
• Funding will only be paid for the day required for presenting. We will not pay the full delegate fee if conference is more than one day but rather pay a pro rata amount of total. This will be capped at £100 per day
• Funding will only be paid to a single applicant per presentation
• It is expected that a conference would not charge a delegate fee for someone invited to give a presentation; the GET will therefore not fund this
• Contributions to any accommodation costs will be capped at £125 per night

• Applicants will be notified of the outcome within two weeks of us confirming receipt of the application
• The decision on whether to support an application will be a decision for the BDA Office, under the oversight of the Trustees