Recent changes enacted by the US government have had an adverse effect on scientific funding and infrastructure. Some have lost jobs or their funding to travel to meetings is suddenly uncertain or unavailable. In addition, others may have caregiver duties that make it difficult to travel and attend conferences.

The BSA wants to make our conference as accessible as possible to those experiencing hardship due to these or other factors. BSA is offering a limited number of Hardship Travel Awards to support attendance at BOTANY 2025 – Botany without Barriers, held July 26-30, 2025, in Palm Springs, California.

These awards are intended to help cover costs including transportation, lodging, and conference registration. Awards may also cover caregiver costs for a dependent. Award amounts will be determined based on financial need as well as benefit of attendance to the applicant as expressed in their application. Funding will be distributed as equitably as possible to assist the greatest number of applicants. Awards will range between $500-$1500.

Eligible applicants must be current BSA Professional, Community College, PostDoc or Affiliate members and must present a talk or poster at the conference. Graduate students are not eligible for this award. As part of the award application, applicants must submit a CV as one PDF file and a combined PDF containing their Statement of Need (300-word limit) and Itemized Budget Request.

Funds will be disbursed on-site during the event with the presentation of receipts.

What qualifies as a hardship?
Recent loss or layoff from a job due to government cutbacks, current lack of funding for conference registration or travel to the meeting, caregiving for a dependent.

If applying for caregiver reimbursement, who qualifies as a dependent?
A dependent is defined as 1) a minor 12 years of age or younger who resides with the applicant and for whom the applicant provides primary support, or 2) a person regardless of age who spends at least eight hours per day in the applicant’s home and for whom the applicant has responsibility.

Which expenses will be eligible for reimbursement?
Hardship travel awards are intended to reimburse the following categories of expenses:

• Airfare for the conference attendee
• Conference registration for the conference attendee
• Lodging for the duration of the conference
• Airfare for a caregiver (e.g., family member, au pair, nanny, sitter) to fly to the meeting location to assist with dependent care for child(ren) age 12 or younger, elderly, ill, or disabled family members able to travel
• Airfare for child(ren) age 12 or younger, or elderly, ill, or disabled family members traveling to the meeting
• Costs for dependent care at the meeting (e.g., onsite babysitting, daycare, or elder care service local to the meeting venue; local custodial childcare, elder care, and/or expenses for care of elderly or other family members that the applicant usually provides; or paying for a nanny or other caregiver's labor)
• Costs for additional dependent care at home incurred due to member's absence during the meeting (e.g., caregiver's labor, before and after school or extended day programs, late pick-up fees, day camps that are custodial in nature and not educational, daycare centers, custodial childcare / elder care, or expenses for care of elderly or other family members that the applicant usually provides)

Hardship travel awards are NOT intended to reimburse the following categories of expenses:

• Childcare, elder care, or dependent care expenses at home that would normally be incurred (e.g., aftercare at school, dependent care that is provided on an on-going basis)
• Meals or groceries for the attendee, dependent(s), or the caregiver while at the meeting location

Deadline is April 15, 2025.

Submit Your Application

Current BSA members can access the awards portal by clicking here and logging in with your BotanyID/Password. Once signed in, click on the "BOTANY 2025 - Hardship Awards" link and you should see a blue button that says "+ Create New Travel Award Application" at the bottom if your login was successful. 

Please feel free to email bsa-manager@botany.org with any questions about the nomination and application process.