Carers Support Grants

The BMSS is wholly committed to ensuring equality, diversity and inclusion in the Society’s activities. The BMSS EDI Sub-Committee have instigated the ‘BMSS Carers Support Fund’ to facilitate attendance at scientific meetings (including but not limited to BMSS events) by our members with caring commitments. We have identified caring responsibilities as a key barrier to peer retention & progression in science for those with such obligations. The BMSS wish to alleviate the practical challenges that carers face when striving for professional advancement through participation at scientific meetings.

The BMSS Carers Support Fund will provide funding typically up to £150 (per application) to assist with the costs of care incurred as a result of attending a scientific meeting, conference or workshop that involves mass spectrometry; this may be online or in person. Applications will be assessed on an individual basis however, examples of the types of expenses this would fund include:

  • Expenses incurred by employing home help/nursing care/medical support/respite care, etc., for the dependant person(s) whilst the applicant is attending a mass spectrometry event.
  • Travel & subsistence expenses to allow a relative/trusted individual to provide assistance to the applicant’s dependant person(s) whilst the applicant is attending a mass spectrometry event.
  • Costs of extended hours for a care worker/childminder/play scheme provider, etc., to support the applicant’s absence whilst attending a mass spectrometry event.

The BMSS EDI Sub-Committee invites applications continuously throughout the year. These funds will be available to all BMSS members - irrespective of career stage, who demonstrate that their professional development as a mass spectrometrist will be enabled through such support by the Society.

Applications

  1. The BMSS EDI Sub-Committee will accept applications year round on a first come first served basis until the allocated funding has been exhausted.
  2. Retrospective applications WILL NOT be accepted.
  3. The maximum award that can be made is normally limited to £150; however, we encourage applicants to contact the EDI Sub-Committee Chair to discuss your application if you feel you require increased support.
  4. Applicants will be required to submit receipts and/or other proof of expense prior to the funds being released,

Please click on the Carers Support Grant application link located on the left of this page to begin the application process.

Eligibility

1. Assistance is only available to BMSS members with a minimum of three calendar months standing at the time of at the time of the planned travel.
2. All members with caring responsibilities are eligible to apply.
3. Only one application per person per calendar year (1 January to 31 December) will be considered, with a maximum of one award granted per annum.
4. The applicant must demonstrate that the care provision requested is normally provided by the applicant.
5. The BMSS Committee reserves the right to limit the number of awards made to any one individual, organisation or department.

Terms and Conditions

  1. The successful applicant is required to acknowledge the BMSS on their presentations by including a copy of the BMSS logo (members can download here).
  2. The successful applicant must upload a travel report (along with an expense claim form) within one calendar month of the meeting end. This is achieved through the link in the acceptance email.
    • The BMSS Committee may elect to publish the travel report in the BMSS Newsletter or on the BMSS Web Pages or in other similar BMSS material.
    • The travel report should be of good quality and concise. Two pages should be a maximum. For members attending a conference, a PDF of a poster, or two-page report on an oral presentation delivered in the style of an extended abstract is acceptable.
  3. Expenses (to be submitted along with the travel report) will be reimbursed by BACS transfer upon receipt of:
    • The travel report (please see above for details) 
    • A completed expense claim form (members can download here)
    • Legible copies of appropriate receipts (no bank statements please).

Note 1: All documents must be uploaded to the system as PDF's or image files.

Note 2: Please include the currency conversion rate (converted into pounds sterling - GBP) in the expenses spreadsheet: https://www.oanda.com/currency-converter/en/?from=EUR&to=USD&amount=1.

Note 3: For receipts where one receipt covers multiple people's expenses (which should be avoided if possible), the submitting individual must highlight the items relevant to their specific claim.

Note 4: Delays in BMSS receiving the necessary information will delay the release of funds.

Note 5: Please allow up to 30 working days from the submission of expenses date for the payment to be processed.

Enquiries 

Please do not hesitate to contact the BMSS EDI Sub-Committee if you have any questions about the BMSS Carers Support Fund: