University of Richmond

Guidelines for Travel Grants for Presentations

Eligibility

  1. Any Arts & Sciences undergraduate student is eligible to participate.

Items That May Be Funded

  1. Requests to present the results of research at professional conferences. Costs that may be covered include transportation, lodging, meals, and registration fees. Application for this should be made separately from the application for research funding and only after a student's paper or project has been accepted for presentation. A copy of the acceptance letter should be included in the application. Funding is limited to $750 per student.  Funding for multiple students to present the same project will generally be limited to $1,500 per accepted abstract.
  2. Requests to travel to attend special research-related workshops, conferences, institutes, and symposia. Costs that may be covered include transportation, lodging, meals, and registration fees. Travel awards will typically not exceed $500.
  3. For individually initiated travel to libraries, archives, etc, students should apply for a mid-year research grant or a summer fellowship.

Procedures

  1. Applications for a travel grant must be made on a travel grant application form provided for that purpose.
  2. Applications must be accompanied by a letter of endorsement by a supervising faculty member.
  3. Students must submit the original and seven completed copies of their applications (including accompanying faculty letter – one copy in sealed, signed envelope) to the Associate Dean for Research Support in the Arts & Sciences Dean’s Office.
  4. Travel grant requests will be accepted on a continual basis and will be considered when submitted. Please allow at least six weeks for an application to be evaluated, processed, and an account set up.
  5. Applications are evaluated by the undergraduate research committee composed of the Associate Dean of Arts & Sciences and faculty members representing the broad areas of the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. The Associate Dean of Arts & Sciences will notify applicants in writing of the committee's decision concerning their application.
  6. At the time a grant is made, an expiration date will be established consistent with the projected timetable contained in the application. All expenses should be submitted by that time.

Disbursement

  1. Upon notification by the Associate Dean of Arts & Sciences, the Accounting Office will establish an account in the name of the recipient for the amount of the grant and notify the recipient of the account number. Any deviation in items of expense as stated in the application and approved by the committee must have the approval of the Associate Dean before purchase is made.
  2. Direct payment to providers of goods and services (i.e. travel agencies) can be made by the Accounting Office upon submission of the provider's invoice accompanied by the grant recipient's written request to make payment.
  3. Advances for expenditures may be obtained by submitting a University advance request form to the Associate Dean for Research, Boatwright Administrative Wing, room 17. For expenditures for which an advance is made, appropriate vouchers and receipts must be sent to the Associate Dean within one week following delivery of goods and services.
  4. Reimbursement for travel expenses incurred when no advance is involved may be obtained by submitting to the Accounting Office a statement of travel expense form accompanied by appropriate vouchers and receipts. Within one week following completion of travel, a statement of travel expense form and appropriate vouchers and receipts must be furnished to the Associate Dean for Research Support. If receipts total more than the original award, reimbursement will be made only for the amount of the award.
  5. Receipts for reimbursement or to clear an advance must be taped to an 8 ½ x 11 sheet of paper.
  6. Please note that receipts over 90 days old will not be accepted by the Accounts Payable Office for reimbursement.
  7. Funds will not be available for student use beyond the expiration date established at the time of the award. All funds remaining in the student's account will revert to the University upon the expiration date.

Conditions

  1. If granted and budget constraints allow, applicants will generally receive no more than two days of lodging costs and three days of meal costs.
  2. Travel grant recipients must agree to submit to the Associate Dean of Arts & Sciences a final report containing a summary of the manner in which the grant was expended including an itemized list of expenditures. The report is due no later than thirty days after the end of the period for which the grant was given. If a publication or a presentation at a professional meeting was given as a result of grant, the report shall be accompanied by a copy of the publication or the program listing the presentation.