In partnership with the Theo Murphy Initiative “Science for Public Good” organisers, TFOM will be hosting a series of events focused on the theme of public good in science, whilst in parallel aiming to highlight the opportunities that online meetings provide when used optimally, including through virtual reality.

Connected to this, we are pleased to be able to offer accessibility grants in the form of reimbursement of the cost of technology and support that speakers and attendees may need to purchase to enable them to effectively take part in these meetings. These grants are intended to be used towards the following:

  • VR headsets (rental or part funding, Meta Quest 2 is the recommended device)
  • Audio headsets
  • Internet access (e.g., through a mobile dongle)
  • Care arrangements during the meetings
  • Other (please specify what your needs are)

We recognise that these categories alone may not cover all your possible needs in terms of accessibility for participating in the conference, so please feel free to submit an alternative use of this grant for consideration. Grant requests from any country are welcome, but the total reimbursed grant amount may be reduced slightly due to associated currency conversion fees.

We anticipate being able to offer a small number of grants in the following categories based on relative need: 1) small subsidies of up to $100 AUD, and 2) medium subsidies of up to $250 AUD specifically towards purchase of a VR headset. In very exceptional cases, we may be able to reimburse the full cost of a VR headset if there is a justified need for this on the applicant’s side – please make that clear on your application and explain why.

Apply here: https://forms.gle/mikyrB1WnxfQmWpL7

Applications are welcome on an ongoing basis until our budget has been fully allocated, or until 12:00 UTC on 1st December 2022. Please note that there are a limited number of grants available, and not every application will receive funding, at the discretion of the grants committee. Reimbursement will take place after proof of purchase and relevant event attendance is confirmed.

You should wait for approval from the TFOM x S4PG organisers before making your purchase. The following conditions also apply:

  • We will need an invoice showing clearly what you purchased and what the costs were. This invoice needs to be consistent with the information given in this form.
  • We can only pay those funds that have previously been approved.
  • We need to confirm your attendance at the event(s)

If you are successful in receiving a grant, there will be an expectation that you will attend at least 2 TFOM x S4PG events, or at least 1 event as a speaker.

If you have any questions about this application or accessibility grants in general, please get in touch with us at hello@tfom.org.