Why do we provide dependent care grants?

The Great Lakes Planetarium Association strives to provide a professional development experience at our conferences for all planetarians. Inclusion is a fundamental goal of our organization. The financial burden of child and adult dependent care can prevent our members from participating; therefore GLPA members can apply for this grant of up to $500 for use either at the conference location or at home.

Examples of expenses this grant could help to fund:

• Travel costs for a caregiver (e.g., family member, au pair, nanny, sitter) to fly to the conference location to assist with dependent care
• Costs for dependent care at the conference
• Cost for a meal package for a caregiver
• Costs for additional dependent care at home incurred due to member's absence during the conference

How does it work?

• Members who would not be able to attend the conference without this support should submit the online application form. For the 2022 conference, applications received by August 15 will receive full consideration. Applications received after August 21 may still be considered at the discretion of the Scholarship Committee, contingent upon the availability of funds.
• Applicants should consider applying as soon as conference materials are available.
• Make your hotel reservation when the rooms become available. Don't wait to hear if you have received the grant. You can always cancel the hotel reservation later if you don’t receive the grant.
• For the 2022 conference, the Scholarship Committee will notify recipients by Month Day.
• The GLPA Treasurer will send a check to the address you specified in the application.

Eligibility requirements:

• An applicant should be a current or recent employee, intern, or volunteer at a planetarium, museum, immersive venue, or science center. Adult students and other adults not working in the planetarium field are welcome to apply if they are exploring the possibility of entering the field.
• The scholarship is open to individuals who are not currently members of GLPA. Recipients will be required to become members before attending the conference.
• First-time applicants and applicants who have been members of GLPA for 5 years or more may be given higher consideration.
• The application should come directly from the individual who desires the scholarship.

Expectations of successful applicants:

• Successful applicants must attend all days of the conference held in the year the application was submitted.
• Applicants are expected to serve GLPA in some manner (e.g. presenting a poster/paper at the conference, working on a GLPA project, assisting the conference host, assisting the conference photographer, serving on a GLPA committee, hosting a state meeting, etc.).
• The successful applicant must meet all deadlines, as applicable, for the scholarship application, conference registration, or a paper/poster submission (unless waived by the appropriate official).

If you have any questions, please send an email to membership@glpa.org.