The Canadian AIDS Society (CAS) scholarship program offers financial assistance to individuals with or without ASO affiliation and member organization representatives as a way to encourage attendance to the PLWHIV Forum (Forum) and Annual Meeting (AM). Depending on available funding, scholarships may or may not cover all costs associated with attendance. Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek additional sources of funding.
Please read the following to ensure you are eligible and aware of the requirements and deadlines.
Who can apply for a scholarship?
- All people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHIV) (ASO affiliation not required)
- CAS member group representatives as AM delegates (though we encourage organizations to send HIV-positive representatives, AM delegates do not necessarily have to be PLWHIV) .
Please note that HIV-positive participants are encouraged to apply for all scholarships, but all individuals registered by a CAS member organization can attend the AM.
How do I apply?
Complete and submit the Canadian AIDS Society PLWHIV Forum and AM Scholarship application form(s) to the Canadian AIDS Society by Monday March 20, 2017.
To qualify for review, the application forms, with all questions answered, must be postmarked or received by this date.
Ensure the form is signed by:
- a doctor/nurse or an AIDS service organization worker (to confirm HIV status for Forum-only attendees). Note: applicants for the Forum should not sign their own HIV certification.
- a member organization’s Executive Director or Board Chair (for AM delegates)
- you, the applicant
Failure to provide signatures will automatically make the application void.
What are the two types of scholarships being offered and what is the difference between them?
The PLWHIV Forum scholarship and the AM Delegate scholarship. If you are applying for scholarships to attend both events, you must complete separate application forms.
PLWHIV Forum Scholarships
PLWHIV Forum scholarships are available only to people living with HIV/AIDS who wish to attend the Forum. People living with HIV/AIDS need not be affiliated with a member group.
AM Delegate Scholarships
AM Delegate scholarships are available only to those from CAS member organizations who are appointed by their agency as official delegates to the AM. Recipients for this scholarship need not be HIV-positive to apply; however, member groups may encourage HIV-positive delegates to apply as their official AM delegate.
We request Executive Directors to attend in person – or assign a delegate who has full authority to make decisions of behalf of your respective organizations.
To ensure diversity of attendance among CAS member organizations, priority is given to awarding one scholarship per member group represented in the scholarship submissions.
All answers in each application will be assessed and the applicant with the highest score will be granted a scholarship. Additional applications will not be considered until scholarships have been equally distributed to other member organizations.
Where an individual applies for an AM Delegate scholarship and is not successful in their application, a member group may choose to appoint the applicant or another delegate to attend the AM (at their own cost).
How does the scholarship process work?
In 2017, priority will be given to applicants that:
- are from under-represented populations;
- demonstrate community involvement.
Scholarship awards will be determined by the Canadian AIDS Society, based on a fully completed scholarship application form. Scholarship applications will be evaluated objectively on the basis of information provided on the application form. Scholarships are evaluated on regional basis.
What does a scholarship cover?
The Canadian AIDS Society (CAS) may be unable to grant full scholarships and recipients may be responsible for securing financial support for the remaining costs. Partial scholarships may cover registration fees for the AM, travel to and from the event, and/or accommodations.
Registration Fees
- All applicants are eligible for full coverage of applicable registration fees.
Travel Costs
- If granted a scholarship, the most economical travel costs will be covered.
- Please note, travel expenses associated with local travel will not be reimbursed (e.g., local travel to and from the applicant’s place of residence/hotel to the airport or train or bus station or meeting location).
- Travellers are responsible for their own travel insurance; CAS will not reimburse costs.
- Travellers are responsible for baggage fees not included in ticket price; CAS will not reimburse costs.
Accommodations
- Applicants will be offered an opportunity to share a hotel room at no cost, or be given a 50% room credit at the hotel, should they want to stay alone. Please note: If there is some health reason why you are unable to share a room, please indicate this on your application.
- Participants who break hotel rules will be responsible for associated fines. E.g. smoking in non-smoking spaces, damaging hotel property, etc.
- Applicants may also stay with friends or family during the meeting. Upon request and based on approval by CAS, individuals choosing this option will receive $25/per night.
Per Diems
- Per diems will be offered only to Forum scholarship recipients for meals not provided as part of the Forum.
- Participants at the Annual Meeting are responsible for the cost and arrangement of meals not included in the Annual Meeting program.
Childcare
- If you require childcare assistance, please indicate so on your application form. You will be required to fill the relevant child care request form.
- While childcare is not provided on-site, assistance with childcare is offered for eligible scholarship recipients, at a reimbursement of a maximum of $75 per day, upon presentation of invoice directly and only from the childcare provider (not from applicant).
Additional Details
- Please read the “Take Note” document in the Introduction section of your Delegate Kit.
What are my responsibilities if I’m selected as a scholarship recipient?
- In the event you receive funding from other sources for any of the items listed, you agree to contact the Canadian AIDS Society and revoke your award, or lessen it by the amount received from other sources.
Cancellation
Applicants, or the organization that they represent (for the AM only), who are granted a scholarship must notify CAS in writing at least two weeks in advance of the event if they are unable to attend the Forum/AM.
Scholarship recipients who fail to attend the event without proper cancellation notice may be billed by the Canadian AIDS Society for some or all of the expenses incurred as a result. Organizations sponsoring delegates may also be responsible for coverage of these costs. Late or improper cancellation may also disqualify candidates or their organization from applying for future scholarships.
Attendance
You are expected to attend all sessions for the event that you are being sponsored to attend. Remember to sign-in or mark your attendance as required during the general and regional sessions. Sign-in process will be explained during the meeting.
If you do not attend all or part of the Forum or AM as agreed to, you or the organization you are representing may be held responsible for reimbursement of any advanced monies as well as any additional costs incurred, including hotel and travel, unless written notice is received by the Canadian AIDS Society before … 2017.
Transferring scholarships
Scholarships are granted to a specific individual, not to an agency. If a scholarship recipient from a particular agency is unable to attend, an agency may suggest another delegate with the signed approval of the sponsoring agency’s Executive Director. However, redirection to another applicant within the region is at the discretion of the Canadian AIDS Society.
Registration
All scholarship recipients are required to register for the Forum and/or AM. The registration forms are available on our website www.cdnaids.ca/.
Orientation Session
All scholarship recipients must attend the orientation session (if offered via conference call, or on site), prior to the PLWHIV Forum and/or Annual Meeting. Scholarships are conditional on attendance of the orientation session.
Meals
All meals provided will be indicated on the Forum/AM agenda. Meal per diems are provided to Forum scholarship recipients only for meals not provided on their program. For AM delegates, the cost of meals not already provided during the AM will be the responsibility of each scholarship recipient, or of the organization sponsoring their attendance at the AM.
Post-event information sharing and skills-building
- All participants should complete the event(s) evaluation forms. This is an integral part of event participation.
- Also, we will follow up with you about the plans you indicated on your application form – developing plans with local AIDS Service Organizations or other organizations involved in HIV/AIDS work within your communities to share information and skills learned at the Forum/AM with others.
Please share your implementation of these plans and related questions with your regional Directors on the Canadian AIDS Society Board.
If you have any questions or need additional information, feel free to get in touch with us.
1-800-499-1986 www.cdnaids.ca