Honors Student Enrichment Grant Guidelines

Grants of up to $300 are available to help cover travel and/or registration expenses to present research at a national conference, or expenses related to the preparation of a manuscript for publication. Preference will be given to students presenting at an academic or professional conference.

 

 

Eligibility Criteria 

  • The applicant must be classified as a member of the Honors Program.
  • Applications must include a copy of the confirmation of acceptance to present at the conference or poster session or submission for publication.
  • Preference is given to students presenting research, scholarship, or creative expression, including work done for an Honors capstone project, at an academic or professional conference. Attendance at student conferences such as NCUR will be supported if funds allow.
  • A student who has received another Honors Program grant (e.g., UHP, Stewart, FHMP) is eligible to apply. The justification of need, types of budgeted expenses, and availability of funds will all factor into award decisions.
  • Students may pair this award with other undergraduate travel awards available through academic units, administrative offices, and research teams so long as the combined requests do not exceed the projected expenses

 

Funding Policies 

Acceptable funding requests:

  • Conference registration or abstract fees for a meeting at which the research is being presented.
  • Travel (airfare and ground transportation), lodging, parking, and meal expenses incurred for the business portion of the trip. Days tacked on to a trip for vacation or sight-seeing will not be covered. Reimbursement for travel expenses will be in accordance with university travel policies, which should be reviewed in advance.
  • Postage or shipping expenses.
  • Printing, copying, and photographic services. NOTE: Printing and copying must be done by an ISU Printing and Copy Center unless alternative arrangements are approved in advanced by Honors.

Non-reimbursable travel expenses to note:

  • Alcohol
  • Ticket rescheduling fees for personal reasons rather than business reasons
  • Movies or non-food items purchased through the hotel for personal use or entertainment
  • Flight or baggage insurance; trip insurance, depending on what is covered, may be reimburseable

 

Application Procedures 

  • Grant applications are available online and completed electronically. View a sample application here.
  • Applications require the project/research adviser or student organization adviser to review and acknowledge support for the funding request.
  • Submitted applications are automatically routed through Qualtrics to the designated adviser for review and confirmation and then to the Honors office. Students do not need to submit a hard copy.
  • Students will be contacted if there are unanswered questions, additional information needed, or revisions requested. Revised applications must be re-submitted through Qualtrics and receive a new approval from the adviser.
  • Students who have a compressed timeline and require a prompt review of and decision on the funding should contact the Honors Program director to highlight deadlines or make special requests.
  • Students are discouraged from purchasing airline tickets prior to a decision on funding in order to avoid unallowable reimbursements or arrangements that are not in compliance with university travel guidelines.

 

Award Procedures 

  • The maximum award is $300.00. In some cases the committee will award partial funding for designated items in the budget request.
  • Applicants, along with the student's Honors advisor and research or student organization supervisor, are notified of the committee's decision via e-mail.
  • Grant recipients are required to sign and return a contract of acceptance for the award.
  • Upon acceptance of the Student Enrichment Grant the student agrees to:
    • Submit any presentation-related documentation (e.g., a PDF of presentation slides) to the Honors Program Office by the end of the semester in which the travel occurred.
    • Submit a short summary of the experience, including a statement of how he/she benefitted from attending the conference that can be shared with Honors Program alumni donors and friends.
    • Include the following acknowledgement on any report or presentation: The presentation of this research was funded in part by a Student Enrichment Grant made available through the Iowa State University Foundation in conjunction with the University Honors Program.
    • Adhere to the ISU policy regarding printing and copy services.
    • Adhere to university travel policies.
    • Submit any expenses for reimbursement by the Monday of Prep Week for the semester in which the project is presented. 
  • Payment for all grant-funded expenses should be discussed and coordinated with the University Honors Program office.
  • Students who receive funding for the same conference travel event from another unit or administrative office should report that to the Honors Program administrative staff. Honors will coordinate with the other offices/programs as needed to issue a single reimbursement.
  • Changes of $50.00 or more in the funding categories listed in the budget or changes to arrangements outlined in the budget, should be approved by the Honors Program Director.
  • When possible, travel arrangements should be discussed with and approved in advance by an Honors program administrative staff member to ensure university travel policies are met.
  • Students are discouraged from purchasing airline tickets prior to a decision on funding in order to avoid unallowable reimbursements or arrangements that are not in compliance with university travel guidelines.
    • Students are encouraged to work with the Honors Program staff to purchase airline tickets through the university when possible.
    • If travel is purchased on a personal credit card, reimbursement can take place only after the travel occurs.
    • Itemized receipts are always required for the reimbursement of hotel/lodging expenses. Receipts are occasionally required for other expenses, especially when they exceed $75 or a set per diem amount. A summary of allowable travel expenses and whether or not a receipt is required is available here.

 

Applying for financial support to attend NCUR 2023?

Please do not submit a Student Enrichment Grant application.

There will be a separate application process for NCUR funding. Applications will be due February 9, with awards being announced the week of February 20. Information will be sent to all Honors students who have had an abstract accepted for presentation. Please watch for an e-mail from Dr. Zbarska.