SIG

Special Interest Group Funding

Purpose: Sponsorship of research meetings on particular themes.

Funding is available for genetics research communities who wish to run regular series of meetings. Current examples include Seed Plant, e-ACGT (Edinburgh Alliance for Complex Trait Genetics), the C. elegans Group and London Genetics Network. Meetings should be based in, or have strong links with, the UK.

• Applications to become a new Special Interest Group should be submitted at least three months before the date of the first meeting and include a funding proposal.
• The application should state the topic of the meeting, provide a provisional programme, financial support available/applied for from other sources and level of support and justification of the amount requested from the Genetics Society.
• We aim to respond to applications within four weeks.

All applications for funding should be submitted using the online application form:
Apply for Special Interest Group Funding

Once you have logged in to the mySociety membership portal, please select “Me and the GS” followed by “Grants” from the options at the top of the page, and then choose the Special Interest Group award.

If you have any queries regarding the application process or are experiencing any difficulty with your submission, please contact theteam@genetics.org.uk

The award of Genetics Society support will be subject to review of applications by the committee and subject to the following conditions:

Publicity:

The sponsorship of the Genetics Society must be mentioned in all pre-meeting publicity (e.g. posters, flyers, website).  It should also be acknowledged in the meeting programme booklet.  It is understood that wherever possible, the meeting should be advertised as ‘A Genetics Society Meeting’. However, where the Society’s financial contribution support is only partial, and where this formula of words would conflict with the interests of other sponsors, it is acceptable for the meeting to be advertised as a ‘Genetics Society-Sponsored Meeting’.

Use of the Gen Soc logo in publicity materials.

Details of the programme of the meeting should be made available to all Genetics Society members via the Society’s newsletter, and an electronic copy should be sent as far in advance as possible to the newsletter editor, at the latest by the advertised copy date for the newsletter preceding the close of registrations for the meeting.  The same details will appear on the Genetics Society website.  This information should include the programme of speakers, the topics to be covered, plus details of how to register for the meeting.

If the meeting is advertised on the Internet, then a link to the Genetics Society website (www.genetics.org.uk) should be included.

Diversity guidelines:

A brief statement, indicating how you have addressed the diversity guidelines or explain why you could not conform to the guidelines will be required.
Appropriate representation of women as invited Speakers is required, and will be monitored by the Society.  Organisers must:

• Ensure a good balance between established and new investigators on the Speaker list
• Ensure that there is an attempt for broad geographical representation where possible
• Abide by the Genetic Societies’ EDI principles and report back to the society with participation numbers

Meeting Report:

A report on the meeting, once it has taken place, should be submitted for publication in the newsletter, which is the official record of the Society’s activities.  This should be sent as soon as possible after the meeting to theteam@genetics.org.uk, and should include brief factual information about it  (where and when it took place, how many people attended and so on), together with a summary of the main scientific issues covered.

Use of  Funds:

Genetics Society funds may be used to support speaker travel, accommodation, publicity or any other direct meeting costs, at the organisers’ discretion, but must include a carer’s award to allow those with responsibilities to attend.  It is understood that budget travel and accommodation options will normally be insisted upon.  Any unused funds should be returned to the Society.  The Society will not be liable for any financial losses incurred by the meeting organisers.  Any profits should be retained solely for the support of similar, future meetings, as approved by the Society.

A written invoice for the agreed amount of Genetics Society sponsorship should be forwarded to theteam@genetics.org.uk, no later than one month after the meeting date.  Funds may be claimed in advance of the meeting, as soon as the  amount of support has been notified in writing.

Registration Fees:

Meeting organisers may levy a registration charge for attendance at the meeting as they see fit.  However, it is understood that Genetics Society members will be offered a substantial discount, so as to encourage non-members wishing to attend to join the Society at the same time.  The meeting organisers agree to make available to non-member registrants full details of how to apply for Genetics Society membership, such as appear on the website and in the newsletter, and may charge such persons the same registration fee as charged to members, upon confirmation from the Society’s Office that their application and remittance or direct debit mandate for membership fees has been received.

Other Sponsorship:

The meeting organisers are free to apply to other organisations for sponsorship of the meeting, as they see fit.  However, organisations whose policies or practices conflict with those of the Genetics Society should not be approached.  In cases of doubt, the officers of the Genetics Society should be consulted for advice.

Continued Support:

For those groupings holding their first such meeting with Genetics Society support, it is understood that the Society’s support for future meetings of the series will be decided on the basis of the success of the first meeting, including adherence to all of the conditions listed above.  The first meeting is hence supported on a pilot basis only.

Nominated Meeting Co-ordinator:

The meeting organisers will nominate a responsible person who will liaise with the Genetics Society on all matters relating to the meeting, and whose contact details will be supplied to the Society’s Office.  This person will inform the Society if they resign or pass on their responsibility for the meeting or series to another person, whose contact details shall also be supplied.

EDI statement:

The Genetics Society is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity. We welcome applications for the summer studentship programme from all sections of the community regardless of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability, caring responsibilities, age, religion or belief.