How to Apply

Be sure you can trust the organization. This doesn’t mean the activity or conference isn’t real, but it means you should consider looking into it further.

• Does it have an extraordinary claim i.e. is it really the “114th conference”? It could be real, but it’s something to look into to be sure.
• Did you find the conference/activity by a Google search? Or did a trusted source recommend it to you? Do you know anyone that has gone before?
• Are they promising that the conference proceedings will be published (That you will be published in high quality journals in your field)?
• Is the keynote speaker list “too good to be true”?

This list is not exhaustive:

• Research your activity.
• Contact the listed venue and ask if they are actually hosting this conference or activity.
• Ask classmates or professors if they have heard of the conference.
• Search social media to see if others have attended this conference or activity previously and what they are saying about it.
• Look up articles on how to spot a fake or predatory conference, they have lots of great tips. See some examples in the next dropdown.

• We understand this may be your first time ever writing a formalized budget. That’s okay - you can ask for assistance a minimum of 5 business days before the deadline.
• Consider economical accommodations and transportation, while also considering your safety and potential for last minute flight cancellations. Being fiscally responsible is important, but only within reason. It might make sense to stay in the conference hotel even though it’s a little bit more expensive because you will not need additional ground transportation. ; For flights, you are required to book lowest available fare options i.e. Standard, Flex, Econo, Econo Flex. We do not require you to book through ultra low cost carrier airlines (such as Flair Airlines, Ryanair, etc).
• Think about the circumstances of your activity to determine what type of transportation makes the most sense. Renting a vehicle should be a last resort. It makes sense if you are having to drive to a remote location or a location you can’t get to by transit, etc.
  • If you want a rental car because it’s convenient, that’s not fiscally responsible for U of A funds.
  • Transit, taxi, and rideshare programs are typically more cost effective.

1. Research possible expenses associated with the activity. Expenses must be reasonable and reflect prudence, good judgement and due regard for economy.
2. List all eligible expenses associated with the activity.
3. Ensure expenses for which you are requesting funding are in alignment with the Green and Gold Grant's eligible expenses and University policy. Travel Reimbursement Procedure and Schedule of Allowable Travel Expenses.
4. List amounts in Canadian dollars.
5. Provide a breakdown of calculations used and provide a written explanation in the budget. You may be asked to provide additional documentation to support your expenses.

• Registration:
  Fees to participate in the activity. This can include professional association membership fees, if they are required in order to participate in the activity or provides a significant discount. List everything included in the registration fee i.e. meals, transportation to and from the activity, etc. if applicable.
• Airfare & baggage:
  Include how much flights will costs, including all fees (airline baggage fees and taxes).
• Vehicle rental:
  Costs of renting a vehicle, fees, and taxes. Include the reasons it is necessary to rent a vehicle instead of using other forms of transportation.
• Private vehicle: (as required)
  Include how much a vehicle rental will cost, including all fees. If calculating distances and mileage for use of a private vehicle, include the estimated kilometres. Estimated kilometers for your entire trip using a program such as Google Maps, Apple Maps, etc. It needs to show your start point, end point, and kilometers of the trip. Mileage costs are calculated according to the Schedule of Allowable Travel Expenses. (e.g. Edmonton to Calgary: 298 kilometres x $0.50 per kilometre = $149).
• Other Ground Transportation:
  Estimated cost of public transit, taxis, Ubers, etc. during your activity.
• Meals:
  Estimated meals you will purchase. You can claim a combination of individual meals and/or full days depending on your activity. Meal amounts are set by the University and calculated according to the Schedule of Allowable Expenses. You cannot request funds for any meals that are provided as part of your event (e.g. if lunch is included as part of your conference registration fee, you cannot also claim a lunch meal for that day).
• Accommodation:
  Estimated cost of your accommodation. This may include one night before the proposed activity and one night afterward if necessary.
• Travel Insurance:
  Flight cancellation insurance. Cost of additional travel insurance and/or flight insurance.
• Travel Visa:
  Required special visas and travel papers. Cost of travel visa and costs associated with obtaining the visa.
• Other expenses:
  Any additional expenses not listed above. Please provide as much detail as possible.

If you are unsure if an expense would be eligible, please reach out to GreenAndGoldGrant@ualberta.ca and we can provide additional information specific to your situation. Feedback must be requested at least five business days before the application deadline.

Expenses should be related to the activity and necessary for your participation. If an expense is not necessary for your participation in the activity, it should not be included in your budget.

Ineligible activities include, but are not limited to: personal travel before or after your activity; additional airfare fees to change flight times, travel date and/or destinations for personal reasons; additional fees to upgrade hotel rooms, etc.

• The application was good but there was not enough funding available.
• The application was vague. There was not enough information provided.
• The activity was ineligible.
• The application was submitted to the incorrect deadline.
• The short answer responses are too short. Although there is no minimum word count, pay attention to the maximum. If you wrote 5 words when you had up to 200 words, there is potentially a lot more you could have written. Your response can be short but it needs to be very well written.

• Attending additional sessions for networking, etc.
• Reaching out to companies or professionals in that location to arrange an information interview, tours, job interviews, etc.
• Reaching out to people attending the activity and organizing meetings with them (for coffee, during a meal break, etc). This could include presenters at the activity.
• Participating in online chat boards/forums.

This list is not exhaustive.

• Applying for funding to put on a conference/workshop/event
• Applying for funding to bring in a guest speaker
• Group applications (one application on behalf of multiple people). Each individual needs to apply and have a unique application. Although there may be similarities for some responses, many of the questions in the application require reflecting on your personal lived experience and goals.
• Zoom license (you can participate in an online activity where the host of the activity has a paid Zoom account). A free Zoom account lets you host a 45 minute meeting.

This list is not exhaustive. The activity does not need to directly relate to your field of study. You need to explain how it aligns with your future career interests.

• Conferences (if you are presenting research, you must explain what you are doing besides just presenting your research for the application to be eligible.)
• Training courses and workshops to gain skills i.e. Wilderness first aid, use of a specific software, techniques and skills particular to your area of interest (Toastmasters, how to be a better group facilitator, transcription)
• Participation in music festivals, performances, and camps i.e. The Prague Quadrennial of Performance Design and Space, Art Song Lab, Musical Festival, etc.
• Costs to volunteer (Building bridges in Bolivia, Insulin Assistant at Diabetes Camp)
• Self-organized tours & activities (Organizing your own job shadowing, mentoring, tours, interviews, etc).
• Summer school where you don’t earn academic credit
• Coursera subscription to take a specific course or courses