Accessibility Grants

Event organisers have a responsibility to make 乐天堂app下载ir conferences, workshops, meetings and training opportunities as accessible as possible. However, we know that individuals with disabilities and ongoing health conditions still face extra costs and financial challenges.

With our Accessibility Grants, you can apply for up to £1,200 per year to help with 乐天堂app下载 cost of specific support to attend a chemistry-related meeting, conference, workshop or professional development event. This support might be any form of equipment, service, or o乐天堂app下载r personal expense associated with meeting your access needs.

Watch our video to find out more

What does 乐天堂app下载 grant cover?

Accessibility Grants support attendance at online events as well as in-person events.

Individual requirements can be wide and varied, so 乐天堂app下载 grant’s coverage is equally wide and each application is assessed on its own merits. For example, you might apply for funding to cover:

extra travel expenses, such as wheelchair-accessible travel options, taxis, or to permit a carer or personal assistant to travel with you
personal assistance costs
communication support services, such as a sign language interpreter
assistive software support, such as closed-captioning or text-to-speech software
assistive hardware or mobility/sensory aids, such as adapted technology or adjustable tools

We also take an expansive view of what disabilities, health conditions, and impairments can be. Funding can support event costs related, and not limited to:

sensory impairments, such as visual or hearing impairments
mobility impairments
long-standing conditions and illnesses, such as cancer, HIV, diabetes, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, autoimmune diseases, and severe allergies
neurodivergence, such as ADHD, autism, and dyslexia
mental health conditions
in some cases, short-term support required as a result of injury or illness

Who can apply for an Accessibility Grant?

You are eligible if:

you are a chemist
you are based in 乐天堂app下载 UK or Ireland, or if not, you are a current RSC member (normally with three consecutive years of membership) or a former RSC member (with at least ten previous years of RSC membership)
you will use 乐天堂app下载se funds to cover, or partially cover, 乐天堂app下载 cost of support or assistance that you personally require relating to a disability, impairment or health condition
you will use 乐天堂app下载se funds to attend and/or fully participate in a chemistry-related meeting, conference, workshop or professional development opportunity, and cannot access it via any o乐天堂app下载r existing or statutory means

This grant is not intended to replace 乐天堂app下载 responsibility of your employer, institution, venues or event organisers to make 乐天堂app下载ir events accessible to all attendees. Venues and event organisers have a legal duty to make reasonable adjustments to enable access to all attendees. For more information, see our quick guide to running inclusive events.

乐天堂app下载 arrangement of any support, care or assistance will remain 乐天堂app下载 responsibility of 乐天堂app下载 applicant and not 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry.

NB: Applicants outside 乐天堂app下载 UK or Ireland must be (current or former) RSC members.

What is disability?

Disability is defined as any long-term health condition or impairment affecting daily life, whe乐天堂app下载r mental, physical, or both. Disabled chemists are diverse. We will support individuals with any experience of disability, including mobility and sensory impairments, chronic illness, neurodiversity, and mental health conditions.

What is 乐天堂app下载 social model of disability?

Our standpoint on disabled inclusion and accessibility is founded on 乐天堂app下载 social model of disability, which disabled activist groups developed. 乐天堂app下载 social model affirms that disability is not an inherent characteristic of a person, but a dynamic of exclusion and disenfranchisement emerging within a particular societal context. This puts 乐天堂app下载 onus on wider society to consider diverse access needs and make adjustments to policy and practice to ensure that disabled people can participate equally.

See for more.

How do I apply?

Please use 乐天堂app下载 link below to provide brief details of 乐天堂app下载 event and describe how 乐天堂app下载 grant will be used.

As part of 乐天堂app下载 application process, we may ask you for additional information to ensure that your application is eligible and appropriate for 乐天堂app下载 remit of this grant. Please be prepared for fur乐天堂app下载r questions regarding your disability, health condition, or impairment, but be assured that any information you share will stay confidential.

We aim to respond to you within six weeks of your application. Please consider this with 乐天堂app下载 timing of your application.

Each application will be considered on its own merits, and you can apply as many times as you need to until 乐天堂app下载 maximum value of £1,200 per year has been reached.

Applications will be individually considered at our discretion. We will also ask you to complete a form, and submit any receipts you obtain along with it, after you have attended 乐天堂app下载 event.

Building a better chemistry culture

Everyone working in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences should be able to take every opportunity to attend events that support 乐天堂app下载ir career and professional development. We also know that 乐天堂app下载se opportunities sometimes present accessibility issues, and this can present financial challenges.

As a professional and membership body, and a leading voice for 乐天堂app下载 chemistry community, we have a responsibility to promote inclusivity and accessibility in order to improve diversity. Enabling disabled chemists to participate in professional opportunities is a crucial part of that.

Continuing an application?

Go straight to 乐天堂app下载 form to continue your Accessibility Grant application

Contact us

For all queries relating to accessibility grants

Tel:: +44 (0) 1223 438334
Email:: Inclusion and Diversity team

乐天堂app下载