Conference Grants - Scheme 1

The London Mathematical Society (LMS) is the UK’s learned society for mathematics. Its purpose is the advancement, dissemination and promotion of mathematical knowledge, both nationally and internationally.

Objectives: To provide partial support for mathematical conferences held in the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.

Value of award: The maximum award is £5,500 towards actual travel, accommodation and subsistence expenses for:

• Principal speakers
• UK-based Research students
• Participants from Scheme 5 countries. Applicants unsure if the proposed country is eligible under a Scheme 5 grant should contact the Grants team.
• In addition, the Society allows the use of the grant award to cover Caring Costs for those attendees who have dependents.

General Guidelines: -The Society will support only mathematical activities or the mathematical component of wider activities, and here the word “mathematical” excludes mathematics education. -The Society does not like to receive sequential applications for grants to support the same or closely related events, and will not allow its limits for individual schemes to be exceeded by artificially sub-dividing an application into a number of separate requests under different headings. -In the case of satellite conferences, organisers of the main meeting are asked to give brief details of any planned satellites as part of their application for a conference grant. Applications for support for satellite meetings should make clear the financial and organisational connection with the main meeting. This is particularly important in cases where the expenses of speakers could be shared between the two meetings. Special arrangements apply to the BMC and its satellites. -Applicants must comply with the Society’s policy on Women in Mathematics - please note that the Society considers a lack of uninvited women speakers to be a very real problem, and a failure to include women speakers are grounds for refusal for funding. -Additionally, please note the Society's advice on diversity at conferences/workshops/seminars. -Applicants should bear in mind that funding from the Society to support Scheme 1 grants is intended only to be partial. -Reasonable registration fees of between £10 and £20 per day should be charged. Organisers are encouraged to waive registration fees for participants who are retired or on a career break. -Academic and financial reports will be required after the visit.

Academic Case: The academic justification for a Scheme 1 grant should focus on the benefit to UK mathematics that the proposed conference would bring.

Expenditure: -The maximum award shown on the website is the upper limit, not the standard award. Grants are made to meet actual expenditure on items in the application. -Visa costs are regarded as part of normal travel expenses. -The grant is not intended to cover the cost of secretarial help or publicity. -The grant may not be used to cover room hire but requests for grants to cover room hire at De Morgan House will be considered, where special circumstances can be shown. -The grant cannot be used to cover registration fees. -Any surplus grant must be returned to the Society as soon as possible and may not be used for other purposes.

Eligibility:

• The applicant should be one of the conference organisers, who should be a mathematician based in the UK, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands.
• Non LMS members will need to ask an LMS member to counter-sign their application.
• The conference must be held in the UK, the Isle of Man or the Channel Islands.
• This scheme cannot be used to provide additional funding for conferences that are part of an INI or ICMS programme, as these are already partially funded by the London Mathematical Society.

Criteria:

• The Society expects that the meetings which it supports will be open to all, and will only support a closed meeting if an exceptional case is made.
• The Society will support only mathematical meetings or the mathematical component of wider meetings, and here the word mathematical excludes mathematics education.
• Applicants must comply with the Society's policy on Women in Mathematics - please note that the Society considers a lack of invited women speakers to be a very real problem, and a failure to include women speakers are grounds for refusal for funding.
• Additionally, please note the following advice on diversity at conferences/workshops/seminars.