Philosophy Conference Funding: Conditions of Sponsorship

Royal Institute of Philosophy Conditions of Sponsorship for Conference Funding.

  1. This programme is open to any university department of philosophy, or other registered organisation demonstrably capable of meeting the criteria.
  2. Funding for conferences is intended for such things as speakers’ expenses (accommodation, economy travel, and meals), venue hire and advertising costs. The Royal Institute’s financial commitment is limited by the agreement made between the Managing Director and the conference organiser, based on the original proposal as received. Funds can be made available in advance or after the conference, in either case on receipt of an invoice sent to the Managing Director m.nightingale@royalinstitutephilosophy.org
  3. The topic agreed for the conference may not be changed except by consent of the Academic Director of the Royal Institute. The detailed arrangements for the programme are, however, entirely at the discretion of the host. 
  4. Conferences may be planned over one day or multiple days, depending on what is most suitable for the content and target audience, and provided that costs can be justified.
  5. All applicants must review the Guidance & Resources from BPA Good Practice Scheme and apply to their conference planning.
  6. When drawing up a list of potential invited speakers, take reasonable steps to ensure that women are well represented; see the Good Practice website for more information and advice.
  7. Where possible, consult the women on your list before fixing the date of the conference, to ensure that women speakers are not just invited but will actually attend.
  8. Women may well be at lower-prestige institutions and/or in lower-ranked jobs. (E.g. in the UK, only 12% of professors in Russell Group philosophy departments are women.) They may therefore have less access to institutional funding. If your cost model does not allow you to fund all speakers, ask bigger-name speakers whether they can fund their own travel (they can always say no), freeing up resources for less well-known speakers.
  9. Organisers should ensure that male and female speakers are treated equally on publicity material and the conference programme, e.g. to avoid the situation where a male speaker is described as ‘Senior Lecturer in philosophy at …’ but a female speaker, also an SL, is described as ‘teaches philosophy at …’; or where the male speaker’s title (Dr, Prof.) is included but the female speaker’s isn’t.
  10. Investigate whether the provision of childcare facilities for the duration of the conference is possible. Many universities have crèches on or near campus, which may be able to offer a rate for speakers at larger conferences. Consider setting aside funding to subsidise the use of childcare facilities by speakers; see the Good Practice website for more information and advice. There are further details here.
  11. Event organisers are also asked to consider accessibility. The BPA has guidance here which might be helpful too.
  12. It is assumed that the Royal Institute will be the main sponsor of the conference, though it may be appropriate to seek additional financial assistance elsewhere. The Royal Institute must be a consenting party to any co-sponsoring arrangement and reserves its right to withdraw funding.
  13. A full report detailing the outcomes of the conference will be required within 4 weeks following the date of the conference. Organisers are asked to report on topics addressed, by whom, and anything else about the conference that might be of interest to the Royal Institute Executive Committee. This report should also include a full and final budget of expenditure. This should be sent to the Managing Director m.nightingale@royalinstitutephilosophy.org
  14. Any unspent grant monies must be returned to the Royal Institute of Philosophy within 4 weeks following the date of the conference.
  15. The conference must be known and advertised as a Royal Institute of Philosophy conference. It is expected that it will be widely advertised. If the ambition is to attract a public audience, advertising must go beyond advertising to philosophy departments or on a departmental website. 
  16. TRIP are prepared to award the money for a straight academic conference giving rise to a volume. In the event of two applications of otherwise equal merit being received, preference will be given to the one that stands the most chance of engaging the general public.