Overview
The Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences provides an Accessibility Fund as part of its commitment to fostering equitable, accessible, and inclusive participation in Federation activities. The Fund provides financial assistance to individuals with accessibility-related needs who participate in eligible Federation activities delivered in person, online or in a hybrid format.
Purpose
The Fund aims to reduce barriers to participation by covering reasonable accessibility-related costs that are not otherwise available through existing services or accommodations provided by the host of the activity whether the Federation, a partner institution, or a partner organization.
Description
For the purposes of this Fund, an accessibility need refers to a circumstance that requires a support or accommodation to enable participation in an eligible Federation activity.
Funding requests may range from $250 to $1,000 CAD and are generally assessed on a rolling basis. The Fund may support more than one eligible activity within a given year.
Eligible supports may include, but are not limited to:
- Communication supports: sign language interpretation, real-time captioning or transcription, note-taking, and assistive communication technologies;
- Personal and caregiving supports: childcare, elder care, or other dependent care costs incurred to participate in the activity, including personal support workers or disability-related assistance;
- Mobility and physical access supports for in person events: accessible transportation, mobility aid rentals, and accessibility equipment;
- Technology supports: adaptive hardware or software, accessibility tools for virtual participation, and temporary access to required devices;
- Financial hardship supports: costs arising from a medical-related accessibility need, or additional costs faced by applicants receiving disability-related or other income benefits, where those costs would otherwise be a barrier to participation; and
- Other accessibility-related supports required to enable equitable participation in the Activity, in keeping with the purpose of the Fund.
Supports provided through this Fund are intended to complement, not duplicate, accessibility features or services already available through the Activity, the venue or event organizers.
Eligibility
Applicants must:
- Register for, participate in and/or attend an eligible Federation activity;
- Identify an accessibility barrier to participation; and
- Submit a complete application describing the support needed to address that barrier.
Applicants may submit one application per eligible Activity. The Federation may establish additional funding limits based on annual fund availability.
Applying for this Fund and any information shared as part of an application, has no bearing on an applicant's standing, invitation, or participation with the Federation or Activity, and is kept confidential and used solely for the purpose of assessing and administering the application.
Application and review process
Applications are submitted through the Federation’s designated online platform and are assessed against the Fund’s eligibility criteria and may be approved on a rolling basis.
Applicants must provide information about their accessibility-related need and the estimated cost of the requested support, where available. Applicants are encouraged to apply early to allow sufficient time for any required accessibility measures to be arranged by the Federation or a partner institution or organization.
Applicants are notified by email of the funding decision and any documentation required for payment. Incomplete applications are not considered until all required information is received. Funding decisions are final and not subject to appeal.
Applicants who accessibility needs fall outside the scope of the Fund, or who require additional time at any stage of the process due to accessibility-related circumstances may request an extension by contacting the Federation’s Membership team at membership@federationhss.ca
Funding and payment
Approved funding is reimbursed following the eligible activity upon confirmation of participation and receipt of required documents. Reimbursement is provided based on approved eligible expenses and may be adjusted where final eligible costs differ from the approved amount or required documentation is not provided.
Personal and financial information collected for payment and tax-reporting purposes is used solely for those purposes and is handled in accordance with the Federation's privacy policy.
Administration
The Accessibility Fund is administered by the Federation and applies to designated Federation activities. Applicable activities, application period, funding limits, and any additional requirements are communicated through the relevant call for applications and program materials. The Federation may modify program guidelines, timelines, or eligibility requirements as needed to support equitable and effective program delivery.
Questions regarding the fund or application process are directed to the Federation’s Membership team at membership@federationhss.ca.