Application Criteria

Guidelines for Applicants

Application Criteria:

These grants are intended to help women achieve a project or a plan which would enhance their career in their chosen STEM field. It could be used to pay for a wide range of activities or projects. The grants are one-off contributions, designed to help women in STEM do one of the following:

• Attending a specialist training course which would upgrade skills
• Attending a conference or seminar which would improve professional knowledge and contacts
• Purchasing tools or equipment needed to develop and practice skills
• The cost of travel or accommodation to enable a woman to carry out research for a specific project.
• The cost of travel or accommodation to enable a woman to carry out voluntary work, work shadowing or work experience in a science, engineering or technology role or environment.
• The cost of childcare to enable women to take part / attend any of the items listed above.

Who is eligible to apply?

Anyone who identifies as a woman, is based in Scotland and is a:

• College student at a Scottish college
• University student at a Scottish University
• STEM professional
• Person looking for a career change into STEM
• Returning to education or employment after a career break (could include, but not limited to; caring for family, redundancy or a period of illness or injury)

If you have already received a grant from The Joan Davidson Fund you are not eligible to apply again.

Awards will be made for a maximum of £300 per project.  It should be noted, however, that grants may be awarded for less than the full amount requested.

Conditions of Award

• Grants must be used for the purpose awarded – should circumstances relating to the award change, Equate Scotland must be informed immediately.

• Successful applicants will receive an information pack explaining what paperwork is required from them. Awards must be used 6 months to the date of being awarded or returned to Equate Scotland.

• A breakdown of expenditure including receipts (where appropriate), should be submitted to Equate within one month of project completion.  Any under-spend must be returned to Equate

• Joan Davidson grant recipients are required to take part in Equate marketing activities. This will not be an onerous task and will be limited to the occasional picture and interview by Equate about their progress and consent to being named in Equate literature.

Selection Procedure

There will be quarterly application deadlines throughout the year. These are:

Applications must be submitted to Equate Scotland by one of the deadlines above.  Applications received after the deadline will not be accepted.

Equate Scotland staff and steering committee members will conduct the selection process.

The decision of the selection panel is final and there will be no right of appeal against any decisions taken. However, if you are unsuccessful in one funding round you can apply again in another.