We are excited to announce that, as part of our continuing efforts to lower barriers to participation in the annual conference, the POD Network will once again offer a needs-based financial assistance (NBFA) program to POD Network members in support of their attendance at the 51st Annual POD Conference, which takes place November 18-21, 2026, at the Hilton Inner Harbor Hotel, Baltimore, Maryland.
The Application Portal will open early summer 2026.
A maximum of $1,500 per person will be awarded for applicants for on-the-ground participation. The amount of the awarded financial assistance will be based on the applicant’s responses in the application regarding access to other funds provided by the POD Network or their institution/organization and the applicant’s estimated costs to attend the conference.
In addition to the funding for travel, the POD Network will also cover the cost of the early-bird fee for one conference registration (on the ground or virtual participation).
The application has two sections:
Section 1 information will be used to determine eligibility based on applicants’ self-reports of having access to employer-provided funds and/or other financial support provided through the POD Network; and
Section 2 information is optional and will have no bearing on eligibility. The data gathered in Section 2 will further our understanding of the factors limiting members’ ability to participate in the conference.
Only the POD Office staff will have access to the personally identifiable information shared in the application. Summaries of information gathered (with identifying information removed) may be shared with POD’s volunteer leadership.
Eligible applicants (based on information provided in Section 1) will be selected using a random-number generator until the total available funds is reached.
Successful applicants will be notified via email, with the amount of funding to be awarded prior to the early-bird registration deadline.