HEAD Dependent Care Grants

The financial burden of child and adult dependent care affects the Division's members. The impact can be so great that it often prevents attendance at meetings, especially for early career scientists or those at small institutions with limited funding. The AAS and its Divisions are committed to helping members with dependents attend meetings; therefore, members may apply for subsidized dependent care services during a meeting, for use either at the meeting location or at home.

Qualifications

Who is eligible to apply?
Appropriate Divisional membership at the time of award selection is required. You must be a HEAD member or affiliate to apply for a dependent care grant to attend a HEAD meeting. Members must pay for their meeting registration before a grant can be received.  Applicants must be paid registrants of the meeting to be attended.

Who qualifies as a dependent?
A dependent is defined as 1) a minor 12 years of age or younger who resides with the applicant and for whom the applicant provides primary support, or 2) a disabled person regardless of age who spends at least eight hours per day in the applicant’s home and for whom the applicant has responsibility.

Eligible Expenses

Which expenses will be eligible for reimbursement?
Dependent care grants are intended to reimburse the following categories of expenses:

• Airfare for a caregiver (e.g., family member, au pair, nanny, sitter) to fly to the meeting location to assist with dependent care for child(ren) age 12 or younger, elderly, ill, or disabled family members able to travel
• Airfare for child(ren) age 12 or younger, elderly, ill, or disabled family members traveling to the meeting
• Costs for dependent care at the meeting (e.g., onsite babysitting, daycare or elder care service local to the meeting venue; local custodial child care, elder care, and/or expenses for care of elderly or other family members that the applicant usually provides; or paying for a nanny or other caregiver's labor)
• Costs for additional dependent care at home incurred due to member's absence during the meeting (e.g., caregiver's labor, before and after school or extended day programs, late pick-up fees, day camps that are custodial in nature and not educational, daycare centers, custodial child care / elder care, or expenses for care of elderly or other family members that the applicant usually provides)

Dependent care grants are NOT intended to reimburse the following categories of expenses:

• Childcare, elder care, or dependent care expenses at home that would normally be incurred (e.g., aftercare at school, dependent care that is provided on an on-going basis)
• Meals or groceries for the attendee, dependent(s), or the caregiver while at the meeting location
• Meeting registration
• Other expenses not associated with the additional care or travel of the dependent(s) or caregiver

Reimbursement

Reimbursement will be made after all travel is completed. All expenses must be justified with a receipt for reimbursement. All receipts must be submitted to the HEAD Treasurer within one month of the end of the meeting.

Additional Information

Please see the AAS Dependent Grants Page for additional information.