SPIE Family Care Grants are designed to supplement caregiving costs incurred by SPIE Early Career Members who are registered to attend an SPIE event. The maximum grant amount for in-person meetings is $500, and grants are offered on a first-come, first-served basis on funding availability.
The application for the 2026 SPIE event cycle is open.
Apply online
Application guidelines:
- The deadline to apply for a grant is three weeks prior to the specific event start date. Visit the SPIE website to see the full list of events and their start dates.
- Families are eligible for one grant per Early Career Member per year
- Eligible applications are approved on a first-come, first-served basis based on funding availability. If the number of grant requests exceeds funding availability, preference will be given to applicants in the early stages of their career, or who have not received recent SPIE support.
- Applicants receive notification of their status no later than one week prior to the event start date
Eligibility requirements:
- Applicant must have a current SPIE Early Career Membership through the month of the meeting
- Applicant must be registered for the conference to be considered (excludes free exhibit-only registrations)
- Applicant must be a primary caregiver of a dependent who will need care in order for the applicant to attend the meeting
Conditions of grant:
- This grant covers caregiving expenses for children under the age of 12 or dependent care if you are a caregiver.
- Eligible expenses for reimbursement are limited to airfare of a caregiver to attend the conference, or additional costs for hiring a caregiver at home while the recipient is away at an SPIE conference, or caregiving costs at the conference location for the duration of the event.
- Funding is to be made via reimbursement after the conference
- Abuse of the grant will result in future ineligibility
Reimbursement policy:
- Expenses for reimbursement are to be submitted with receipts within 30 days of the conference
- Proof of purchase is required for all caregiving expense claims (includes airfare itinerary and caregiving billing)
