ISME20 Primary Caregiver Grants
The International Society for Microbial Ecology offers Primary Caregiver Grants to support ISME Members with primary caregiving responsibilities. Members who would otherwise be unable to attend ISME20 due to caregiving duties are encouraged to apply for funding at the time of abstract submission.
Eligibility
The Primary Caregiver Grants are intended for ISME members with primary caregiving responsibilities who wish to attend and present at
ISME Symposia. The grant will support the caregiver to attend ISME20 by providing means to arrange replacement care for the family member(s) or partner who will remain at home, or support the family member(s) or partner to join the caregiver.
Each grant will be between € 500 and €1000, depending on the situation of the caregiver.
The applicant must be the first and presenting author of an abstract submitted to the symposium.
Apply
Applications for The ISME Primary Care Giver Grants should include:
- Applicant’s name and full contact details (full work address, email address)
- Proof of ISME membership
- Gender, age and nationality (this info is only needed to guarantee a balanced distribution)
- Letter of support from current supervisor or line manager
- Personal statement explaining why you believe the Committee should select you for a grant. This includes a description of your home situation, and a justification of the costs.
All applications should be in a .pdf file format (no longer than 3 pages) with the filename containing the applicants’ name as follows: “PrimaryCare_Surname_Firstname.pdf”
You can upload your file when you submit your abstract.
Important notes:
- Applications should be complete and submitted under the correct name. Failure to comply with these terms will not be considered.
- For this type of grant ONLY ISME members are eligible to apply.
- Grantees need to report in person to the ISME Office booth during the Symposium to prove their attendance.
- The grants will be distributed 4-6 weeks after the Symposium in Auckland via PayPal or bank transfer. For safety reasons, we do not distribute grants in cash during the conference.
- If incorrect bank details are provided, an administrative fee of €50 will be deducted from the grant for each subsequent bank transfer.
- Being awarded a Primary Caregiver grant does not automatically imply that you will be selected for an oral presentation at the conference.
- ISME and the convention center do not provide childcare facilities during ISME20.
Information on deadlines:
- The online call for applications opens 10 January 2026
- The final deadline for applications is 22 February 2026
- Successful applicants will be informed by e-mail by 30 March 2026