What is the Equality Fund?
BiCon has a long history of making equality and access a priority within the limits of our volunteer and non-profit organisational structures. The Equality Fund is provided through community donations and the surplus of previous BiCon events.
The Equality Fund exists to make BiCon more possible for people who are experiencing a financial, accessibility or equality hardship.
2013’s Equality Fund will be run separately from the main BiCon organising team for the first time.
Applying for the Equality Fun and How It Works
The deadline for making applications to the Equality Fund was 25th April, which has now passed.
We do have some money left which will be allocated to first-time BiCon attenders and people living in Scotland only. You can apply for this using the online application form.
Confidentiality of Applicants Information
Information supplied to the Equality Fund team will be kept confidential with only applicants’ names, category being kept with a note of the year of application. This is to allow us to monitor what funding is requested and allocated over time. If information supplied could be useful to the BiCon team (e.g disability access requests) the Equality Fund team will only pass that to the BiCon 2013 team with the express permission of the applicant.
Emails to email address removed and Equality Fund applications will be acknowledged within 7 days of being sent.
How is Equality Funding allocated?
As the equality fund is limited and funded by individual donations we ask that all attendees pay something for their BiCon. An exception is that equality funding can be made available for the full costs of BiCon registration and accommodation for a PA/carer who is not attending any part of BiCon in their own right.
Other typical allocations might include:
- Funding towards a percentage of accommodation and registration cost.
- A reduction in income band if an applicant is not unwaged but is still experiencing hardship.
Fictional Applicants who may be helped by Equality Fund
These are some fictional applicants who might be helped by the Equality Fund.
Alex is a student studying in London who has large debts from university fees and loans for cost-of-living. Equality Funding could be used to reduce Alex’s BiCon costs.
Tracey has just moved in with her partner Anna, and has not yet found a job locally. Anna works in a low-paid job at a supermarket. Friends and relatives have agreed to care for their two children, but they still cannot afford the full cost of two BiCon bookings. The Equality Fund could be used to reduce Anna’s BiCon to the unwaged rate and provide some funding to reduce the full cost of BiCon for them.
Bobby has disabilities that mean that he needs some assistance during BiCon. Bobbie’s friend Ahmed who identifies as bisexual has volunteered to provide part-time support to Bobbie in the mornings and nights at BiCon. Equality Funding could provide partial funding of Ahmed’s BiCon.
David has recently lost his job, he is seeking unemployment benefits and looking for work. His benefits have not come through yet. Equality Funding could be used to reduce some of the costs of BiCon.
Anita is deaf and has asked BiCon if they can help her with hearing people at BiCon plenaries and sessions. The Equality Fund is used to hire some equipment for her use at BiCon.