Ian Potter Foundation - ECR travel grants

The Foundation’s Travel grants program is distinctive in Australian philanthropy.  The Foundation has had a steadfast commitment to this initiative, dating from the Foundation’s establishment in 1964. 

Travel grants enable outstanding individuals, with promising careers and potentially important contributions to make to the Australian community, to exchange knowledge with their peers through participation in professional development opportunities.

In particular, the program enables promising early-career academics and researchers to present their work at international conferences and exchange knowledge with their peers through participation in professional development opportunities.

Supporting early career researchers to attend conferences and training enhances the researcher’s professional development, and develops their research through valuable feedback from and collaboration with contemporaries in their field. Ultimately, these benefits filter through to the wider community through their research and the investment in Australia’s best and brightest minds. While most Travel grants are awarded to university-based researchers, they are also available to TAFE staff and indeed the staff of any eligible organisation that may have similar potential and opportunity.

Although Travel represents only a small percentage of the Foundation’s grant-making in dollar terms, the travel grants program has been effective in promoting the value of Australian research and overcoming the challenge of our geographical isolation. Since 1964, the foundation has granted 2400 Travel grants representing an investment of over $3 million in nurturing our nation’s intellectual capital.

Most grants made in this program area range from $2,000 - $3,000.

Note on eligibility

* The Travel program is targeted towards Early Career Researchers (within 5 years of completing their PhD) who have an appointment of at least 3 years. Priority is given to applicants that meet this criterion. Applicants with less than 3 year contracts may still apply, however their application will be considered a lower priority for support than those that meet the above criterion. If you have a contract for less than 3 years, please include in the letter of support provided with your application, an explanation from the university as to why this is the case e.g. the university only provides one year contracts/due to the current funding arrangement etc. The university must also state in this letter that it is its intention to renew your contract for # years.

Objective • To assist early career staff members (with an appointment of at least three years) to attend overseas conferences to develop their professional careers, and to interact with their peers in the international scene.