Purpose

The aim of this program is to promote interaction, collaboration, and the exchange of scientific results within the Canadian and international theoretical astrophysics communities. The program attempts to stimulate the organization of scientific workshops and conferences, and to defray at least some of the cost. This program has neither the intent nor the resources to replace the major sources of funding that should be sought from other bodies and registration fees, but for major meetings this program might be used to complement other funding sources.

CITA is committed to the free and respectful exchange of scientific ideas and supports diverse, equitable and inclusive practices at all meetings we sponsor. We expect that to be reflected in the documentation and reporting requested as part of support.

Types of Scientific Meetings Supported

CITA has provided support for a variety of meeting types, which can be classified into four broad categories. The categories are listed below in decreasing order of priority for support:

• Regular Meetings: CITA has traditionally initiated, supported, and helped to organize short scientific meetings of Canadian theoretical astrophysics (e.g. the “Kingston Meeting”), held at locations around the country. We provide travel expenses for some invited speakers and defray local organizing costs in order to minimize registration fees.
• Workshops: We have found that a two-day workshop on a highly specialized topic is an especially productive format. Such workshops can be held on a Friday and Saturday so that participants with teaching duties miss only one day of classes. Typically, these attract 30–60 participants. They are inexpensive meetings since the participants pay for all of their expenses, with CITA resources used for local organization and occasional travel support for invited speakers.
• Major Conferences: These are large or long meetings (including summer schools outside of Toronto) that could not be funded by CITA alone, but for which joint sponsorship by CITA offers some advantages. They range in duration from a few days to two weeks. CITA contributions to such meetings are intended to defray costs that cannot be obtained from other sources (e.g. travel and registration costs for graduate students).
• Miscellaneous: On a case by case basis, CITA will consider sponsorship for meetings not falling into any of the categories above.

Application Procedure

Any member of the Canadian astrophysics community can seek support for a meeting under this program. Complete and submit a CITA Sponsorship Request Form, along with any additional information, for the proposed meeting early in the planning stage. Proposals for sponsorship should be submitted by March 15, July 15, and November 15 of every year.

All applications should be submitted directly to finance@cita.utoronto.ca. Further information may be requested by the Director, who will then bring the application to the CITA Council for decision.  Unsuccessful requests may be resubmitted for consideration before the next deadline date after incorporating any feedback from the Council.

Funding

Awards will be adjudicated by Council to be at either the regular rate ($2000) or enhanced rate ($4000). These funds are meant to act as seed funds that can be leveraged to get funding from other sources. Please stay aware of the proposal deadlines so that funding can be committed as early as possible.  In addition to the finances mentioned above, CITA is open to providing the in-kind contribution of meeting space at its flagship Toronto location. This will need to be discussed with the Director.

Method of Payment

We require an official invoice from the host institution stating the specific use of the funds requested. Upon receipt of this invoice, CITA will issue a cheque to the host institution.

Reporting Requirements

The applicant is responsible for maintaining all financial records that might be required for reimbursement. A financial statement should be sent to CITA after the meeting is over. Meeting organizers need to collect demographic data on participants for CITA’s NSERC reporting, including their employment sector, region, and career stage. CITA will provide a suitable template for this reporting. The compiled participant report must be provided to CITA after the end of the meeting and all related events.