Bursary Fund for Education and Training - Application Rules

There are many courses available beyond the National Training Event (annual conference) which would benefit members’ professional training, including one day courses run by the group. Lack of funds may be constraining members from attending these courses.

In order to support members in continuing their professional development, a recurring bursary fund has been set up over and above the normal NTE fund. This will be administered by the PMG education sub-committee. The following rules will apply:

1. In the first instance a sum of £5,000 will be set aside to cover an initial twelve month period. This will be topped up as necessary on each anniversary and dependent upon funds available.
2. Only paid up members of the PMG may apply to the fund.
3. The fund is not applicable to the PMG NTE.
4. PMG will pay 75% of either course fees or expenses (travel and accommodation) or requested amount up to the maximum bursary amount which will not normally exceed £500 other than in exceptional circumstances.
5. The fund will be administered by the Education sub-committee who will form a judging panel comprising at least three main committee members. If any conflict of interests arises, another member of the committee will be recruited.
6. The fund may be used for any educational or training event judged applicable to the constitutional objectives of the PMG, either within the UK or abroad.
7. The fund may be used to cover any aspect of attending the event, whether fees, travel or accommodation. Expenses should be aligned with those available to committee members.
8. The applicant will be expected to submit a formal application to include the title of the event and summary content, a description of how attendance will benefit the member and a breakdown of all costs.
9. Successful applicants will be required to submit a report for inclusion in the PMG journal of one thousand words and/or to present their findings at the NTE as a free paper. PMG will require the former within 6 weeks of completion of the course.
10. PMG may seek to reclaim the bursary if no report is received within this timescale.
11. The fund will be open to only one person from an organisation/institution for each event, but this may be overridden in exceptional circumstances.
12. Funds will be transferred only with the prior written approval from the judging panel and upon production of a valid invoice from the host organisation conducting the training and valid VAT receipts from any associated travel and accommodation.
13. Applicants must demonstrate in writing that they have applied to their own funding bodies before applying to this fund. PMG will also require written confirmation of what funding has been awarded by the applicants funding body.
14. Students and unemployed members may apply for a bursary, proof of status will be required.
15. A bursary may be used to jointly fund an event with another organisation.
16. Only one bursary per annum will be awarded to a PMG member.
17. PMG will not award bursaries retrospectively, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

An application form is available from PMG administration:
olwen.ellis@pmguk.co.uk

We will require a hard copy of the application form with your signature, as well as the initial electronic version, and this should be sent to:

PMG Secretariat (Training Bursary)
29 Myrtle Close
Alphington
Exeter
EX2 8UX

PMG Education sub-committee
March 2008