POLICY ON TRAVEL FUNDING

1. GENERAL

   It is the policy of the Association of Canadian Map Libraries and Archives (ACMLA) to help offset, but not necessarily to fully compensate for, the travel of members of the Association to attend and participate in ACMLA committee meetings and conferences to the extent that the budget allows and the Board of Directors (Board) approves the funds. This policy also applies to ACMLA members who must travel in order to attend ACMLA committee meetings and to ACMLA members who, with Board approval, must travel in order to represent the Association at meetings, study sessions, or conferences sponsored or arranged by other organizations (for example, conferences of the Canadian Cartographic Association).

   Members are in all instances encouraged to obtain travel support from funding sources such as employers, hosts, and granting agencies. Where such support is not available, the ACMLA may provide assistance within policy and budgetary limitations.

   The Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada (SSHRC), through its Program of Aid and Attendance Grants to Scholarly Associations, has awarded the ACMLA with multi-year grants to support its scholarly and professional activities. Each grant is in two parts: the Travel Assistance Grant supports conference travel and conference travel only; it may not be used to fund other kinds of travel (e.g., committee travel). The Administrative Grant provides financial support for scholarly endeavours such as research and professional writing/publication; however, it may also be used with discretion to provide travel assistance on those occasions when the Travel Assistance Grant proves to be inadequate (e.g., when the AGM is held in other than Ontario or Quebec). In summary, the only kind of travel supported by the SSHRC's Aid and Attendance Grant is conference travel; the Travel Assistance Grant is used for this purpose, supplemented if necessary by a portion of the Administrative Grant. The Administrative portion will be phased out in 1997.

2. ACMLA ANNUAL CONFERENCE (AGM)

   Members who wish to attend the Associations' annual conference (AGM) must first seek travel assistance from sources such as employers, hosts, and granting agencies. Members who are unsuccessful in obtaining outside funding or who require supplementary funding may apply to the Association for travel assistance.

   It is the function of the Association's SSHRC Grant Committee to manage the funds provided through SSHRC's Travel Assistance Grant for conference travel. One of the committee's major responsibilities is to review claims for travel assistance and to disburse funds to those in need according to the policies and procedures established by the Association.

   In an effort to attract a broad base of scholars to the annual conference, ACMLA makes every possible effort to partially offset travel expenses of eligible participants. The ACMLA funds conference travel out of the Travel Assistance Grant awarded to it by SSHRC; on occasion, the Association may also use part of the Administrative Grant to fund travel (see section I above). The Travel Assistance Grant is normally sufficient to meet no more than a portion of the transportation and subsistence expenses of those members of the Association who require travel assistance to attend the AGM. However, if there are funds still remaining after all travel claims have been settled by the SSHRC Grant Committee, these funds may be carried over to the next fiscal year, according to SSHRC guidelines.

   1. Members must submit requests for travel funding to the chair of the SSHRC Grant Committee in advance of the AGM. It is the SSHRC Grant Committee's responsibility to judge the merits of each claim based on the criteria outlined in this policy document. The procedures to be followed in applying for advance funding are published in the ACMLA Bulletin prior to the conference.
   2. Requests for transportation and subsistence assistance must be submitted to the chair of the SSHRC Grant Committee no later than the deadline published in the ACMLA Bulletin and as recorded on the Travel Assistance request form. Normally this form is inserted in an issue of the ACMLA Bulletin prior to the conference or distributed with the advance registration package; alternatively members may contact the chair of the SSHRC Grant Committee for a copy.
   3. All claimed expenses must be receipted. Receipts should be sent to the chair of the SSHRC Grant Committee no later than forty-five (45) days after the end of the AGM.
   4. First consideration will be given to members' transportation expenses, thereby minimizing inequities arising from the variation in distance to the conference. Once these claims have been settled, consideration will then be given to subsistence expenses (i.e.,meals and accommodation) using the funds still remaining, if any.
   5. Eligible transportation costs include:
      1. air transportation: lowest available air fare and ground transportation costs to and from the airport. Travel should be planned to take advantage of "advanced booking charters" or "super-saver rates" (or equivalent rates) whenever possible.
      2. surface transportation: authorized kilometre rate is that specified in the federal government's current travel schedule published in the Treasury Board Manual; this rate is normally recorded on the Travel Assistance request form. The cost of surface travel must not exceed the lowest possible air fare. Taxi fares are not eligible if less expensive ground transportation is available.
      3. accommodation: members may claim reasonable expenses for economical accommodation during the conference.
      4. meals (including taxes and gratuities): the per diem rate published in the Treasury Board Manual. Meals that are catered in are not applied against the per diem rate.
   6. The ACMLA's SSHRC Grant Committee reviews all requests for travel assistance as quickly as possible after the claim deadline. The committee forwards its recommendations to the Board for final approval. The treasurer, who is an ex-officio member of the committee, provides the communication link between the Board and the SSHRC Grant Committee; to expedite the settlement of travel claims, the Board may empower the treasurer to make final decisions regarding settlements. The decisions of the Board regarding disbursement of funds from the Travel Assistance Grant are final.
   7. Since the demand for travel assistance often exceeds the amount of the SSHRC grant, applicants may receive only a percentage of their claim. The percentage that is applied to each claim is determined in large part by the extent to which the applicant is involved in the conference; thus the SSHRC Grant Committee uses a sliding-scale approach to funding based upon the following three categories of involvement and membership. The higher the category in the list, the greater the percentage that is applied. The percentages are based upon a consideration of applicant is involved in the conference; thus the SSHRC Grant Committee uses a sliding-scale approach to funding based upon the following three categories of involvement and membership. The higher the category in the list, the greater the percentage that is applied. The percentages are based upon a consideration of the total number of applicants, the total funding requested, and the total funding available.
      1. requests from the AGM speakers, moderators, chairpersons, and others (all of whom must be members of ACMLA in good-standing) who will be contributing or are contributing directly to the AGM program are considered first. The editor of the ACMLA Bulletin is included in category a).
      2. requests from ACMLA members--including students, who will receive special consideration--who are in good-standing but who are not taking an active part in the AGM (i.e., they will not be contributing or are not contributing directly to the AGM program) are considered after disbursements to those in category a) above.
      3. requests from non-ACMLA members are not considered unless they will be contributing or are contributing directly to the AGM program. Such disbursements must first be approved by the Board of Directors.
   8. Board members will receive full reimbursement for their transportation and subsistence costs provided that these members first seek outside sources of financial support. Conference travel for Board members is funded out of the Association's general operating account rather than the SSHRC grant unless there are SSHRC funds still available after the needs of members other than Board members have been met.
   9. Requests for funding assistance that are received after the deadline, including those received during or after the AGM, will be considered if and only if there are funds remaining after the committee has dealt with the advance submissions.
   10. If travel claims by members included in categories II.7.a) and II.7.b) greatly exceed the funds that are available from the Travel Assistance Grant, the Board may use a portion of funds from the ACMLA operating accounts to increase the amount that is available for travel funding.
   
   
3. BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS

   The Board normally meets two, three or four times a year; one or two of these meetings are held in conjunction with the AGM. Board members who must travel to attend Board meetings will be fully funded. All claimed expenses must be receipted; receipts should be sent to the treasurer as soon after the meeting as possible.

   Board meetings held in conjunction with the AGM
   1. Funding for travel by Board members to attend the AGM is covered by section II.8.
   2. For Board meetings held on days immediately before or after the AGM, Board members may claim daily expenses using the per diem amounts specified in section II.5.
   1. Board meetings held at other times
      1. Board members may claim expenses using the per diem amounts specified in section II.5.
      2. A maximum of two nights accommodation is allowable for meetings held independently of the AGM if a member must arrive the evening prior the Board meeting in order to make the morning start time.
      3. Whenever necessary the host of the Board meeting will arrange for economical local accommodation in advance of the meeting.
   
   
4. ACMLA COMMITTEE MEETINGS AND NON-ACMLA MEETINGS

   Members of ACMLA committees/subcommittees may need to meet in order to conduct their business more effectively; such meetings may necessitate travel. Similarly, ACMLA liaison representatives or delegates may be required to travel in order to represent the Association at meetings, workshops, or conferences sponsored by other organizations (for example, meetings of WAML or the Cartographic Information Specialists Association). These travel expenses are funded out of the Association's general operating account.

   1. ACMLA committee meetings
      1. It is the responsibility of committee chairs to make every reasonable effort to submit timely budget requests--even if these are only estimates--to the Board member to whom they report, at least four (4) weeks before the next AGM; it is expected that the travel will not take place until the coming budget year. The Board recognizes however that the need to travel cannot always be anticipated and that the Association must be flexible enough to accommodate travel funding requests that arise unexpectedly during the budget year.
      2. Committee chairs must determine the total of costs for transportation, meals, and accommodation using the guidelines and rates specified in section II above.
      3. The treasurer includes the committee's request as a line item in his/her proposed budget for the coming year; this budget line item requires the approval of the Association's members. Members may decide to deny the travel request or to fund the travel in whole or in part.
      4. All claimed expenses must be receipted. Receipts should be submitted to the treasurer as soon as possible after the travel is completed.
      
      
   2. Non-ACMLA meetings
      1. It is the responsibility of ACMLA representatives and delegates to make every reasonable effort to submit timely budget requests--even if these are only estimates--to the president at least four (4) weeks before the next AGM. Representatives are strongly encouraged to seek travel funding from employers, conference hosts, and other appropriate sources of funding before submitting a request to the president.
      2. Representatives/delegates must determine the total of costs for transportation, meals, and accommodation using the guidelines and rates specified in section II above.
      3. The treasurer includes the representative's request as a line item in her/his proposed budget for the coming year; this budget line item requires the approval of the association's members. Members may decide to deny the travel request or to fund the travel in whole or in part.
      4. All claimed expenses must be receipted. Receipts should be submitted to the treasurer as soon as possible after the travel is completed.

   3. AUTHORITY

      This travel policy was approved by the Board of Directors at a Board meeting held on 7 May 1993.

      Richard Pinnell

      17 July 1993

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      Last Revised: September 2004