APPLY – 2024 “It Begins with Us” Conference Scholarship

Please take note of the following information before applying for your scholarship from ATLAS below.

“It Begins With Us” Conference Registration

NOTE: YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN CONFERENCE REGISTRATION.

• It Begins With Us (formerly known as Cultures on the Prairie) will take place February 11-12, 2024, at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall.
• REGISTER NOW>>

ATLAS Scholarship Details

NOTE: YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING YOUR OWN HOTEL AND OTHER TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS.

• Eligibility:
  • Practitioners and volunteers in Minnesota Adult Education (ABE) programs only *
• Scholarships cover the following expenses:
  • Registration: up to $35 for 1-day attendance | up to $60 for 2-day attendance
  • Mileage: for those traveling more than 50 miles one-way to the conference
  • Hotel: for those traveling more than 50 miles one-way to the conference;
    up to 1 night for 1-day attendance | up to 2 nights for 2-day attendance
  • Sorry, we cannot cover any meals.

* NOTE to DOC participants: As a state-funded grant program, ATLAS is not permitted to directly pay or reimburse any state employee, including Minnesota State System and DOC staff. Scholarships may be granted to DOC practitioners, but funds must be reimbursed to each DOC facility rather than to individual DOC personnel. Please make the necessary arrangements with your facility before applying. Contact Marisa Squadrito Geisler with questions: [email protected]

Scholarship Payment

NOTE: Scholarship funds will be disbursed as reimbursements after the conference.

• Documentation needed for reimbursement:
  • Registration: a registration receipt showing amount paid
  • Hotel: (if applicable) a hotel receipt showing a ZERO BALANCE (or balance paid)
• How to save receipts in digital format:
  • If it’s a PDF document, great! Keep it in a safe place on your computer.
  • If it’s an email, you can make it into a PDF by clicking on Print and then choosing “Save as PDF” as the destination rather than choosing a particular printer.
  • In a pinch, you can always print it off and take a photo of it, or screenshot it and send that.

To request your scholarship funds:

1. After you register for the conference, save your registration receipt (showing amount paid) in digital format (see instructions above).
2. At the end of your hotel stay, request a receipt showing a zero balance; save it in digital format (see instructions above).
3. After the conference, go to the Submit Invoice page and follow the directions there to submit the following:
   • ATLAS invoice: this is all online – no printing necessary!
     • Registration receipt showing amount paid: you will upload your receipt right into the online invoice
     • Hotel receipt showing zero balance: you will upload your receipt right into the online invoice
   • Form W-9: only if ATLAS/Hamline has never paid you before (IMPORTANT: Follow the instructions on the Submit Invoice page to securely upload your W-9; do not email it or upload it to your invoice.)

PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR EXPENSES WITHIN 2 WEEKS OF THE CONFERENCE. THANK YOU!