What Are Stipends and How Can They Help?

A stipend is funding provided by an organization to help people in the community access something they need.  This funding is like a gift, it doesn’t have to be paid back.  Usually the organization would like to know how the funding was used, who used it and how it was used.  This is important information to be aware of if you have a child with a disability.

Did you know that stipends are often offered by nonprofit groups for families to attend conferences?   Many times, there are conferences that parents or people with disabilities may want to attend.  It can be costly to attend a conference.  Sometimes there is a fee for the conference.  There may also be a fee for the hotel or meals involved.  It might be a distance away and might require travel.  A lot of the time, parents cannot afford the fee or expenses.  Stipends are used to help parents or others attend an event. 

For example, Family to Family Network (F2F Network) has an Annual Special Education & Transition Conference and Resource Fair every spring.  This year’s event will be held on March 5, 2016.

F2F Network has been able to offer stipends over the years to young adults with disabilities, parents and family members – thanks to a grant from the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities.  These stipends have made it possible for many individuals to attend the conference and learn more about the disability topics and issues that are important to them.

Stipends are also available for a number of other Houston-area conferences that are coming up this spring.  For instance, the Arc of Texas Inclusion Works Conference will be held in Houston on February 7-9, 2016.  A limited number of parent stipends are available for both registration and hotel costs.  

The ADDA – SR 28th Annual Conference will be held on Saturday, February 27, 2016, in Houston.  They too have a limited amount of funding available to help with registration and hotel costs for individuals with ADHD or their family members. 

If registration costs are keeping you from attending a conference, be sure to ask about stipends.  Often there are a limited number of stipends available.  Stipend funds go fast, so be sure to apply well ahead of the registration deadline.

So check out these events and others on our Find Services, Groups & Events page. You can also find out more about events in this region.  Many offer help paying for the cost of attending.  Don’t forget to check for stipends!