First-Time Conference Attendee Grants
LPA is no longer accepting applications for the 2024 Conference.
Little People of America offers two grants to current LPA members who are first-time National Conference attendees.
The Kitchens Fund for First-Time Conference Attendees was established in honor of the Kitchens' family and is available to eligible Little People of America members of all ages. To qualify for the fund, applicants must meet the following criteria:
1) must be a first-time attendee of a National Conference 2) must be a paid member of LPA in good standing, and 3) must be accompanied by an adult/guardian, if a minor
Grant amounts vary from year-to-year based on available funds but average $300-$750 per family.
The Ellen Fernandez Fund for First-Time National Conference Attendees is available only to members age 18 and older. The Ellen Fernandez Fund for First-Time Conference Attendees was created in 2015 to encourage adult Little People of America members to attend the National Conference. To qualify, applicants must meet the following criteria:
1) must be a first-time attendee of a National Conference 2) must be a paid member of Little People of America in good standing, and 3) must be age 18 and older
Ellen Fernandez Fund grants are generally $1000-$1500.
For 2024 grant recipients, minimum grant awards will include: 1) complementary base-registration fee (excluding fees for off-site or extracurricular activities) and 2) waived hotel fees for a pre-determined number of nights depending on the grant received. LPA will work with recipients after they are notified to arrange conference registration and hotel reservation, as needed. If the grant amount exceeds the minimum amount, then reimbursement checks for the balance will be given to recipients on-site during the Conference.
We encourage members to submit their application early. Although the deadline to submit a grant is May 15th, grants will be awarded in two phases. All grant applications received by April 10, will be reviewed, and notified of any grant awards by April 30. Applications received after April 10 will be reviewed and notified of awards by May 31.
Other Grant Opportunities
* Please note that LPA is not affiliated with any grant listed below. We are listing other opportunities for our members' convenience.
The Little Carly Foundation
The Little Carly Foundation was founded in 2021 and is currently based out of South New Jersey.
The foundation’s goal is to help families that are part of the Little People of America (LPA) community attend the yearly national conference. The national conference is a week-long event that takes place in a different city each year. During these conferences, LPA provides free clinics with medical specialists from across the United States. There are also informative meetings and fun events that may not be accessible to the attendee in their everyday life.
The foundation provides a $500 grant to grantees to help cover expenses to attend the national conference. In future years, the Little Carly Foundation plans for grants to include registration costs, hotel stay fees for the week, and a gift card to help with the grantee’s food and vacation activities.
Requirements:
- 18 or older
- Must be able to attend LPA Nationals Baltimore 2024 to accept the grant via giftcard at event
- Must be able to state Dwarfism diagnosis
- Only for active members of LPA who have previously attended the event
The Little Carly Foundation Questionnaire link - deadline to submit is April 15 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfMnDzCeIc5CAbLkE2UX5NjaNwemfpnYedAAB6xRkcrvlekJg/viewform
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