So today I received confirmation that The Pinnacle Foundation were willing to partially fund my trip to Amsterdam!
There were some stipulations though….
- A minimum of $500 and a maximum of $1000 on the basis that you attract 2 for 1 funding from other sponsorship sources. In other words that even if you do not raise any sponsorship funds Pinnacle will give you $500 but cap its total support including 2 for 1 at $1000.
- Conference attendance must be recommended by academic staff.
- Conference attendance budget be updated and advised to us if a variance materially alters it.
- You must be a conference contributor (have your paper accepted by conference organisers)
- A report be written by you on how your attendance/participation has benefitted your studies. The Foundation reserves the right to publish this report wholly or partly.
All of these, I am happy to oblige by. As it was, I was planning on writing a report for Pinnacle, weather or not they grant me funding to go or not. They are have been supporting my education for the last year, and have awarded me a scholarship for 2012, so I am happy to provide them with as much evidence as possible that their faith in me is well founded.
So. Should my abstract be accepted, I will be receiving AUD$500, and Pinnacle will match any other sponsorship up to an additional $500.
I currently have $650 put away, and will be able save $50 a week from my Centrelink, plus what I can earn from my new job (at McDonalds. Just shows how much I want to go, that I am willing to work there!).
Should I need to, I can always sell my trumpet (valued at $1500).
My funding proposal budgeted for about AUD$3000, at least for the flights and conference. Once the conference is over, my time in Belgium will be pretty cheap. I will only need to pay for travel (which will be around 100€, if not less, as well as a couple of meals. I intend on staying with friends and ex host-families).
So. Between now and the beginning of July, I need to
– Get my paper accepted.
– Raise around $500 in sponsorship
– Save at least $2000
– Get a new passport (mine is about to expire. At least Holland doesn’t require a visa!)
– Book flights and accommodation soon, so not to lose the cheap flights or backpackers I have found
– Still get good grades at uni, while working at Maccas flipping burgers!!!
Amsterdam, here I come!!!