MicKenzie Fasteland Conference Accessibility Grant

The grant, named in honor of MicKenzie Fasteland, one of the founders of the Children Literature Association’s Accessibility Committee, financially supports accessibility at in-person conferences for disabled and/or chronically-ill scholars by covering the costs of staying at the conference hotel for the duration of the event, allowing scholars to more safely and easily access the conference. The grant is intended to ensure that disabled and chronically-ill scholars, who often face extra expenses sometimes referred to as the disability tax, are not unable to participate at a Children’s Literature Association annual conference due to the cost of the conference hotel.

This grant is open to anyone experiencing disability–including visible and invisible disability, diagnosed or undiagnosed, temporary or chronic, mental illness, neurodivergence, and those who don't feel "disabled enough" to be sure if they qualify–who will be presenting a paper at an in-person Children’s Literature Association annual conference. Priority will be given to applicants who are not receiving sufficient funding from their institutions to meet their accessibility needs and who have not received a Fasteland Grant in the previous award cycle.

Submission Link

Award Details

• This grant is only available in years when there is an in-person Children’s Literature Association annual conference.

• The number of available grants is determined by the Board of Directors each year.

• Recipients of the Fasteland Grant receive: 

• One room, free of charge, for 4 nights at the conference hotel

• Award certificate 

Submission Period

Submissions accepted until February 28

Submission Guidelines

• Applications should be submitted electronically through the ChLA website. 

• Proposals should take the form of a single PDF document. For full consideration, applicants must send the following materials before the established deadline: 

• A cover sheet with the applicant’s name, status/rank/institutional affiliation (if applicable), mailing address, telephone number, and email. 

• A personal statement (of no more than 1,000 words) that includes the following: 

• The title of the paper that will be presented at ChLA.

• A brief explanation  of how the applicant will benefit from attending the conference. 

• A brief explanation of how staying in the conference hotel will benefit the applicant physically, mentally, and/or emotionally.

• A brief description of other sources of funding, if any, that will support the applicant’s trip. 

• An abbreviated 1-2 page CV.

• Proof that your paper has been accepted to the conference (e.g., a copy of the acceptance email)