Amputee Coalition Fact Sheet

Financial Assistance for the Amputee Coalition National Conference

Web Development Fact Sheet

Updated 02/2020

The Amputee Coalition National Conference is the premier event for the limb loss and limb difference community. Over 1,000 attendees come and select sessions that fit where they are in their journey and their interests, visit exhibitors, spend time with old friends and make new ones. The conference is an event where people with limb loss and limb difference are the norm, not the exception. The exhibit hall features dozens of manufacturers and providers of prosthetic and assistive devices. You will also find accessories, such as home and vehicle modifications, and many other tools to help you live a full and productive life. The Amputee Coalition understands that budgeting to attend the National Conference can be a challenge. We have put together some tips on how you might secure assistance for attending this exceptional event.

Bridge to Ability Scholarships

The Amputee Coalition offers two scholarships for first-time attendees to Conference. The goal of these scholarships is to reduce or eliminate the financial barriers to attending Conference. All scholarships require an application, proof of income, letters of recommendation, brief biography and a written essay. The deadline for applications for both 2020 Conference scholarships is May 11, 2020. In order to apply for the following scholarships, please submit a completed application with ALL required documents listed in the application. Only completed applications with all required documentation will be considered. Applications can be found on our website.

  • Kathy Spozio Scholarship
    The Kathy Spozio Bridge to Ability Scholarship Fund is an opportunity for individuals who have experienced the loss of one (1) or more limbs within the last two (2) years and who have not attended Conference in the past. The Bridge to Ability Scholarship provides full Conference registration (which includes health and wellness education, technology sessions, special clinics and social networking), lodging expenses, and up to $600 in reimbursement for travel expenses.
  • Second Chance Scholarship
    The Bridge to Ability Second Chance Scholarship is open to individuals with limb loss and limb difference who have not attended Conference in the past.  If you are an individual with limb loss, it must be two (2) or more years since your initial amputation surgery. The Second Chance Scholarship provides full Conference registration (which includes health and wellness education, technology sessions, special clinics and social networking), lodging expenses, and up to $600 in reimbursement for travel expenses.

Options for Reducing Costs

There are several options to help you raise money or reduce the overall costs of Conference. These options will require a bit of planning and commitment on your part. Even if the following options are unable to provide the full amount of funding needed to send you to the Conference, they may subsidize your cost to attend. The Amputee Coalition is not able to assist you with these fundraising efforts at this time.

The following are suggestions. We do not guarantee that funding will be available from these options.

  • If you have a friend who is also attending Conference, you may wish to share a room with that individual. It could reduce your costs of attendance significantly if you do not mind sharing a room with another conference attendee and can split the total room cost.
  • Connect with your prosthetist to see if they might be willing or able to sponsor you to attend the Conference. This partnership with your prosthetic provider is beneficial for both parties. You will have the opportunity to bring information and resources back to the region you live in and positively impact others in your community as well as the community in which your prosthetist practices.
  • Consider calling the manufacturer of your prosthetic device. Much like the relationship with your prosthetist, the manufacturer of your prosthetic device may be willing to donate funds to allow you to attend the Conference and network with others with limb loss.
  • Use online funding tools, such as GoFundMe, to seek assistance with funding from the public. If you have a story to tell about why you need to go to the Conference to make a difference in your community, using an online funding campaign can help you reach a wide audience without having to leave your home.
  • Check to see if your local support group offers fundraising or scholarship opportunities to attend the Conference. You can search for support groups in your area on the Amputee Coalition’s Web site via the Amputee Coalition website
  • Use local resources, such as your Center for Independent Living, Office on Aging, or Vocational Rehabilitation to inquire about whether local funding opportunities exist.
  • Look for grant opportunities. You can search for grant funding opportunities targeted to individuals with a disability. This option will require some research into whether your situation would qualify you to apply for the grant funding options.

It is not the intention of the Amputee Coalition to provide specific medical or legal advice but rather to provide consumers with information to better understand their health and healthcare issues. The Amputee Coalition does not endorse any specific treatment, technology, company, service or device. Consumers are urged to consult with their healthcare providers for specific medical advice or before making any purchasing decisions involving their care.

© Amputee Coalition. Local reproduction for use by Amputee Coalition constituents is permitted as long as this copyright information is included. Organizations or individuals wishing to reprint this article in other publications, including other websites must contact the Amputee Coalition for permission to do so, by emailing a request to rc@amputee-coalition.org.