2023 National Lupus Advocacy Summit: Scholarship Program
The Lupus Foundation of America’s 2023 National Lupus Advocacy Summit will take place April 23-25 at the JW Marriott in Washington, DC.
Lupus advocates play a critical role in increasing funding for lupus research and enacting policies that ensure people with lupus have access to the care they need. Each year, the National Lupus Advocacy Summit unites the entire lupus community in support of our shared goal: a world without lupus. The 2023 Summit will feature:
- Interactive panel presentations on key topics including lupus drug development and federal programs that support lupus research, education and awareness;
- Advocacy trainings to help advocates deliver an effective message to their members of Congress during the Summit and throughout the entire year;
- Educational sessions about the Lupus Foundation of America’s legislative priorities;
- Meetings with members of Congress and their staff.
The goal of the Summit is to raise the profile of this debilitating disease among legislators in our nation’s capital and encourage them to join our fight against this disease. By hearing directly from people affected by lupus, we believe that legislators will better understand the urgency of the situation and take action to advance policies that will benefit the lupus community.
Learn More About the 2023 Summit
2023 Summit Scholarship Program
The Lupus Foundation of America believes that every person with lupus would benefit from attending the Summit, but understands that traveling to Washington, DC to participate can be expensive. To open the Summit up to as many people with lupus as possible, the Foundation created a scholarship program to limit the financial barriers to attendance for selected advocates.
Please note that we receive many more applications than we are able to fund, and the review process is highly competitive. For those advocates who do not receive a scholarship, we are pleased to provide a trip planner and fundraising guide that will help advocates budget for their trip and secure funds to offset or completely cover the costs of their trip to the Summit.
The deadline to apply for a scholarship to attend the 2023 National Lupus Advocacy Summit was February 8, 2023. We are unable to accept or consider applications submitted after the deadline.
Covered costs
A full scholarship covers the Summit registration fee, travel to and from Washington, DC, and lodging at the Summit's host hotel. For advocates under the age of 18 who receive a scholarship, it will also cover these costs for one parent or guardian. Partial scholarships may be offered in some instances.
Scholarship eligibility
To be eligible for a scholarship to attend the Summit, you must be:
- Living with lupus;
- A U.S. resident;
- Available to travel to Washington, DC for the Summit from April 23-25, 2023;
- Willing and able to share your story with your members of Congress;
- Willing to share your Summit experience (via blog, video, etc.) after the event.
How to apply
The deadline to apply for a scholarship to attend the 2023 Summit was 11:59 PM PT on February 8, 2023.We are unable to accept or consider applications submitted after the deadline. All scholarship applicants will receive a decision on February 15, 2023.
Even without a scholarship, there are ways that you can offset the cost of your trip to Washington - check out our guide to fundraising to attend the Summit. If you have applied for a scholarship, we do not recommend that you begin fundraising until you receive notice that you have not been selected to receive a scholarship. In the meantime, however, you can plan your fundraising activities so you're ready to begin fundraising immediately should you not receive a scholarship.
Reusing a previous scholarship application
Given the limited number of scholarships available in 2023, we invite advocates to use a scholarship application previously submitted for either the 2019 or 2020 Summit for consideration in 2023. Using a previously submitted application will in no way hurt your chances of receiving a scholarship this year.
To use a previous application, navigate to the application form and indicate that you have previously applied in 2019 or 2020. You'll then be shown two dropdown menus where you can select your application from the appropriate year's list (for confidentially purposes, applicants are listed by their initials and the zip code used on that application). Once you've found your application, verify your current contact information and submit the form to be considered for a 2023 Summit scholarship.
If you believe you applied for a Summit scholarship in 2019 or 2020 but do not see your application in the list, please email Travis Smith.
After applying
All scholarship applicants will receive a decision on February 15, 2023. For those advocates receiving a scholarship, it must be accepted within one week of notification.
Questions
For questions about the scholarship program or the Summit, please contact Travis Smith, Director of Government Relations, at 202-212-6778 or SmithT@lupus.org.