Justification Toolkit

Thank you for deciding to join us at the 2019 International Cancer Education Conference! We know that you will leave the conference with gained knowledge and an expanded network, but we also know that sometimes, it's not up to you decide if you can attend.

We hope these tips and sample letter will help you jusitify your attendance at the 2019 ICEC. If you need specific information about exhibitors, sessions or courses, please reach out to contactaace@aaceonline.com. We're here to help!

Sample Letter


To: <Supervisor name>
From: <Your name> 
Date: <Insert date>

Dear <Supervisor name>,

I am writing to request approval to attend the International Cancer Education Conference (ICEC), 18-20 September 2019, in Salt Lake City, Utah. The ICEC offers an educational program specifically tailored to professionals who educate patients, health professionals, and the public about cancer. The agenda features the latest advances in evidence-based practice, educational methods, and research across settings and topics. I am seeking sponsorship for the registration fee, travel expenses, and hotel expenses to attend the conference. A detailed cost breakdown is included below.

The full price conference fee is <$[Adjust to reflect the pricing appropriate for your membership status and whether you would like to attend the full conference. All registration fees are listed on https://2019.attendicec.org/register]>, [but can be reduced to $[Adjust according to the pricing appropriate for your category] by registering early. Early bird registration ends July 22, 2019].

Here is the breakdown of conference costs:
Round-trip airfare: <$xxxx>
Transportation: <$xxxx>
Hotel: <$xxxx>
Meals: <$xxxx>
Conference Registration: <$xxxx>

The approximate total cost to attend this conference is: <$xxxx>.

By attending the ICEC, I’ll have access to over 80 speakers and 60 posters exploring current trends and issues relevant to my work. I will also have opportunities to connect with hundreds of experts in the field.

All attendees from last year’s conference reported the conference increased their knowledge of cancer education, and 97% reported they would recommend the conference to their colleagues. Nearly 60% of last year’s attendees reported they made changes to their practice as a result of their participation in the conference. Likewise, upon my return I will share this new information with our organization and apply it to my work in order to improve our cancer education programs and resources at < name of your organization >.

The opportunity for me to network and gain knowledge in cancer education makes my attendance at the ICEC a wise investment for < name of your organization >. Thank you for considering support.  

Sincerely,

<Your Name>

Tips

Creative solutions may help your request get approved. Consider these options:

  • Before meeting with your supervisor, prepare a plan that shows who will cover your duties while you attend the conference.

  • Offer to prepare and deliver a short presentation and Q&A session for your colleagues to share what you learned. This way, your coworkers will benefit from your attendance. 

  • List specific sessions and explain how they will impact your practices or organization.

  • Clearly make the connection between your needs and the benefits you are identifying.

  • If the scholarship approver is outside of your department, don’t assume they understand your goals or any technical terms. Spell out the impact for them.

  • Passion is the best persuasion technique – let yours shine through in your letter.