Criteria and Submission Information

Do you have an idea for hosting a local networking event for current and potential Biophysical Society members?

The Membership Committee has a mini-grant opportunity, which will provide up to $500 to help you host an event. The venue and format of the event are up to you – we are looking for creative ideas that will promote interactions between members and nonmembers interested in biophysics and the Society. For example, the grant could provide food and beverages for guests attending a presentation by a local biophysicist you recruit. All current Society members are eligible to apply.

Please note that your event must meet the following requirements:

• Organizer must be a 2026 BPS member
• No longer than one day
• Event must be held between August 15, 2026 - January 31, 2027.
• Stand-alone event (not part of a larger conference)
• Promote interaction between different institutions and/or communities in a geographical area not served by the Annual Meeting
• Emphasis on the promotion of biophysics
• Take place in an area not currently well served by other opportunities for networking among biophysicists
• Meeting size of approximately 25 to a maximum of 150 attendees
• Must be advertised prominently as a BPS-sponsored event
• Speaker list should include graduate students and postdocs
• For renewing in-person events: Networking Events will be eligible for funding for a maximum of 3 years each

Complete submission must include:

• Applicant name(s)
• Proposed city/state
• Proposed venue
• Approximate date of event
• Proposed title of event
• Brief description of event
• Speaker names (if applicable)
• Number of anticipated attendees
• Budget for event (expenses and revenue expected)
• Description of how the meeting/event will be advertised
• If there are other sponsoring groups or potential sources of funding – names and amounts must be provided
• Brief explanation of why the event is needed in the proposed location

Event formats supported: 

• Mini-symposium - These events can include talks and/or posters from members, other experts in the field, as well as students and postdocs. The speaker list should include graduate students and postdocs and should represent the diversity of Society membership. The topic is up to you, and can cover your area of research, developing and emerging techniques and technologies, and opportunities for collaboration. These events should encourage and promote networking and sharing research amongst presenters and attendees.
• Seminar - These events can include focused lectures or panels featuring guest speakers and opportunities for questions and discussion.
• Workshop - These events can include interactive, hands-on sessions focusing on technique development, professional development, and other relevant topics.
• Networking - These events can be informal or formal gatherings for the purposes of networking across different institutions, disciplines, career levels, and geographic regions.
• Other

Event topic categories (events can cover more than one of these topics):

• Professional Development - These events can include discussions on career topics from members, experts in different kinds of career roles, and/or recent graduates in early career roles. Events should promote career development in the field of biophysics both to those currently in the field and those in related fields.
• Techniques - These events can primarily focus on specific techniques used in research.
• Research Topics - These events can primarily focus on specific research topics.
• Other

For more information, view the Frequently Asked Questions or contact us.