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Faculty Dependent Care Travel Fund

The Faculty Dependent Care Travel Fund can help alleviate the financial burden of a breakdown in dependent care incurred by single caregivers or when an individual's spouse or partner is not available due to work obligations or other extenuating circumstances.

Cornell faculty may be eligible to receive reimbursement up to $1,500 per fiscal year for qualified, short-term, dependent-care expenses during professional travel. The travel fund includes an additional $500 for expenses related to the care of a child with special needs.

These funds are considered taxable income; if approved, Cornell will issue an additional 25% of the final expenses to help defray the tax burden.

Funding for this program is limited and may reach the maximum budget prior to the end of the fiscal year. The existence of the program is no guarantee of the availability of funds or the award of grants.

Eligibility & Process

Eligible circumstances

For Travel Care:

Recipients must certify that funds requested for ​travel and/or backup dependent care costs were for participation in conferences or research-related activities, and incurred between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025.

In dual caregiver situations, an attestation of the spouse’s/partner’s unavailability must be provided as well.

Airfare Costs:

The fund reimburses for the cost of economy airline travel only. If an applicant chooses to purchase a ticket that is more expensive, they must provide documentation of the price difference (collected the same day as the reservation was made for the same flight) from an online reservation system. The applicant is responsible for the difference after reimbursement of the economy ticket price. 

Eligible university titles

Individuals with the following university titles qualify for this program: 

  • Assistant Professor
  • Associate Professor
  • Full Professor
  • Clinical Professor (assistant, associate, and professor)
  • Research Professor (assistant, associate, and professor)
  • Professor of Practice (assistant, associate, and professor)

Dependents

For travel care needs, a dependent is defined as:

  • a minor who resides with the applicant and for whom the applicant provides primary support (up to age 18), or
  • a disabled adult who lives local to, or with, the applicant and receives at least half of their basic care needs from the applicant. 

Documentation

For the travel fund, faculty must submit information about the professional activities associated with the travel. Examples: conference program with presentation date. See note above related to airfare cost reimbursement. 

Payment

Payment will be made after travel and/or care is arranged, provided, and paid for, and concluded. The Application Form and all receipts/documentation must be submitted by July 15, 2025, to be eligible for funds from the 2024-2025 fiscal year.  Failure to submit by the July 15, 2025 deadline will result in expenses being applied to the 2025-2026 fiscal year and will count towards the recipient’s cap.

These funds are considered taxable income. If approved, Cornell will add an additional 25% of the final expenses when the payment is issued to help defray the tax burden.

How to Apply

The Application form, the Travel Verification form, and all receipts/ documentation should be submitted online within two weeks after dependent care has been provided. Applicants will be informed of the funding decision within two weeks of their submission.

The application is confidential and will be reviewed by the Faculty Dependent Travel Fund Review Committee. 

Applications are reviewed weekly, and payments will be included in the next paycheck following an application’s approval. Decisions regarding any award are final. Program provisions are subject to change from time to time.

Eligible faculty can submit more than one request (and receive more than one grant) within a given fiscal year, up to the annual maximum ($1,500 for travel, not to exceed $2,000 if special needs care is required).