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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Good Evening Federation Family:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>After a few technical delays, the financial assistance form for the 2024 national convention in Orlando, Florida is now available. The affiliate has limited funding opportunities to attend the convention again this year. We will be using a google form for submissions this year. The google form direct link is <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://forms.gle/9z9rCMKHgGMr2Jb79">https://forms.gle/9z9rCMKHgGMr2Jb79</a> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>This google forms version and other formats including Word and PDF are also available at<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <a href="https://www.nfbi.org/national-convention">National Convention | National Federation of the Blind of Iowa (nfbi.org)</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>A few things to note:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none'>The National Federation of the Blind of Iowa has set aside funding to help individuals attend the 2024 National Convention of the National Federation of the Blind from July 3-8 in Orlando, Florida. All financial assistance request forms must be received by May 31, 2024 to be considered, and funding recipients will be notified by June 15, 2024. Recipients will receive their funds via check at convention.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black;mso-ligatures:none'>In order to receive funding, recipients need to agree to the following conditions.<o:p></o:p></span></p><ul type=disc><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;mso-ligatures:none'>Recipients are responsible for getting to, registering for, and ensuring they have hotel accommodations at convention.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;mso-ligatures:none'>Recipients are expected to attend all general sessions throughout the convention as well as the banquet on July 8.<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class=MsoNormal style='color:black;mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;mso-ligatures:none'>Recipients are expected to work at least one shift at the affiliate exhibit table.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>In addition, the director of the Iowa Department for the Blind would like to remind everyone that funding is also available from the Gifts and Bequests fund for national and/or state conventions. Information about this opportunity is below. First time convention attendees will receive a grant, and those not attending for the first time will receive a no interest loan.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Guidelines and applications can be found at: <a href="https://idb.blot.im/gifts-and-bequests-guidelines">https://idb.blot.im/gifts-and-bequests-guidelines</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#262626;mso-ligatures:none'>3.02 First-time national consumer group convention attendees may receive a grant not to exceed $1,200 to attend national consumer group conventions regardless of whether or not they are below the grant income limit or have outstanding loans. This grant can be received once for each of the national consumer group conventions only if that applicant has never attended that particular convention before. These requests will be tracked and anonymized by accounting staff and approved by the Director. Applicants will be asked to provide cost estimates.</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#262626;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#262626;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#262626;mso-ligatures:none'>3.07 Loan requests from attendees who have previously attended the state or national convention for which they are seeking support. No grants will be considered from applicants who are not first-time attendees at that particular convention. Loans for attendance at state or national consumer group conventions must meet the standards of approval listed in section 2. No loan of this type shall exceed $2,000 for a national convention or $500 for a state convention.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#262626;mso-ligatures:none'>3.03 First-time state consumer group convention attendees may receive a grant not to exceed $400 to attend state consumer group conventions regardless of whether or not they are below the grant income limit or have outstanding loans. This grant may be received once for each of the state consumer group conventions only if the applicant has never attended that particular convention before. These requests will be tracked and anonymized by accounting staff and approved by the Director. Applicants will be asked to provide cost estimates.</span> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Please take advantage of these funding opportunities as applicable, as we would love to see as many of you in Orlando as possible! Please also be sure to visit <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><a href="http://www.nfb.org/convention">www.nfb.org/convention</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>to register, get the latest hotel information, and more!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions on either of these funding opportunities. Don’t delay, apply today!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Scott Van Gorp, President<br>National Federation of the Blind of Iowa<br>Phone: 515-720-5282<br></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><a href="mailto:svangorp@nfbi.org"><span style='color:#0563C1'>Email</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><a href="http://www.nfbi.org/"><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1'>Website</span></i></a></span><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <br></span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><a href="https://www.facebook.com/National-Federation-Of-the-Blind-Of-Iowa-372681823082570/posts"><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1'>Facebook</span></i></a></span><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <br></span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><a href="https://twitter.com/nfb_iowa"><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1'>Twitter</span></i></a></span><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <br>Live the life you want.<br></span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><br>The National Federation of the Blind of Iowa is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>