Montreal Fund

Origin

The Montreal Fund was created in 1995 by the Canadian Radiation Protection Association with the  proceeds of the IRPA8 International Congress held in Montreal, Canada, in 1992, to enhance radiation protection worldwide by supporting attendance of young scientists at IRPA Congresses.

The Fund was transferred to IRPA in 2005 for a total amount of 75, 000 Canadian dollars. It is since managed by the IRPA Montreal Fund Committee which has the responsibility to recommend to the Executive Council the amount available each year for distribution and the amounts to be distributed based on the requests received. The chairperson of the committee is appointed by the President from the Executive Council. The IRPA Treasurer is an ex officio voting member of the committee. The Montreal Fund is supported by contributions from Associate Societies and other stakeholders.

Distributions are made to support participation at congresses of students and young professionals preferably from developing countries and countries that do not have IRPA Associate Societies. They are normally made directly to individuals or through the Support Committees for International and Regional Congresses. As an example, at IRPA-12 in Buenos Aires, 19 grants for travel and/or registration, totaling $33,600 were made to students and young professionals from Brazil, China, the Czech Republic, Greece, Latvia, Romania, the Russian Federation, Tanzania and the Ukraine.

The following shows the Montreal Fund receipts and disbursements since the close of IRPA-12:

• Starting Balance: $ 47,723.05
• Contributions: $ 22,212.47
• Interest: $ 665.21
• Supports to attendees:
  • Third African Regional Congress (Kenya) : $ (8,000.00)
  • Eight South American IRPA Regional Congress (Colombia): $ (5,000.00)
  • Second IRPA Workshop on Radiation Protection Culture (Charleston): $ (1,500.00)
• Bank Fees: $ (101.65)
• Balance (May 2012): $ 56,382.78

Contributors during this period include the Associate Societies of Argentina, Colombia, Great Britain, Italy, Mexico, and the Russian Federation, and also the Asian-Oceania Congress on Radiation Protection 3 (AOCRP-3) and the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM).