BestCities and ICCA award 2024 Incredible Impacts Programme seed grant

BestCities Global Alliance and the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) have awarded their 2024 Incredible Impacts Programme (IIP) seed grant to the International Cartilage Regeneration & Joint Preservation Society (ICRS). ICRS will use the funds to facilitate access to association activities by delegates from developing countries or disadvantaged groups. The Incredible Impacts Programme celebrates the ‘beyond tourism’ value of meetings by using a global platform to advocate for and advance their positive societal impact. IIP offers two cash awards each year – a main grant of $20,000 and a seed grant of $5,000. Introduced in 2023, the seed grant is distributed to an association in the early stages of formalising a legacy programme. As the winners of the 2024 IIP seed grant, ICRS will use its winnings to launch the ICRS Global Access Fellowship – an initiative designed to foster diversity, equity and inclusion in the field of orthoregenerative medicine education. The fellowship will enable two delegates from under-represented regions around the world – including South America, Africa and Asia – to attend a 2025 ICRS educational event, with travel, accommodation, event registration, and social and network events fully covered. ICRS will also measure and report on the impact of the selected delegates’ participation in the programme, such as evaluating new collaborations, partnerships and initiatives in their home countries post-event. “ICRS made a strong case for funding to advance their Global Access Fellowship, and we are delighted to help make this initiative a reality through the seed grant,” said Loren Christie, managing director of BestCities Global Alliance. “Through this programme, we aim to advance legacy and impact in the meetings industry, and advocate for associations such as ICRS that are helping to shape a better world. We look forward to seeing the Global Access Fellowship take shape and expand access to ICRS’s transformational educational experiences.” “We are immensely proud to receive the Incredible Impacts Programme Seed Grant, which will drive our efforts in establishing the ICRS Global Access Fellowship as a legacy program cornerstone”, said Anneke Hibbel, executive director of ICRS. “This recognition empowers us to extend our mission of democratising knowledge to under-represented regions around the world.” “ICCA is excited to see ICRS using their Incredible Impacts Programme funding to help drive their mission forward through the Global Access Fellowship initiative,” said Senthil Gopinath, CEO of ICCA.  “Not only will it give the Fellows selected the potential to improve patient outcomes in their host countries, but it also gives other participants the opportunity to learn from the global experience of the Fellows.” In addition to the seed grant, the Incredible Impacts Programme awards a main grant of $20,000 UD to an association working to make a lasting difference in the world. Three finalists will be selected, and will present their entries during a plenary session at the annual ICCA Congress in October.For more information about the Incredible Impacts Programme, visit www.incredibleimpacts.com.