Travel and Reimbursement Guidance

 

The Alliance for Higher Education in Prison covers many costs associated with NCHEP attendance for Financial Aid recipients. This can include flights, hotel stays, conference registration, transportation to/from the airport, and/or incidentals during the conference. Below are descriptions of the reimbursable and non-reimbursable expenses related to NCHEP costs as well as an overview of the reimbursement process. Financial aid recipients should keep copies of all receipts as no expense can be reimbursed without a receipt.

 

FLIGHTS

Financial aid recipients who receive assistance with air travel must book their travel through theNCHEP travel agent. The Alliance will connect each financial aid recipient to the travel agent once it is time to start booking flights. Please Note: flights booked outside of the travel agent will not be reimbursed.

 

Eligible Expenses‍

• Standard economy flights to/from destination, to include airfare and one piece of checked luggage plus a carry-on item.
• Flights coming from one location and departing to another (e.g. traveling from NYC toDenver and then to Miami), so long as the cost is within $100 of a regular roundtrip (e.g. NYC to Denver to NYC) ticket and the total ticket does not exceed $500.00.
• Flights that arrive or depart outside of the event dates (e.g. arriving three days prior to an event for personal travel), so long as the cost is within $100 of a flight covering only the event days and the total ticket does not exceed $500.00.

Ineligible Expenses

• Upgrades of any kind: seats, more than one piece of checked luggage, etc.
• Last-minute flights: sufficient notice will be given to all financial aid recipients and it is the responsibility of the participant to ensure they book their travel. TheAlliance will cover up to $500 for flights booked less than one month prior to the event.
• The cost difference between a “preferred airline” versus a lower price ticket on a different airline (i.e., to gain more award miles).

 

HOTELS

All financial aid recipients needing accommodations at the conference hotel must schedule their arrangements through the Alliance for Higher Education in Prison. Hotel stays must match the dates of the conference and will either be booked once you confirm a flight with the travel agent, or if not booking a flight, in communication with the Alliance. Financial aid recipients planning to stay at the conference hotel for additional nights (prior to or following the conference) will need to book these reservations independent of the accommodations booked by the Alliance and will pay for these accommodations on their own. Please Note: All hotel stays (for the duration of the conference) must be booked with the Alliance and accommodations booked independent of the Alliance will not be reimbursed.

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Eligible Expenses

• Traditional Full, Queen, or King hotel rooms for the days of the event.
• Necessary parking charges, where free parking is not available.

Ineligible Expenses

• Hotel rooms for days outside of the event dates.
• Upgraded hotel rooms above traditional Full, Queen, or King.
• Additional hotel services, including room service, spa fees, or minibar charges.

 

GROUND TRANSPORTATION

The Alliance encourages all attendees to use public transit, when possible, or to share rides with others when traveling to and from the airport. With that in mind, we will reimburse for any reasonable mode of transportation to and from the airport, both from your home location and in Denver. Occasionally, it might make more sense to drive your personal vehicle or rent a car to attend NCHEP rather than take a flight, depending on your home location. In that instance, we may approve the cost of a rental car or personal car mileage in lieu of a flight (reach out to nchep@higheredinprison.org if that is your preferred arrangement).

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Eligible Expenses

• Public transit, taxis, or ride share services to/from the airport. Public transit is preferred, where available.
• Rental cars in lieu of flights, when necessary or preferred. This includes the cost of gas for any work portion of the trip.
• Personal cars used for NCHEP attendance, using the GSA standards for mileage reimbursement.

Ineligible Expenses

• Public transit, taxis, or ride share services for personal use while at NCHEP (e.g., to sight-see or transport to other off-site events).
• Rental car upgrades above a Standard level car, unless the cost is less than other options. If the upgrade is cheaper, please confirm with the Alliance first (nchep@higheredinprison.org).
• Mileage for rental cars.
• Mileage for personal car usage that is unrelated to conference events (e.g. visiting family/friends in the area while at NCHEP).
• Parking/traffic violation tickets.

  

FOOD + INCIDENTALS

Unlike many other conferences, the NCHEP provides all meals for all attendees for the duration of the conference. The NCHEP Planning Committee works diligently to ensure appropriate options are available for those with food allergies or preferences. With that in mind, very few meal-related charges are reimbursable other than meals on travel days.

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Eligible Expenses

• Meals (not including alcohol) in advance of or after the event when participants are traveling (e.g., lunch at the airport).

Ineligible Expenses

• Any alcohol charges, regardless of the time of purchase. No financial aid costs are used to reimburse for alcohol.
• Meals or snacks purchased outside of the event dates or at times when meals are being provided. For example, breakfast is provided on the second day of NCHEP, so food purchased for breakfast on this day will not be reimbursed.
• Meals purchased for other people who are not financial aid recipients (e.g., if a financial aid recipient is traveling to the conference with another participant who is not receiving financial aid, it is not allowed to submit a reimbursement for two for lunch).

 

REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS

As the conference comes to a close, all financial aid recipients will receive communication about how and where to submit any expenses for reimbursement. This will be through an online form. As such, electronic copies of receipts will be needed for all purchases in order to claim reimbursement. For paper receipts, it is recommended that you download a free app, such as Genius Scan or DocScan, that can take a photo and immediately create a PDF of the document. Each receipt should be saved separately, not as a single document with every receipt. Please look for an email and other prompts on our website and social media for further information once the reimbursement form is active, following completion of the conference.