More and more women in today’s society are attending college or furthering their education in some form, and they can receive financial help through educational grants for women. Educational grants for women are available through both the federal government and private groups or foundations. There are many educational grants available to women and can be further explored by following some of these tips.
The first place to look for educational grants is through the school that the woman is planning to attend. They most often have federally funded grants available, as well as the private foundations whose donations are given directly to that school. It is important to research the requirements that a women attending the university must meet to qualify for an educational scholarship. Each scholarship may have different requirements implemented by the private donor or the school for any educational scholarship that is awarded.
Women should also research educational grants through private foundations, which may require additional qualifications. Many educational grants for women are awarded to those who are a minority, single mother, or have been a victim of intimate partner violence. These opportunities can also be found through a foundation’s 990 Tax Form, which are available for free through Foundation Center. Foundation Center 990 Tax Forms allows you to see what foundations generally support, where they have recently donated, and in what geographical areas. This lets you find information on the history of foundations, as well as see a forecast for what foundation may be potentially funding educational grants for women.
Educational grants for women are also available through the industry that she is looking to pursue a degree in. For example, the National Science Foundation awards educational grants to women who are looking to work in the engineering or computer information technology fields. The ADVANCE: Increasing the Participation and Advancement of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Careers is a program that seeks to increase the population of women pursuing STEM careers. This program is available through the National Science Foundation for those women who meet the qualification needs, and more information is available on the National Science Foundation’s website.
For women who are applying to educational grants through the college or university they are attending, they should begin filling out applications in full as early as they are available. If applying to grants through private foundations, women should begin by writing a letter of inquiry or completing an application they have available.