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Career Development Grants

American Association of University Women Educational Foundation

Career Development Grants champion gender equity in education and workplaces by investing up to $8,000 in women seeking to enter, transition into, or advance within fields where they remain underrepresented — particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). These grants fund short-term, accredited programs such as certificates, specialized training or coursework that leads to tangible employment outcomes or advancement within 6-12 months. Note women pursing degree programs (e.g. Master’s Degree) are not eligible for Career Development Grants, however, are encouraged to consider AAUW’s Selected Professions or American Fellowships, for those aspiring to postgraduate studies.

AAUW also welcomes applications from women in any field where leadership remains male-dominated — for example, business, law, or STEM — who are currently employed and pursuing executive-level or leadership development programs to move into decision-making roles.

By supporting a broad range of career pathways, AAUW helps close the gender gap in technical and executive profession, empowering more women to lead, innovate, and thrive in sectors that shape our future.

Award Details:

The award ceiling for Career Development Grants is $8,000. Grant funds are payable to grantees only and are disbursed in full, at the beginning of the grant term or at the start of the program, as appropriate.

AI Based Application Success Predictor

Across AAUW’s programs, competitive applicants generally demonstrate the following strengths:

✔ 1. Strong Alignment With AAUW’s Mission of Gender Equity

All AAUW awards are designed to advance women’s education, leadership, or gender equity. Successful proposals clearly articulate how the project or academic work will benefit women and girls, address gender gaps, or strengthen equitable outcomes. AAUW : Empowering Women Since 1881

Tip: Explicitly tie your objectives to tangible outcomes for women/girls and explain why the work matters within gender equity frameworks.

✔ 2. Academic and Professional Excellence

For fellowship programs (American, International, Selected Professions), reviewers prioritize scholarly merit, clarity of research design, academic record, and potential for impact. Dissertation proposals or research plans should be compelling, well-focused and feasible within the award period. sociology.fas.harvard.edu

✔ 3. Quality of Project Design or Career Plan

Successful applications include well-defined goals, clear timelines, reasonable budgets, and logical assessment of outcomes — whether for academic research or career development training. AAUW : Empowering Women Since 1881

Tip: Use structured sections (e.g., background, hypotheses/aims, methodology, expected outcomes) and include risk/contingency planning where applicable.

✔ 4. Demonstrated Leadership and Commitment

Especially for international and American Fellowships, candidates often need to demonstrate leadership potential and a track record of community, civic or professional engagement relevant to advancing women’s status. Opportunity Desk

✔ 5. Local or Community Impact (for Grants)

For Community Action and International Project Grants, clear evidence of community need, stakeholder involvement, and monitoring/evaluation plans strengthens applications. AAUW : Empowering Women Since 1881

Tip: Include letters of support from community partners and a logic model showing expected outputs and outcomes.

✔ 6. Clear Writing and Documentation

Applications that are well-written, logically structured, and free of ambiguity allow reviewers to easily assess merit and fit with the funding goals.

🛠 Practical Application Tips

✔ Start early and familiarize yourself with eligibility and deadlines (often annual deadlines in late summer through fall). AAUW : Empowering Women Since 1881
✔ Tailor each proposal to the specific award criteria rather than submitting generic materials.
✔ Seek feedback from mentors or former grantees.
✔ Focus on outcomes and impact, not just inputs and activities.

📌 Summary: AAUW Educational Foundation Funding at a Glance

Program	Target	Focus	Typical Support
American Fellowships	U.S. women doctoral/postdoctoral	Dissertation/postdoc research	~$20,000–$30,000+ sociology.fas.harvard.edu
International Fellowships	Non-U.S. women	Graduate/postgraduate study	~$20,000–$25,000+ AAUW : Empowering Women Since 1881
Selected Professions Fellowships	U.S. women in underrepresented fields	Professional graduate study	Varied AAUW : Empowering Women Since 1881
Career Development Grants	U.S. women re-entering or advancing careers	Certificate/training	Up to ~$8,000 AAUW : Empowering Women Since 1881
Community Action Grants	Individuals/orgs advancing gender equity	Local programs/projects	~$2,000–$10,000 AAUW : Empowering Women Since 1881
International Project Grants	AAUW Intl Fellowship alumnae	Community gender equity projects	~$10,000–$15,000

Specialties

Clinical Trials

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must identify as a woman.
Applicants must be:
- Applied, accepted or enrolled in a certificate or training program in a field where women comprise less than 50% of the workforce, OR
- Currently employed in a field where women comprise less than 50% of senior leadership positions nationally, regionally, or locally, if pursuing executive leadership or management training.
Programs must be offered by accredited or licensed institutions and lead to professional advancement or employment in the applicant’s chosen field.
Applicants must hold at least an Associate’s degree or higher.

Citizenship & Immigration Status     

Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.    

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: American Association of University Women Educational Foundation

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: 1310 L St. NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005 202.785.7700

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