The American Association of University Women, based in Washington D.C., offers a variety of fellowships, grants and awards for women of all ages who wish to attend graduate school. Many categories of funding are available, including career development grants, community action grants and fellowships. The organization reports it will award more than $3 million in fellowships and grants during the 2009-10 academic year.
The Jeannette Rankin Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving lives through education. The foundation provides college grants to low-income women 35 and older. According to the organization's website, the foundation "provides opportunities for women nationwide to secure careers and break the cycle of poverty." Each recipient submits a statement detailing the benefits they envision as a result of this opportunity. In May 2010, the foundation was recognized as an organization that serves and empowers women by the Huffington Post.
Searching online for grant opportunities is sure to uncover hundreds of options. Try visiting sites that aggregate grant opportunities in one convenient location. One of the best free resources available is grants.gov, the U.S. government's official listing of federal grants. You can search and apply for any federal grant. In addition to a simple keyword search feature to uncover opportunities by type, the site offers well-researched articles and tips on crafting a successful application. Opportunities are added weekly.
The Foundation Center is a nonprofit organization that connects grant-making foundations and applicants. More than 550 organizations use The Foundation Center as a primary sources of promotion. The center offers resources on how to complete successful applications and subscription access to its online directory, but anyone can search the information for free by visiting a Foundation Center location or a "cooperating collection." Check with your public library to see if it is a cooperating collection location or if you may use its subscription service at no or low cost. Opportunities are listed daily.