Career Development Grants

AAUW Career Development Grants support women pursuing short term, accredited certificate or training programs that can help them enter, transition into, or advance within fields where women are underrepresented. The program is intended to advance gender equity in education and workplaces and includes fields in which women represent less than 50 percent of the workforce or hold fewer than 50 percent of senior leadership positions. Examples include architecture, engineering, mathematics, natural and physical sciences, technology, business, finance, law, emerging technical or applied trades, and other qualifying fields. Women already employed in fields with leadership underrepresentation may also seek support for executive leadership or management training designed to help them advance into decision making roles. Both new applicants and eligible AAUW alumnae may apply. Career Development Grants provide awards of up to 8000. Grant funds are payable directly to grantees and are disbursed in full at the beginning of the grant term or at the start of the program, as appropriate. Eligible programs must be offered by accredited or licensed institutions and must lead to professional advancement or employment in the applicant's chosen field. Programs that directly prepare applicants for industry recognized certification may receive priority consideration depending on application strength and alignment with program goals. The grant cannot be used for a post baccalaureate program, a degree program such as a master's degree, a certificate completed as part of a degree program, or exam expenses. Applicants must identify as women and hold at least an associate's degree or higher. They must have applied or been accepted to a certificate or training program in a field where women comprise less than 50 percent of the workforce, or, for executive leadership or management training, they must currently be employed in a field where women comprise less than 50 percent of senior leadership positions. The program start date must fall between January 1, 2027 and June 30, 2027 for the Winter and Spring cycle described in the source. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents from the 50 states, District of Columbia, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, United States Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or another U.S. territory. Specified AAUW insiders and certain previous award recipients are ineligible. This includes current AAUW Board members, AAUW employees and specified workers, current AAUW Review Panelists, and their immediate families. Applicants may not apply for another national AAUW fellowship or grant in the same year. Previous Career Development Grant recipients are ineligible, as are previous national AAUW fellowship or grant recipients except recipients of Community Action Grants or branch or local AAUW awards. AAUW alumnae applying for this award must have complied with their prior program requirements and submitted their final report. An applicant recommended for an award will also be disqualified if the certificate, credential, or training program differs from what was envisioned in the application. Selection considers career commitment and trajectory, alignment with women's underrepresentation, the strength and feasibility of the career development plan, and demonstrated commitment to women and girls. Applicants should provide appropriate data or documentation showing that women constitute less than 50 percent of the relevant workforce, professional population, or senior leadership group. The career plan should realistically account for the time, funding, institutional or employer support, and other resources necessary for successful participation and completion. Examples of leadership, mentorship, advocacy, community service, professional engagement, or research may demonstrate commitment to women and girls. When applicants have comparable overall merit, preference may be given based on resilience in overcoming significant challenges, first generation college graduate status, single parent household experience, or caregiving responsibilities. Applications are reviewed and awarded bi-annually on a competitive, rolling basis, with submitted applications considered in the next available review round. For Winter and Spring 2027, applications opened August 18, 2026 at 9am EST and close September 30, 2026 at 5pm EST. Review occurs in October 2026, award notification occurs in November 2026, and funds are disbursed in November or December 2026. The following Summer and Fall 2027 round opens January 27, 2027 at 9am EST and closes March 18, 2027 at 5pm EST, with review during March and April 2027, notification in April 2027, and disbursement in May or June 2027. Applicants are encouraged to submit early. Applications are reviewed as submitted, and applicants are responsible for ensuring that materials are accurate and complete before submission. Incomplete applications are considered at AAUW's discretion. Applicants may use generative AI as an assistive resource when preparing application narratives, but it may not substitute for their own ideas, experiences, analysis, or writing; narratives should reflect the applicant's authentic voice and original work. The supplied source does not provide a named individual program contact or a program email address. It lists the general AAUW telephone number as 202.785.7700 and directs applicants with additional questions to the AAUW help resource. No explicit downloadable PDF URL, matching or cost share requirement, total program funding amount, number of awards, or minimum award amount is provided in the supplied material.

Prioritize alignment with underrepresented fields; cite credible data on gender representation; demonstrate clear career intent and service to women.