AAUW Branch and State Affiliate Community Action Grants: Empowering Our Branches and States to Lead in STEM

The AAUW Branch and Affiliate Grants program is administered by the American Association of University Women, a national nonprofit organization committed to advancing gender equity through education and advocacy. AAUW has a long-standing focus on increasing opportunities for women and girls, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. Through its network of local branches, state organizations, and affiliated entities, AAUW leverages community-based leadership to implement programs that address systemic barriers to participation in STEM education. This grant program is designed to empower those affiliated entities to deliver meaningful, localized interventions that support girls in developing STEM skills and confidence. The primary purpose of the AAUW Branch and Affiliate Grants is to dismantle barriers to girls participation in STEM by funding hands-on, community-driven programming. Grants support initiatives that provide experiential learning opportunities, mentorship connections with women in STEM, and activities that build confidence, identity, and belonging. The program emphasizes reaching girls in grades K through 12, with a particular focus on those from historically underrepresented communities. While applicants are not required to incorporate every programmatic element, proposals that align closely with AAUW priorities and integrate multiple approaches are considered more competitive. Funding is available in amounts up to 10000 dollars for general STEM projects and up to 5000 dollars for Tech Trek camp programs. These funds are intended to support project implementation costs directly tied to STEM programming. Allowable uses include educational materials, program facilitation, and participant engagement activities, while unallowable costs include scholarships, infrastructure projects, political activities, fundraising, and regranting. The grant does not require a cost share or matching contribution. Projects must be designed exclusively for participants who identify as girls and cannot include mixed-gender programming. Eligibility is restricted to AAUW-affiliated entities, including branches, state organizations, foundations, charitable trusts, and established Tech Trek camps. Applicants must be based in the United States or its territories, and proposed projects must also take place within these geographic areas. Each eligible organization may submit only one application per funding cycle and may receive only one award per award year. Additionally, applicants must have completed their most recent annual AAUW Branch and Affiliate Annual Report to qualify. Conflict of interest policies prohibit the use of funds for personal benefit to AAUW staff, board members, or related parties. The application process is conducted entirely through AAUW online portal and does not require submission of separate proposal documents. Applicants complete a structured form that includes narrative responses, a detailed project timeline, a project budget with accompanying narrative, and required document uploads. AAUW also reviews each applicant most recent publicly available Form 990 as part of the evaluation process. Applications are reviewed by AAUW staff, and submissions are accepted in two competitive rounds per funding cycle. The program follows a defined timeline with applications opening on August 17, 2026. Round one closes on October 29, 2026, with award notifications issued by November 30, 2026, and initial disbursements made by January 31, 2027. Round two closes on February 25, 2027, with notifications by March 31, 2027, and disbursements by April 30, 2027. Projects must begin within specified windows depending on the round and may last up to 12 months. Reporting requirements vary by award size, with smaller grants requiring a final report and larger grants requiring both mid-term and final reports. This program is offered annually with recurring application cycles aligned to the AAUW award year.

Strong applications will align with AAUW’s STEM goals, show community connection, and demonstrate sustainability and leadership capacity.