Scholarships for Minority Women

Minority women have many scholarships and grants available to them for continuing their education. Some are widely publicized, while others tend to fly under the radar. The difference between a scholarship and a grant is that scholarships are often merit-based, while grants may be based more on need. The difference between these two types of funding and loans is that scholarships and grants do not be paid back to the granting entity. Unlike loans, grants and scholarships, when awarded, are funds for the student to use in pursuit of their education with no expectation of repayment.

Some grants and scholarships are available to certain cultural and ethnic groups. Other funds are available to anyone of minority status. Some funding depends on the selected area of study. Many of the grants and scholarships available to minority women are need-based, and some are based in merit. Some awards are based on a mixture of need-based and merit-based criteria. Other programs focus on areas of study and some depend on the applicant’s geographical area.

Many scholarships and grants are available to women in all ethic groups. Funds are even available for subgroups such as women over 40 who would like to pursue a degree and single mothers. For women who would like to further their education, funds are widely available which will enable them to do so. Identify the grants and scholarships that you might qualify for and review the application requirements for each type of funding. Be sure to pay particular attention to the deadlines for application materials. Most grants and scholarship application instructions post a deadline for all materials to be submitted in order to be considered for the award.

Scholarships & Grants for Hispanic Women

Scholarships for Hispanic Women

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund offers several scholarships for Latinas and women of Hispanic descent. The Hispanic Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to women who will be graduating soon from high school, as well as college retention scholarships and professional level funds.

The Hispanic Youth Institute (HYI) is an organization that operates under the Hispanic Scholarship Fund umbrella. This organization provides scholarship help and information to high school women who intend to go to college. However, this group operates in certain regions during a given session.

HYI is a “pipeline of programs” for Hispanic women in specified regions of the country. The next sessions will occur in California and Washington State. Other regions include Arizona, Dallas, New Mexico and Central Valley.

Workshops provided for high school women introduce prospective students to many regional, as well as nationwide, scholarship programs. Workshops are offered once per year. An application must be completed by the student in order for acceptance to one of the regional workshops. Deadlines are set around the date of April 15th of each year for summer workshops and events are held at local universities.

The College and Career Institute is a program that is aimed at college retention for Hispanic individuals. The College and Career Institute hold regional workshops similar to the HYI workshops. However, each student that is accepted to attend the one of the workshops is guaranteed a monetary scholarship of some amount.

Eligibility requirements for the College and Career Institute include:

• Student must plan on attending a college or university located in the US or Puerto Rico on a full time basis during the following academic year.
• Student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.
• Student must be a US citizen or Permanent Resident, and must have graduated from high school in the US after attending for three years or more.
• Student must demonstrate financial need.
• Student must commit to long term goals of the HYI program, including attending webinars and other group functions.

In addition to scholarship information, students who attend these workshops participate in “Empowerment” courses that teach them skills to succeed in college, such as setting long term goals, time management and financial literacy. Those students accepted into the CCI program will receive scholarships ranging from $500 to $10,000 through the College and Career Institute.

Additional scholarship agencies accessible through CCI workshops include:

• Marriott
• Ford Blue Oval
• Google

The Hispanic Professionals Institute provides five-day workshops for Hispanic college students to assist them with the transition into the work world. Forty students are selected from the pool of accepted individuals for the workshop to attend a one-day intensive training session, followed up with exclusive meetings with businesses and graduate school representatives.

The Hispanic Scholarship Fund allows users to apply online for a variety of scholarships offered through the organization. Sponsors of scholarships through the Hispanic Scholarship Fund include Google, Microsoft, McDonald’s and Walmart.

Programs offered by the Hispanic Scholarship Fund include programs for:

• Graduating High School Seniors
• Community College Students Transferring to a Four Year School
• College Students

Apply once online by completing the application at www.hsf.net and attempt to qualify for several scholarships at one time.

The Adelante Fund distributes scholarships to Hispanic that are sponsored by corporate interests. These scholarships include:

• MillerCoors National Scholarship
• MillerCoors Engineering & Sciences Scholarship
• MillerCoors Chicago Scholarship
• Abercrombie & Fitch Future Leaders Scholarship
• HEB/Adelante Future Leaders Scholarship
• Hope Scholarship
• Destino: LatinoAmerican

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) offers scholarships for Hispanic women. The CHCI gives preference to women who have a demonstrated history of public service activities. One unique factor of the CHCI scholarship program is that there is no GPA requirement. However, demonstrated leadership qualities and abilities are preferred for this scholarship program. The CHCI program also supports Congressional internship for Latinas.

The Sallie Mae Fund offers scholarships to Hispanic women who are the first generation in their families to attend college. These scholarships are based in part on financial need, as well.

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, or HACU, offers a scholarship program supported by corporate foundations and interests. Corporate interests contributing to the 2011-2012 awards included:

• Deloitte
• Nascar
• Unitied Health Foundation

HACU scholarships are need-based (need determined by FAFSA). In addition, the college or university that the student wishes to attend must be a member of HACU. Other criteria are considered. Apply on the HACU website.

State Farm Community Partner Grants offers grants for Hispanic women for continuing their education. In addition, State Farm partners with various community organizations to develop programs for the Hispanic community.

The LULAC National Scholarship Fund: LULAC is the acronym for the League of United Latin American Citizens. The league was founded in 1929 to raise funds for Hispanic youth seeking college degrees. the LULAC Scholarship program offers several opportunities for funding for Hispanic women.

Geneseo Migrant Center also offers a scholarships for migrants.

Additional scholarship funds are available for Hispanic women who are migrants and the children of migrants. Check the migrant.net website for the downloadable requirements for each scholarship opportunity. The Geneseo Migrant Center initiated the scholarship programs in 1974, and these scholarships have provided assistance to thousands of Hispanic women employed as migrant workers, as well as children of migrant workers.

• Frank Kazmierczak Memorial Migrant Scholarship
• Berrien Fragos Thorn Arts Scholarships for Migrant Farmworkers
• Migrant Farmworker Baccalaureate Scholarship
• Robert Apicella Good Samaritan Migrant Scholarship
• Friends of Senator Jack Perry Migrant Scholarship
• Aurelio “Larry” Jazo Memorial Migrant Scholarship
• Juanita Crippen Memorial Scholarship

Scholarships for children of migrant workers include:

• Gloria and Joseph Mattera National Scholarship Fund for Migrant Children

Location-based migrant scholarship opportunities include:

• Margaret Raley New York State Migrant Student Scholarship

The Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans 

The Paul and Daisy Soros Foundation provides fellowships for new Americans and their families. This program is open to Hispanic women, as well as immigrants of other cultural and ethnic groups.

Location-Based Scholarships for Hispanic Women

Certain scholarships are limited to the geographical area in which they are offered. A few of these location-based scholarships for Hispanic women include:

The Dallas Scholarship

The Dallas Scholarship is a scholarship program specifically for Hispanic female high school students in the Dallas, TX area. This scholarship provides funding based on region, need and Hispanic heritage.

The Chicana/Latina Foundation Scholarship Committee

The Chicana/Latina Foundation is a regional scholarship funding agent that provides Hispanic women who live in the San Francisco Bay area with scholarships up to $1500.

The New Mexico Hispanic Women’s Council – nmhwc.com/scholarship.php

The New Mexico Hispanic Women’s Council Scholarship Program is relatively new, originally established in 2007. Scholarships are offered to Hispanic women pursuing degrees and licensing programs. These scholarships are intended for graduate students and undergraduates at the University of New Mexico and New Mexico Community College.The application process for these scholarships is based mainly on the applicant’s personal statement.

Grants for Hispanic Women

The Pell Grant

The Pell Grant is a grant offered by the federal government for anyone, including Hispanic women, who demonstrate economic need. The Pell Grant should be the first grant application completed for anyone seeking a federal grant for education. This grant will pay educational expenses, including tuition, fees, books and related items.

The Foundation Center

The Foundation Center is a web clearinghouse for private foundations, many of which offer grants to women of Hispanic descent. The website allows the user to search for specific organizations, as well as specific types of grants. Each foundation lists a specific population or goal for the grants they offer. Peruse the foundationcenter.org site to find grants specifically created for Latinas.

Grants.gov

Grants.gov is a site that lists grants provided by the US government. Grants.gov does not list grants provided by any other funding agency, such as foundations. However, many governmental grants are available that Hispanic women may obtain.

The Ford Foundation Pre-Doctoral Fellowship

The Ford Foundation offers pre-doctoral fellowships for Hispanic women who intend to pursue an advanced degree. These fellowships are usually awarded to Hispanic and other minority women who are pursuing advanced degrees in underrepresented areas, such as math and science, Check the website for pre-doctoral funding opportunities, as well as other programs for Hispanic women.

The National Physical Science Consortium

For Hispanic women who intend to pursue a degree in the physical sciences, the National Physical Science Consortium offers several grants and other funding opportunities. Visit the NPSC.org website to learn more about grants for funding degrees for Hispanic women in the physical sciences.

The Jeanette Rankin Foundation 

The The Jeanette Rankin Foundation provides grants to Hispanic women, age 35 or older, who are starting or returning to school. The Jeanette Rankin Foundation grants are directed toward economically disadvantaged women. Check the website to find out additional information.

Scholarships & Grants for African-American Women

Many scholarship opportunities exist for African-American women. Many of these funding foundations and agencies have grown from groups formed during the Civil Rights movement in the US. Many of these scholarships are based in the field of study, for example women who seek to study law.

No matter the course of study, many scholarship opportunities are available for African-American women of all ages. The NAACP offers many scholarships for African-American women who seek to pursue a graduate or undergraduate degree. Two of these scholarships offered by the NAACP are the Herbert Lehman Education Fund and the Earl Warren Training Program.

The Herbert Lehman Education Fund

This fund, also known as the Lehman Fund, supports a fellowship program for African-American women was originally founded in 1964 to assist African-American individuals in the pursuit of the study of law. A main purpose of the fund was to cultivate attorneys to further the civil rights cause for the African-American population.

The Earl Warren Training Program

The Earl Warren Training Program was a successor to the Lehman fund, and the two funding sources together have supplied law students with over $19 million in assistance for the study of law, business, the arts and humanities. One third of the recipients of the Lehman Fund and the Warren Program scholarships have gone on to earn graduate degrees. Many have served as judges and members of Congress, and many serve in high profile positions in national agencies.

The Jackie Robinson Foundation

Founded in 1973, the Jackie Robinson Foundation currently offers scholarships to high school seniors. The foundation supports African-American women, as well as other minority students, with financial assistance and programs. During the 2010-2011 academic year, over $3.4 million was awarded for scholarship aid for undergraduates, JRF Scholars and Fellows. The foundation is supported by 93 corporations, as well as other foundations and individuals.

The JRF scholarships provide funding for four-year degrees to students who are economically disadvantaged and otherwise underserved. Named for baseball great, Jackie Robinson, the foundation has been touted by the New York Times for being the “best educational effort in the country.” JRF scholarships are awarded by a group of eight regional committees composed of civic and academic leaders.

The Ron Brown Scholarship Program

The Ron Brown Scholarship Program awards at least 10 students per year with scholarships of $10,000 per year for four years – a total of $40,000. The application process is limited to high school students only and the deadlines for applications for the coming year are November 1 and January 9. If students submit their application packets by November 1, the packets are forwarded to additional funding agencies. January 9 is the absolute deadline for the next academic year.

The UNCF

The UNCF is a clearninghouse for scholarship funding for African-American women. The UNCE lists several scholarships on their site, including several public school scholarships like:

* Chicago Public Schools Scholarship
* Dallas Independent School District Scholarship
* Fort Worth Independent School District Scholarship
* Muscogee County School District Scholarship Program

Other scholarship programs available through UNCF include:

* Google Scholarship
* Hershey’s Scholarship Program
* Anna Bing Fellowship
* Avis Budget Group – Summer Internship Program
* Beverly F. Gilliam Scholarship for Foreign Study
* Deborah L. Vincent/ FAHRO Education Scholarship Award
* Dignity Health Corporate Scholars Program
* Foot Locker Foundation, Inc-UNCF Scholarship
* Travelers’ Insurance Scholarship Program
* UBS / PaineWebber Scholarship
* UNCF General Scholarship Program
* Wyeth Scholarship
* Yolanda D. King Achieving the Dream Book Scholarship

CBC Spouses Education Scholarship

The CBC Spouses Education Scholarship was the first educational scholarship established by the CBC. The formation of this scholarship fund was in response to federal cuts in education spending and is available to full-time African-American students to pursue their degrees. The fund provides scholarships to undergraduates, as well as those in graduate programs and Ph.D. programs.

CBCF General Mills Health Scholarship

The CBCF General Mills Health Scholarship provides funding for African-American women who wish to pursue degrees in health-related fields, such as medicine and nutrition, as well as fields such as technology and engineering. This scholarship is underwritten by General Mills and has contributed to the educational development of several leaders in health and medical fields.

CBC Spouses Heineken USA Performing Arts Scholarship

The CBC Spouses Heineken USA Performing Arts Scholarship was created in honor of Curtis Mayfield to support African-American students who wish to pursue careers in the performing arts.

Other CBC Scholarship opportunities include:

* CBC Spouses Heineken USA Performing Arts Scholarship
* CBCF Louis Stokes Health Scholars Program
* CBCF Environmental Studies Scholarship
* Louis Stokes CBCF Scholarship at Case Western University

National Association of Black Journalists Scholarship

The National Association of Black Journalists provide scholarships for African-American women interested in studying journalism. Most individual awards range from $1500 to $5000. Application requirements include a resume, an essay, college transcripts, contact information from three references who will attest to the students journalistic abilities and five samples of journalistic product. In addition, recipients are required to demonstrate financial need.

Over $60,000 per year in scholarship funds is awarded through various programs, such as:

New Founders Scholarships

* DeWayne Wickham Founders High School Scholarship
* Les Payne Founders Scholarship
* Allison E. Fisher Scholarship
* Carole Simpson Scholarship
* Visual Task Force Scholarship
* Larry Whiteside Scholarship
* NABJ Scholarship
* NABJ/Newscorp High School Scholarship

National Black Police Association

The National Black Police Association provides scholarships for African-American women. Visit the website for details regarding deadlines for submission and how to apply.

The National Society of Black Engineers

The National Society of Black Engineers administers several scholarships funded by corporate interests and foundations. In the Scholarship Vault on the website, a published, easy-to-use directory of the scholarships, along with monetary awards and deadlines for applications, is provided. Corporate interests and foundations that provide scholarship funds for African-American women include:

* Exxon Mobile Corporate Scholarship Program
* BP Corporate
* Caterpillar
* Toyota
* Oracle
* Chevron International Studies
* General Mills
* Life Technologies
* Northrup Grumman
* S.D. Bechtel Jr.
* The NSBE O-I Corporate Scholarship Program
* Atkins Corporate Scholarship
* Mike Shinn Distinguished Member of the Year
* Hilton
* Cummins
* CNA
* Battelle Collegiate
* GE Lloyd Trotter African American Forum Scholarship
* Rockwell Collins
* Verizon
* Lockheed Martin
* Bechtel Foundation
* Fulfilling the Legacy
* National Academic Improvement Scholarship
* BCA Scholar
* Major Sponsor Scholar

In addition, the NSBE sponsors a scholarship and fellowship fund known as the NSBE Fellows Scholarship Program. Details for this program are included in the Scholarship Vault.

To supplement the scholarship programs for African-American individuals, the NSBE also administers funding for pre-college awards, awards for alumni and regionally-based scholarships. Visit the Scholarship Vault on the site for more details.

The Sallie Mae Fund for the American Dream

The Sallie Mae Fund for the American Dream is a scholarship sponsored by the United Negro College Fund and is available to African-American women who demonstrate financial need. Scholarships range from $500 to $5000.

Talbots Scholarship Program

Talbots Scholarship program offers awards to African-American women who are economically disadvantaged. One $30,000 award and 17 awards of $10,000 are provided to women each year through the Talbots Scholarship Program.

The Julianne Malveaux Scholarship

The Julianne Malveaux Scholarship is awarded primarily to African-American women who seek to pursue careers in journalism, public policy, economics and related fields. Grants are awarded to college sophomores and juniors in these study areas.

The Ethel Lee Hoover Ellis Scholarship

This scholarship program is targeted for African-American women from the states of Alabama, West Virginia, Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina. The program is offered to women who seek to pursue business-related degrees.

This list of scholarships for African-American women is in no way an exhaustive one. Many, many more scholarship opportunities exist through various civic organizations, foundations and corporate entities. A great resource for additional scholarship and fellowship funding information for African-America and underserved women is located on the Agnes Scott website at AgnesScott.edu.
Grants for African-American Women

The Pell Grant

The federal Pell Grant program provides funds for African-American women, as well as anyone else who has a demonstrated financial need and seeks to attend an institution of higher education. Pell Grants are need-based, not merit-based, and every student who is seeking financial assistance should apply for this type of grant.,

The American Association of University Women

One of the premier agencies for grants and fellowships for African-American women is the American Association of University Women (AAUW). The AAUW provides grants and fellowships to women in the US, as well as women across the globe.

Career Development Grants

Career Development Grants are awarded to African-American women and others who hold a bachelor’s degree and seek to further their education in a graduate or professional program. These grants are also awarded those who seek to re-enter the workforce or to change careers. Preference for grants is provided to women of color who are seeking to earn their first advanced or professional degree, as well as those seeking degrees in non-traditional fields.

Community Action Grants

Community Action Grants are awarded as seed money for those seeking to develop community education programs for underserved women and women of color. Community Action Grants mainly fund non-degree research projects. This fund strengthens communities and empowers women within neighborhoods to initiate projects that promote education and development of underserved women.

AAUW also provides several fellowships for African-American women and other individuals, including American Fellowships, International Fellowships and Selected Profession Fellowships. Review funding opportunities and apply online at aauw.org.

Grants.gov

Grants.gov is a database of federally funded grants for African-American women, as well as women of other cultural and ethnic groups. Grants.gov provides listings for educational grants. However, the site also provides information about community development grants and grants for other programs.

The Liz Claiborne Foundation

The Liz Claiborne Foundation provides grants for African-American women through the Fifth and Pacific, Liz Claiborne, Inc.’s new identity. Liz Claiborne Foundation grants are, in part, geographically based, serving New York, New Jersey Pennsylvania, the Los Angeles area, Massachusetts and parts of Ohio. Check out their new website to learn more about the scholarships offered for African-American women through the Liz Claiborne Foundation.

The TEACH Grant

The TEACH Grant is available to African-American women, as well as other women of color and anyone who agrees to teach in a school in an underserved area after graduation. However, should the grant recipient fail to fulfill their agreement to teach in an underserved area, the TEACH loan is recategorized as a Stafford Loan and must be paid back, in full and with interest.

The AARP Foundation

The AARP Foundation provides African-American woman, as well as all women, over 40 with grants and scholarships to continue their education, or to retrain for the current workforce. Check the AARP Foundation sites for grants and funding opportunities for women who are over 40.

Unlimited Energy Solar Solutions

Unlimited Energy Solar Solutions is an African-American and woman owned business that provides educational grants for African-American women. Owned and operated by a prominent women in the African-American community, this company that installs solar panels for residential and commercial use is on the cutting edge in many ways. Use the Contact form on the website to obtain more information about funding opportunities from this innovative company.

The Gates Millennium Scholars Program

The Gates Millennium Scholars Program offers grants to African-American men and women Each year, 1000 scholars are selected to receive funding through the program for as long as they pursue a degree at an accredited college or university. Finalists are notified for the following year’s awards in March. Check the website for the application details and deadlines.

National Black Nurses Association

The National Black Nurse Association provides grants for African-American women and men interested in entering or continuing education in nursing-related fields.

Spelmon College Grants

Spelman College, a traditionally African-American institution, awards grants, as well as scholarships, to African-American women based on need, merit and choice of major.

Wellesly College Grants

Wellesly College offers both need-based and merit-based grants and scholarships for African-American women. Check the site for information about applying for Wellesley grants and other funding.

Raise the Nation

Raise the Nation is a grant program for African-American and other women of color who are single parents and who wish to further their education. The Raise The Nation grants are provided to the institution of higher learning that the student chooses to attend.

The National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering

The National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering awards grants to African-American women who seek to further their education in the fields of science and engineering. Grants may be need-based, merit-based or based on the chosen major. In addition, the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering provides scholarships and fellowships to African-American women.

The National Nuclear Security Administration

The National Nuclear Security Administration provides grants to African-American women seeking degrees in STEM fields. In addition, The National Nuclear Security Administration offers fellowships and scholarships to many other groups, including women of color.

The HP Scholars

The HP Scholars is a program through the Hewlett Packard company that awards grants to African-American women and other people of color who wish to pursue careers in computer science, computer engineering, as well as electrical engineering. Check the HP Scholars webpage for information about applying for these awards.

Scholarships & Grants for Native-American Women

Tribal affiliations often provide scholarships and grants for Native-American women. In addition, several federal grant programs are available for Native-American women who are members of one of the 561 federally recognized tribes.
However, if a Native-American woman is a member of a tribe that is not recognized by the federal government, several scholarship and grant awards are still available for her.

Scholarships for Native-American Women

State governments in states where Native American populations are found, often offer scholarships for Native-American women and men. For example, the state of North Dakota offers the Indian Scholarship Program, which offers both need-based and merit-based awards to those of Native-American descent. However, the applicant must prove tribal affiliation to qualify for the $2000 award.

Montana colleges and universities offer Native-American women many generous scholarships in addition to the Indian Tuition Fee Waiver program.

The American Indian Graduate Center

The American Graduate Center offers Native-American women scholarships for undergraduate and graduate study sponsored by corporate funding partners, such as:

* The Gates Foundation
* Accenture
* Wells Fargo

Association on American Indian Affairs

The Association on American Indian Affairs offers scholarships to Native-American women who may or may not be affiliated with a federally-recognized tribe. AAIA scholarship funds are provided exclusively by individual, private donors. AAIA does not even receive corporate funding for their scholarships and awards. The Allogan Slagle Scholarship is one scholarship program administered by AAIA that awards scholarships for those who are not members of a federally-recognized tribe.

The American Indian Science and Engineering Society

The American Indian Science and Engineering Society offers scholarships for Native-American women who seek to study in the fields of science and engineering. Awards for these scholarships range from $1000 to $3000

The American Anthropological Society

The American Anthropological Society offers Native-American women, and other individuals of color, scholarship awards to continue and complete doctoral programs in various liberal arts fields including anthropology.

The American Chemical Society

The American Chemical Society offers scholarships to underrepresented groups and minorities, including Native-American women, who seek to pursue courses of study in the chemical sciences fields.

Indian Health Services Scholarship

Indian Health Services is another federally funded agency that offers scholarships to Native-American women. IHS specializes in scholarships for the health professions, and give preference to recipients who intend to work with the Native-American population. IHS provides area coordinators to assist with the scholarship application process. Visit www.ihs.gov/scholarship/area_coordinators.cfm to discover the coordinator that handles your area.

The American Indian College Fund

The American Indian College Fund was founded in 1989. The American Indian College Fund provides funding in the form of scholarships for students who seek to attend tribal colleges. However, the Fund also provides awards to graduate students and undergraduates attending non-tribal schools.

The American Indian College Fund offers two major categories of awards for Native-American women and men.

* American Indian College Fund Tribal College and University Scholarship
* American Indian College Fund Full Circle Scholarship

Requirements for both categories of scholarships include:

– US Citizenship
– Enrollment in a tribal college or university
– Enrollment in a tribe or descendant of tribal member
– Submission of application

An additional requirement of the Full Circle scholarship is that the student maintains a 2.0 grade point average, though the program is very competitive with most students maintaining a much higher GPA.

The American Indian College Fund is supported by many major corporations, including:

* UPS
* Walmart
* Citi Foundation
* Pendleton Woolen Mills
* Nissan
* Santa Fe Tobacco

Grants for Native-American Women

American Baptist Financial Aid Program Native American Grants

The American Baptist Financial Aid Program Native American Grants are awarded to Baptist Native-American women, as well as men. The award ranges from $1000 to $2000 per year.

Blackfeet Nation Higher Education Grant

140 grants of $3500 per year are awarded to undergraduate students who are members of the Blackfeet tribe through the Blackfeet Nation Higher Education Grant. The grant is open to both Native-American women and men.

Menominee Indian Tribe Adult Vocational Training Program

The Menominee Indian Tribe Adult Vocational Training Program offers scholarships to Menominee women and men to attend technical vocational schools. Awards of $100 to $2200 are granted to 50-70 vocational and technical students each year.

Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin Higher Education Grant

Grants of $100 to $1100 are awarded to 136 Menominee students each year with this grant to attend an undergraduate program at any university or college.

Native American Education Grants

Native American Education Grants funds 10-125 Native-American students with $1500 to $2500 for attendance in undergraduate and graduate programs.

Tyonek Native Corporation Scholarship and Grant Fund

The Tyonek Native Corporation Scholarship and Grant Fund provides awards of $1000 to $1500 to men and women who are of Native Alaska American descent for use at any US college or university.

Many opportunities are available for Native-American women to fund the pursuit of higher education. Start with tribal leaders and organizations, and then move into the state and local offerings. In areas with a large Native-American population, many state and local governments provide scholarships and grants for Native-American students. Finally, explore federal and national grants and scholarship opportunities. The American Indian College Fund is likely the largest and most well-known funding agency for national grants and scholarships.

Scholarships & Grants for Asian-American Women

The Asian-American population is one of the fastest growing cultural groups in the US. As of 2011, about 5% of the people in the US are from Asian descent. Many scholarships, grants and funding opportunities are available for Asian-Americans, and in particular Asian-American women.

Asian-American students, when compared to other ethnic and cultural groups, enjoy the highest college retention rates.

U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce

U.S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC) is a provider of Pan-Asian scholarships, grants and fellowships for Asian-American women and men. This organization began providing funding to Asian-American students in 1989 and is sponsored by corporate interests, including Pepsi, McDonald’s, CBC, FedEx and many others. The Pan-Asian scholarships include:

* The Bruce Lee Scholarship
* The Jackie Chan Scholarship
* The Telemon Scholarship

Asian and Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund

The Asian and Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund is sponsored by several corporate interests and is a great source of funding for Asian-American women interested in furthering their education. In 2006, about 70% of the funds awarded were provided to Asian American women.

Asian American Journalists Association

Asian American Journalists Association offers scholarships to Asian-American women and men pursuing degrees in journalism. The goal of this organization is to increase the Asian presence in American media. Awards range from $1000 to $5000 and are merit-based.

The Asian American Bar Association

The Asian American Bar Association provides financial assistance to Asian-American students for the study of law.

Asian Pacific American Librarians Association

Asian Pacific American Librarians Association provides scholarships of $1000 to those interested in careers in Library Science.

Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership

The Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership offers scholarships and fellowships for Asian-American women and men with interests in pursuing a degree in a public service or public policy field. Three scholarships are awarded based on merit for each academic year. In addition, the students receive internships in Washington, DC along with the awards.

Hmong National Development Scholarships

Hmong National Development Scholarships provide awards to Asian-American students each academic year. However, this scholarship has been placed on temporary hold while the group reorganizes for an endowment fund. However, download a list of resources for additional scholarship information from their website in the meantime.
Grants for Asian-American Women

Asian American Giving

Asian American Giving is a group of philanthropists that provide grants, scholarships and funding for Asian-American students. One particular program that is now offered by Asian American Giving at this time is the Harvard Business School’s Strategic Perspectives in Non-Profit Management (SPNM). This scholarship provides funds for Asian-American students to attend Harvard Business School through a special program funded by the organization. Review the website for the details about this program, as well as other funding opportunities through Asian American Giving.

Asian Women Giving Circle

The Asian Women Giving Circle is a group that funds projects lead by Asian-American women. Though this is not an educational grant, per se, this group accepts proposals for projects lead by Asian-American women that will impact the Asian American community. This fund is administerted by the MS Foundation. Check the website for more information.
Southeast Asian Studies Regional Exchange Program (SEASREP) -www.seasrepfoundation.org/

The Southeast Asian Studies Regional Exchange Program (SEASREP) offers several categories of grants to Asian-American women. These grants include:

The Language Training Grant

This grant provides funding for Asian-American women to learn a Southeast Asian language other than their native tongue through accredited courses and study. Knowledge gained from these studies may then be used to conduct research, instruct a class or prepare for a position at an institution of higher learning.

Master’s or Doctoral Degree Grants

Grants provided by SEASREP for Master’s and Doctoral level study allow Asian-American women to fund their higher education. These grants may be applied to both course work and thesis work.

Comparative and Collaborative Research Grants

These grants are for Asian-American women studying in countries other than their own home country. The funds may be utilized for research or to teach and organize a seminar or class.

Visit the website for additional information about any of the grant programs offered by SEASREP.

Asian Cultural Council awards grants to Asian-American women and men who are pursuing degrees in the performing arts, or conducting research in performing fields. American citizens are also able to apply for these grants.

New York Foundation for the Arts grants are funded by the New York Foundation for the Arts. Asian-American individuals pursuing a course of study in the visual or performing arts may apply for grants ranging from $250 to $2500. Applicants must also be residents of New York

Grants & Scholarships for Minorities of Unspecified Descent

Some grants and scholarships are offered to all minority groups. A sampling of these funding opportunities include:

* Actuary Scholarships for Minority Students
* American Chemical Society Scholarships
* American Geological Institute Minority Geoscience Student Scholarship
* American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
* American Political Science Association Minority Scholarships
* Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars Program
* Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
* The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta
* Engineering for Minorities
* International Education Financial Aid
* Jack Kent Cook Foundation Graduate Scholars Program
* Kaiser Media Internships in Health Reporting
* LGBT Scholarships
* Microsoft Scholarships
* Morris K. Udall Undergraduate Scholarship
* National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (SMART Grant)
* Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
* Students of Color Scholarship
* Unmet Need Scholarship

Many grants and scholarships are available for all women, including women of color and various ethnic and cultural groups. Funding for higher education need not be limited by lack of economic opportunities or even a lower GPA. Many grants and scholarship are need-based, meaning that if the applicant is able to demonstrate need, they will qualify for the award. In many cases, such as certain scholarships, funds are awarded on a merit basis. A high GPA, along with a true interest in the funding agency’s goals, will qualify applicants for a variety of funding.