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What Types of Grants Exist For Women?

Federal Grants

Regardless of the country that you live in, federal grant money is usually available. Women can apply for federal student grants to fund their education at an undergraduate or graduate level and give themselves the ability to get a professional career.

Other agencies in a country's federal government offer grant money to organizations for public purposes, including the betterment of the status of women in business, the arts, or in the fields of science and technology. These organizations then develop programs which women can use. Either kind of federal grant requires an application, along with a stated goal and a promise that the funding will be used solely for the purpose for which the grant was created.

Government agencies in the United States, Canada, UK, Australia, and South Africa that usually offer such federal grants include the Department/Ministry of Health, the Department/Ministry of Education, the Department/Ministry of Agriculture, the Department/Ministry of Social Services, the Small Business Administration, and more. Many times, public service agencies such as the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (or your country's rendition of this) will also offer grants.

Private Grants

Private grants are funded by an individual who have a personal interest in promoting certain kinds of activities through their generosity. Sometimes a private organization is set up as a foundation with a board of directors and possibly a committee that handles grants and awards. Private funding may be available for women in the form of grants or scholarships.

Well-known U.S. humanitarians who provide private grants include Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffet, Bill Cosby, Martha Stewart and many others.

Corporate Grants

Corporate grants are developed and administered by companies who wish to fund projects that either enhance their reputations or have a reasonable chance of producing benefits to the funding company. Some companies and organizations have a history of making grants available for women to use for education or career advancement.

Companies that provide such grants through their foundations include Microsoft, Kelloggs, General Electric, Verizon, Toyota, Boeing, Sony, and many other corporate giants in your country.

Professional Grants

Professional grants are usually made by non-profit organizations and universities within a given profession to advance the status of individual members of the profession and the status of the profession itself. Many professional women’s organizations offer career development or advancement grants for use by members of the profession for travel, education or counseling.

Organizations that offer professional grants include the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the Barbara Lee Family Foundation, the American Association of University Women (AAUW), various universities across the world, and more.