With some research, you can find a variety of career development grants for women.
Women with noteworthy talent and achievements have the opportunity to apply for grants that help them develop professionally. Career grants are given to women directly or issued as funding for programs that aid women and offer career development activities. Applicants can apply for grants ranging from research and mathematics to science and environmental management.
Types
Various types of grants are offered to female scholarships for different purposes and career goals. While some winners may use their grants to advocate for children's disabilities, others might focus on developing their skills in a specific sector or specialty. For example, applicants to the career development grants offered by the American Society of Microbiology must use their funds for postdoctoral work in the area of microbiology. Grants differ according to how the funds can be used -- whether for tuition-related expenses, research projects or travel. Due to the high cost of undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs, some grants are also intended to help women who are nontraditional students, returning to school or re-entering the workforce.
Time Frame
The time frame required to process and distribute grants varies according to the size, location and overall goals of the grant program. For instance, the American Association of University Women (AAUW) stated that 2011-to-2012 applicants can submit applications between the months of August and December. Grants are valid beginning July 2011 through June 2012. The Association for Women in Mathematics stated that the deadlines for their travel grant for women researchers is February 1, May 1 and October 1 of each year.
Awards
Awards also vary by program. For example, the AAUW awards individual career development grants ranging between $2,000 and $12,000. The American Society for Biology postdoctoral grant for women is a cash award of $1,200. Mathematics travel grants offered to women mathematicians through the Association for Women in Mathematics range from $1,500 for U.S. travel to $2,000 for international travel.
Requirements
For postdoctoral grants, applicants should possess a bachelor's degree and be currently enrolled in a PhD program. The American Society of Microbiology provides grants only to postdoctoral candidates who need funding for travel to meetings, labs and other locations specifically related to career advancement. Programs such as the AWM National Science Foundation grant specify that applicants must live or work in the United States. Additionally, previous winners from the past two years are not eligible to apply. Other requirements include caps on external government funding for travel. For example, AWM-NSF applicants receiving more than $2,000 annually for travel from the government cannot apply to the program.
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