International Project Grants

AAUW’s International Project Grants foster lasting impact by supporting International Fellowship alumnae who return to their home countries to lead community-based initiatives. These grants empower alumnae to apply their academic expertise and leadership skills to projects that advance gender equity and improve the lives of women and girls.

From securing property rights for widows to establishing safe, dignified workspaces for cassava producers, alumnae-led initiatives address urgent, deeply rooted equity challenges. By providing targeted funding of up to $10,000, AAUW enables alumnae to drive meaningful, locally grounded change in their communities and create pathways toward greater opportunity and empowerment for women and girls. AAUW is particularly interested in funding projects in historically underserved communities or those that serve at-risk groups.

All International Project Grant funds must be used exclusively for charitable purposes that advance the social and economic empowerment of women and girls. Projects must not generate personal profit or financial benefit for the applicant.

• Applicants must identify as a woman.
• Applicants must have completed an AAUW International Fellowship between June 2011 and June 2026 and fulfilled all reporting requirements. (If your fellowship year falls outside this time period, please contact us at awards@aauw.org. These requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.)
• Applicants must have successfully completed the academic program for which they received an International Fellowship award by June 30, 2026.
• Applicants must serve as the primary project director, with control over all programmatic, budgetary, administrative, and editorial decisions.

Project Location

• Applicants must reside in and implement their project within their home country for the duration of the grant period.
• If applicants are unable to reside in or return to their home country due to humanitarian, safety, or other extenuating circumstances, they may propose to implement the project in the country where they currently reside.

Citizenship & Immigration Status

Grant recipients must be non-U.S. citizens and must not hold U.S. permanent resident status, nor be applicants for U.S. permanent residency (green card).

Disqualifying Factors

The following are not eligible for consideration:

• Current members of the AAUW Board of Directors
• Current employees of AAUW, including paid or unpaid, part-time or temporary employees, consultants, interns, and contract employees.
• Current AAUW Review Panelists
• Immediate families (i.e., spouses and dependent children) of individuals described in the points above
• AAUW International Fellowships alumnae who did not successfully complete their academic program for which they received a fellowship, and/or who did not submit all required reporting in connection with their fellowship

The International Project Grant provides funding of up to $10,000 with a flexible grant period to support charitable, community-based initiatives for the advancement of women. Grant funds must be maintained in a separate individual account dedicated solely to approved project funds.

AAUW reserves the right to adjust the final award amount based on the review of the proposed project budget and the allowability of specific expenses.

The grant will be disbursed in two equal installments, with the first payment issued at the beginning of the grant period and the second payment issued at the midpoint of the grant term, contingent upon satisfactory progress and submission of required reporting.

• Clear alignment with AAUW’s mission of advancing equity for women and girls, demonstrated through a well-defined project plan and a direct, positive impact on these populations.
• A clearly articulated project rationale that defines a specific, locally relevant need and demonstrates the project’s timeliness, sustainability, and significance, supported by qualitative and quantitative evidence (e.g., local data, community assessments, or stakeholder feedback).
• A clear project design that outlines specific, measurable target outcomes, proposed activities, and a logical framework that clearly connects project goals, activities, and anticipated results.
• Demonstrated capacity of the applicant to implement the proposed project, evidenced by relevant skills, leadership, and prior experience leading or contributing to projects, programs, or initiatives – whether small, informal, or large – and supported by a realistic implementation plan, feasible budget, and documented stakeholder input informing the project timeline and resource allocation.
• A reasonable and well-aligned project budget that supports the proposed activities and goals, with funding requests appropriate to the scope of work and demonstrating reasonable stewardship of grant funds.
• Demonstrated commitment to learning and evaluation, evidenced by: (1) incorporation of monitoring and evaluation methods that enable assessment of project outcomes; and (2) a clear plan for sharing results and lessons learned with stakeholders and/or the communities the project serves.
• Commitment to the social advancement and economic empowerment of women and girls in applicant’s home country or the community they reside in as demonstrated by applicant’s previous work and proposed project.
• Demonstrated use of creative approaches to address the identified need, showing innovation in project design, problem-solving, or engagement with stakeholders (Preferred).

Flexible grant periods: Grantees may propose the start and end dates of their project with the following parameters:

• Project start date must be no earlier than July 1, 2027, and no later than September 30, 2027.
• Project end date must be no later than 12 months after project start date.

AAUW strictly adheres to its application deadlines. Applications and Materials received after the deadline will not be accepted or reviewed, without exception.

The application is submitted by completing an online form in AAUW’s application portal. Applicants should not prepare or upload a separate project proposal document or application.

To begin your application, visit the AAUW Fellowships & Grants Application Portal to create an account or log in. For step-by-step guidance on completing your application, refer to the Application Instructions.

The application form consists of a project proposal and a supporting budget. Applicants must also upload a resume to the application form. The project proposal, supporting budget, and required documents should demonstrate eligibility and alignment with the program’s selection criteria.

Applications must be completed in English.

Project Proposal Narrative

Applicants must address the following components in their narrative:

• Abstract – Provide a brief summary of the project, its objectives, and expected outcomes.
• Community Context & Need – Describe the local context, the specific need your project addresses, and any supporting evidence (e.g., local data, community assessments, stakeholder feedback).
• Project Description – Explain your project goals, target outcomes, and activities, showing how they connect to the intended results.
• Leadership and Community Engagement – Describe how you will engage stakeholders or community members in your project through your relevant skills and experience.
• Project Timeline – Provide a clear, detailed, and realistic timeline outlining key project activities, milestones, and expected outputs over the grant period.
• Sustainability Plan – Describe how your project outcomes will be maintained beyond the grant period.
• Monitoring & Evaluation – Explain how you will assess project outcomes and how results or lessons learned will be shared with stakeholders and the communities served.

Project Budget

Applicants must submit:

• An accurate, itemized budget for the proposed project.
• A budget narrative explaining line items, resource allocation, and justification of costs.

Any significant modification to the approved project budget must receive prior written approval from AAUW before funds are reallocated.

Supporting Document

• Resume or CV – Highlights academic background, professional experience, leadership, and prior project involvement (small, informal, or large).

Applicants are responsible for the submission of all required documents. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Prohibited Costs

The following expenses are not eligible for funding:

• Construction, renovations, or infrastructure projects
• Fundraising activities
• Making grants to other organizations or individuals
• Payments to the applicant or reimbursement of personal expenses
• Previous expenditures or repayment of loans
• Political campaigns, lobbying (to influence legislation), or voter registration drives
• Salaries of any kind
• Scholarship or tuition payments

Projects must not generate personal financial benefits or profits for the applicant.

Capital Equipment

Capital equipment purchases are generally discouraged and will only be considered when the equipment is essential to carrying out the proposed project. Any request for capital equipment must include a clear justification explaining why it is necessary for project implementation, as well as a disposition plan describing how the equipment will be donated or transferred at the end of the grant period for continued charitable use. Equipment purchased with grant funds may not be retained for personal or non-charitable use after the grant period concludes.

Capital equipment refers to durable items with a useful life of more than one year, such as laptops, tablets, cameras, printers, specialized tools, laboratory or medical equipment, or other long-term project assets.

All applications are assessed by an independent review panel comprised of nonprofit leaders, business management experts, and AAUW alumnae.

• Mid-term narrative and financial report
• Final narrative and financial report at the end of the grant period that includes project outcomes, documentation of results, impact, and key lessons learned

Financial reports must include:

• A detailed accounting of expenditures
• A comparison of actual spending against the approved budget

Grant recipients must maintain accurate financial records, including receipts, invoices, contracts, and must provide these records to AAUW upon request.

Any unused funds that exceed $250 or unallowable funds must be returned to AAUW at the end of the grant period.

Grant funds may be subject to taxation depending on the tax laws of the country in which the grantee resides. It is the grantee’s sole responsibility to determine and comply with any applicable tax obligations.

AAUW does not provide tax advice and does not issue tax forms for International Project Grants. Grantees are encouraged to consult a tax professional or local tax authority for guidance regarding their individual circumstances.