EDUCATION SUPPORT AWARDS
The 2025-26 application period is now open! Please review this year's application criteria below then click on the image of Patsy Mink below to proceed to the application.
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2025-25 Applicant Criteria:​
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must be a woman, at least 17 years of age.
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must be a mother, with minor children.
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must be pursuing a first degree at a postsecondary level of education (eg, vocational, associate's, bachelor's, master’s, doctoral) AND degree program must add to level of education already completed (ex: you have an associate’s degree and you would like to pursue a BA or BS., or you have completed a bachelor's degree and wish to pursue a master’s, PhD, or other advanced degree)
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must be pursuing a degree/credential at an institution that does not discriminate on the basis of sex/gender, lgbtq+ status/identity, race/ethnicity, religion, disability, immigration status.
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must be enrolled full time for the 2025-26 academic year in a not-for-profit, accredited institution or program in the U.S.. Use College Navigator to determine if your institution meets this criteria if you are unsure: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
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must be low-income: all annual family income less than the following: $21,150 for a family of 2; $26,650 for a family of 3; $32,150 for a family of 4. (see HHS Poverty Guidelines for larger family sizes and for Hawaii and Alaska variations).
In 2025, the Foundation will offer five Education Support Awards of up to $5000 each to assist low-income women with children who are pursuing education or training and who meet all stated criteria. Awardees are notified by phone or email in late fall. Shortly after recipient notification, the list of awardees will be posted on the Awardee page of this site. The Foundation will contact awardees only. We are not able to contact each applicant about the status of her application. Awards are disbursed in two separate installments (one each semester) over the academic year, and may be used for direct school expenses or for living expenses while you are enrolled in an educational program. Awardees will be selected based on:
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Financial need;
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Personal circumstance;
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Educational path;
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Vocational or occupational goals; and
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Service or activist or civic goals.
