Community Action Grants – General Operating Support
AAUW’s General Operating Support Grants for Community Action provide flexible funding to nonprofit organizations whose primary mission focus is promoting education and equity for women and girls in grades K-12. General operating support grants may be used as organizations see fit, and often offer valuable support for advancing a nonprofit organization’s mission, sustainability and its ability to innovate. Since 1972, AAUW has provided support to hundreds of communities across the United States through its Community Action Grants.
Award Details
Award: $10,000
Grant Term: July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026
- Applicants must be incorporated as a nonprofit with a federally designated-tax exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS) code. AAUW branches and state organizations with 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) tax-exempt status are also eligible and encouraged to apply.
- Applicants must be dedicated to education and equity for women and girls in grades K-12. More than 51% of the organization’s previous year’s expenses and programming/services must be devoted to this purpose.
- Organizations with a focus on promoting gender equity in STEM fields (preferred).
- Applicants serving geographically and/or demographically underserved communities (preferred).
The following are not eligible for consideration:
- Members of the AAUW Board of Directors.
- Employees of AAUW, including paid or unpaid, part-time or temporary employees, consultants, interns and contract employees.
- Review Panelists.
- Immediate families (i.e., spouses and dependent children) of individuals described in the points above.
- Previous AAUW Community Action Grant recipients must wait 3 years before reapplying.
- Alignment of applicant’s mission with advancing equity for women and girls.
- Coherent presentation of how grant funding would build organizational capacity for advancing its mission.
- Clarity of anticipated results (outputs and/or outcomes), supported by a strong rationale for how funding will enable the applicant to directly and/or indirectly address their needs and support the achievement of these results.
- Demonstrated organizational capacity and capability to achieve its objectives.
- Potential for and/or commitment of additional funds and involvement from community organizations, businesses and funders (preferred).
Timeline
Milestone
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Date
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---|---|
Grant Application Submission Period
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September 16, 2024 – November 15, 2024
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Grant Award Status Notification
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April 15, 2025
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Disbursement of Grant Funds (in full or part)
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July 2025
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Grant Term
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July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026
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Disbursement of 2nd Tranche of Grant Funds (if applicable)
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January 2026
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Grant Impact Reports Due
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July 31, 2026
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How To Apply
International Scholarship & Tuition Services (ISTS) serves as the application portal for AAUW Community Action Grants. Please follow the steps below to start the application process:
- Review the eligibility criteria to ensure you are eligible.
- Click the Apply Now button below to access the application and create an ISTS account.
- Follow the instructions provided in the Applicant Guide.
If you experience technical difficulties, please contact AAUW@applyists.com.
- A narrative application.
- IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter (for applicants applying as nonprofit organizations).
- IRS 501 (c)(3) or (c)(4) determination letter (for applicants applying as AAUW branches or state organizations).
- Most recent 990.
- A copy of the applicant’s prior fiscal year’s organizational budget, demonstrating that more than 51% of the organization’s previous year’s expenses and programming/services was devoted to education and equity for women and girls in grades K-12.
- A copy of the applicant’s current fiscal year budget.
- Current fiscal year statement of financial position (i.e., balance sheet).
- Current fiscal year statement of activities (i.e., profit-and-loss statement).
Narrative Project Proposal
The required narrative project proposal includes the following components:
- Organizational Information
- Abstract
- Rationale
- Description of the Community
- Objective of the Grant
- Community Partners
Project Budget
Applicants must provide a detailed line-item budget and accompanying narrative budget justification.
Prohibited Costs
Please note grant funds cannot be used to:
- Influence legislation
- Influence the outcome of elections
- Carry out voter registration drives
- Make grants to individuals or other organizations
- Pay for previous expenditures, deficits or loan
Review panels meet once a year to review applications for funding. Awards are based on the criteria outlined here. The panel’s recommendations are subject to final approval by AAUW. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis according to funds available in a given fiscal year.
To ensure a fair review process, AAUW does not comment on the deliberations of the awards panels. AAUW does not provide written or oral evaluations of applicants. No provisions exist for reconsideration of grant proposals. Applications and supporting documents become the sole property of AAUW and will not be returned or held for another year.
Policies
Tax Liability
Community Action Grant applicants need to submit their IRS Determination Letter demonstrating their 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) tax-exempt status to AAUW. AAUW does not provide any tax‐related forms to grantees or withhold any amount for payment of U.S. taxes.
The determination of whether there is a tax obligation associated with the receipt of an AAUW grant is the sole responsibility of the grantee. Specific questions regarding income tax matters should be addressed to a local tax adviser. AAUW cannot provide tax advice.
Use of Funds
AAUW’s grant agreement specifies the terms of the grant, including the use of grant funds and reporting schedule. Grant funds must only be used for the purposes, over the timeframe, and in the manner set forth in the grant agreement and finalized proposal. Awarded grant funds may not be expended on project costs incurred prior to the grant start date or after the grant end date without AAUW’s prior written approval. In carrying out grant-funded projects, grantees must comply with all applicable local, country and international laws and regulations.