Grantmakers in the News

The AARP Foundation has announced the launch of the Women's Scholarship Program, which will provide funds to women forty and older who are seeking new job skills, training, and educational opportunities to support themselves and their families.

The Washington, D.C.-based foundation has established the program to help these women overcome financial and employment barriers by enabling them to participate in education and training opportunities they could not otherwise afford. Funded by AARP, the program is available to individuals with moderate-to-low incomes and of limited financial resources. Awards will range from $500 to $5,000 depending on financial need and the cost of the education or training program.

While many individuals benefit from the work of the foundation, research shows that women are disproportionately at risk of having insufficient resources in the second half of their lives due to lower earning and different work patterns. "Last year, a record sixty-seven million women were employed in the United States, with 75 percent of those women working on a full-time basis," said Robin Talbert, executive director of the AARP Foundation. "Women must have access to the educational tools that will best equip them to not only be competitive in the workplace, but also help them identify new professional opportunities to those seeking to re-enter the workforce."

An online application form is available, and complete applications must be submitted no later than October 31, 2007 for the current scholarship cycle. 2008 scholarship recipients will be notified in January 2008.

The AARP Foundation
is located at:

601 E Street, N.W., Tax Dept.
Washington, DC 20049-0001
Telephone:202/434-2018
FAX: 202/434-6593
E-mail: plannedgiving@aarp.org
URL: http://www.aarp.org/foundation