The Women’s Fund of El Paso, Inc. is pleased to announce the availability of FY 2008-2009 funds for the educational and leadership advancement of women in El Paso. The funds will provide scholarships to low- and moderate-income single mothers and other women who qualify so they may access higher education at a local educational institution or leadership training for career advancement. (Please see the 2006 Low-to Moderate-Income Chart provided for your perusal below). The Women’s Fund of El Paso also provides grants to women who qualify for our Charitable Adjunct Assistance Awards, which specifically provide funds to a registered child or adult care provider of the applicant’s request. The Charitable Adjunct Assistance Awards also cover funds for transportation to and from school. All funds will be paid directly to the service provider in the name of the award recipient. These opportunities have been made possible through the generosity of our underwriters, sponsors, donors and guests that supported our inaugural Power of the Purse fundraiser held on May 11, 2006. We are grateful to the El Paso Empowerment Zone Corporation for providing $25,000 in scholarship funds that will be awarded to women living in the El Paso Empowerment Zone for FY 2008-2009. Women living in the Empowerment Zone are encouraged to apply. The Women’s Fund of El Paso aims to directly impact the educational advancement of women in El Paso through the availability of these funds. We are grateful for the overwhelming support we have received from the El Paso community toward this end.

Award Limits

The Women’s Fund of El Paso Educational Advancement Grants will be paid directly to the educational institution on behalf of the scholarship recipient. Grant recipients may be awarded no more than $5,000 during a 12-month period. Applications will be considered for requests under the $5,000 limit.

Applications will not be considered for requests outside of the funding areas designated under the following categories:

Scholarship Awards

First Priority: Awards for direct educational expenses (tuition, books, and fees), are paid directly to the educational institution or leadership seminar or conference provider.

Charitable Adjunct Assistance Awards

Next Priority: Awards that assist in reducing indirect financial barriers to education (for dependent care or bus fare) will be paid directly to the sponsoring agency or service provider on behalf of the recipient.

Application Process

Women interested in applying for a grant from the Women’s Fund of El Paso are encouraged to carefully read through the eligibility requirements and application procedures listed on line at www.womensfundofelpaso.org . The applicant is encouraged to familiarize herself with the process by reading entirely through the Grant Eligibility section. Once the applicant has identified that she may qualify for a grant, she is encouraged to set up a meeting with a local non-profit agency serving women and girls to whom she would be interested in providing 25 hours of community service over a 12 month period. The Women’s Fund of El Paso encourages applicants identify an agency that truly speaks to her professional and personal interests in giving back to the El Paso community. Applicants will arrange communication and establish a relationship with a local non-profit agency. She will be required to set up an initial, mid-term and final evaluation appointment with the non-profit sponsor. The applicants must know what they are asking of the sponsor. The Women’s Fund of El Paso is actively reaching out to El Paso non-profit agencies, but we can not guarantee that each non-profit employee will know the process and procedures of supporting the collaboration between the applicant, the agency and the Women’s Fund of El Paso. Educational institutions may refer applicants, but applicants must also have a non-profit sponsor. Applicants are NOT encouraged to directly contact members of the Selection Committee. Non-profit sponsors may contact the Women’s Fund of El Paso through our message line at 915.532.4673.

Renewals

The Women’s Fund of El Paso Educational Advancement Grants are paid by semester/term. At the end of each semester/term, scholarship recipients must submit a Renewal Application. This one-page form will be available in a downloadable format from the www.womensfundofelpaso.org website. In addition to this form, the following are required for scholarship renewal: transcript showing current GPA; school invoice and financial aid statement; updated financial information; 1-page typewritten personal narrative about how the awarded funds have improved the grantee’s economic status and well-being; and the non-profit sponsor’s report on how previous funds were used.