Here we will check all options available in grants for women over 50. A scholarship awarded to women who are over 50 years of age can help with all kinds of expenses, from paying down student debt to starting a small business or going back to school full-time.
If you’re looking for ways to fund your future, this list of grants and scholarships available to women over 50 will provide several good options. After reading it, you’ll be better prepared to make an informed decision about which path suits your needs best!
What if you are 55 or older and want to go back to school? There are plenty of opportunities, including scholarships and grants, that will help cover the cost of your education.
Here’s what you should know about these scholarship opportunities and how to apply for them so you can start or finish your degree or certificate program.
Women over the age of 55 are often ineligible for most scholarships and grants that are awarded to students or professionals in their field.
Luckily, there are still plenty of options that can help you pay for your education and training at all levels, whether it’s an advanced degree or learning how to code. Single mothers can also apply to get grants for single moms here.
In this article, we’ll take a look at some grants and scholarships specifically geared towards women over 50 who want to expand their knowledge base or build on previous training. Let’s get started!
Here Are Some Possible Sources Of Funding
No matter what your age, many organizations offer grants to women. There are also scholarships available for older women who want to go back to school or start a new venture. If you are in college you can also apply for college grants for women.
Here are some possible sources of funding:-
- The Older Women’s League (OWL) offers grants that range from $250-$2,000 and focus on projects related to the mission of OWL.
- The Wider Opportunities Program is an organization that provides funds for education, training, and other types of programs designed to help low-income individuals improve their economic situation.
- The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging offers a variety of grants in order to promote independence among older adults. These include services such as transportation, caregiver support, wellness activities, and emergency preparedness planning.
- In addition to these national organizations, there are state-specific opportunities as well.
For example, Indiana has its own program called Senior Indiana. With this program you can receive money for housing costs if you’re 60+, free tax preparation with any income under $24k, or free meals through its Meals On Wheels program with any income under $28k.
“As always, keep in mind that eligibility varies by program so be sure to check requirements before applying.”
9 Ways To Get Grants And Scholarships For Women Over 50
Local Government Agencies
Are you over the age of 50? Do you have a college degree? If so, you may qualify for free money from your local government.
Take a look at your state’s website to see what grants or scholarships are available for women over the age of fifty. You might be surprised by how much money is out there just waiting for you!
Grants and scholarships for women over fifty can cover school tuition, book expenses, equipment costs, fees for professional memberships, or dues. These types of funding are an excellent way to invest in yourself.
Don’t wait another day to find out if you qualify! All it takes is a few minutes to do some quick research and make sure you’re not missing out on opportunities for college grants for older women that are currently available in your area.
Start now before time runs out! Grants for women 2022 provide important educational resources and funding.
Grants for women 2022 come from many different sources including colleges, universities, states, and governments all over the country as well as private organizations like charities.
The best thing about grants is that they don’t have to be paid back!
It doesn’t matter whether you’re looking for grants 20208 or grants 20209; there will always be funds out there willing to help deserving individuals with their educational needs-especially those who’ve earned a college degree after the age of fifty.
Nonprofit Organizations
There are a number of grants and scholarships available to women over 50. There is the National Association of Retired College Teachers (NARCT) Scholarship, which provides $2,500 to one or two women over the age of 55 who are going back to college.
NARCT has been in existence since 1926 as a not-for-profit organization that helps retired college teachers.
Another option is the Donna Foundation Scholarship, which is open to any woman over 55 who demonstrates financial need with an essay submitted on The Future I Wish For.
Their goal is to help women achieve their goals while they are still able to do so. The National Association of Realtors also offers scholarships through its foundation program.
They award these funds to women who are 60 years old and older, have had an active real estate license for five years or more, and have taken a state-approved course within the last three years.
In order to apply, you must be a member of the National Association of Realtors. Members pay annual dues totaling at least $1 per year up until the time they turn 65 years old.
Members can then choose to continue paying their dues at this same rate or stop paying them altogether after turning 65.
All members receive access to all benefits offered by the association and may use those benefits until they choose to retire from membership when they turn 65 years old.
Membership fees go towards providing funding for educational programs such as scholarships given out each year by the association’s foundation program.
With approximately 230,000 members across North America, you will want to make sure your name reaches the top of their list.
The National Organization of Women also offers scholarships in honor of Grace Hopper and Florence Nightingale.
These awards are made possible by donations and support from individual contributors, corporations, foundations, and government agencies that share the mission statement – Equality without regard to sex.
State Commissions
AARP provides free grants to women aged 50+, with a particular focus on low-income women.
The first step is to visit their website, where you’ll need to fill out an application form that asks about your household income and your education level. AARP will then assess your eligibility by reviewing the information submitted.
You can also contact the AARP via phone or email. All applications are kept confidential. They provide a small number of scholarships for older women who are seeking further education in order to better themselves professionally.
Grants come in three different amounts: $2,500; $5,000; $10,000. Eligible applicants must be at least 50 years old and have less than $30k in annual income per year.
They provide both one-time grants as well as renewable scholarship opportunities. There’s no limit to how many times you may apply, so long as you meet all eligibility requirements.
Volunteer Organizations
In the United States, women over 65 represent the fastest growing population of people who have a college degree. The following organizations offer grants, scholarships, or fellowships to help older women get their degrees.
- AARP Foundation – AARP provides a variety of grants and scholarships to adults over 55 who are working on their education. The AARP Foundation offers the AARP Entrepreneur Scholarship Program, which awards one scholarship of up to $10,000 per year.
- Ruth Lilly Fellowship – This fellowship is awarded to women 40 years old or older who have had at least one year of postsecondary education but may not be able to finish their degree due to economic hardship.
- The National Scholarship Providers Association – Offers a list of scholarship providers across the country that provide financial assistance for individuals age 50+.
- Sallie Mae Fund – Provides loans, grants, and scholarships for women over 60 in select states.
Governmental Programs & Contracts
There are a number of grants and scholarships available to women over 50. Below are a few government-issued programs that provide aid to older women:-
- The Older Women’s League offers the Small Business Start-Up Grant, which provides funds up to $5,000 for female entrepreneurs aged 55 or over who are starting their own businesses.
- The National Association of Female Executives Foundation provides the NAFEF Career Development Grants, which include a one-time grant of up to $2,500. They also offer educational grants ranging from $1,000 to $10,000.
- The American Association of University Women offers two grants to aid women in need of education. A Grant for Single Mothers provides funds up to $4,000. A Career Development Grant provides grants up to $2,500.
Unions & Professional Organizations
Women over the age of fifty can often find themselves with fewer career opportunities, but grants and scholarships are available to help offset the costs of college or vocational training.
The National Council on Aging offers a list of resources that may be helpful in getting assistance. The WIAA provides a list of scholarships available for women over 50 as well as information about grant opportunities.
Grants for Women 2022 offers information about grants offered by private organizations. There is also a complete list of other resources in their scholarship database.
Freegrants4women has a database with various grants that will vary by eligibility requirements, type, award amount, etc.
College Grants For Older Women lists various resources available to older women looking to pursue college degrees or occupational training programs.
Vocational Grants for Women Over Fifty covers those interested in pursuing occupations that do not require formal education.
Sallie Mae provides information about its program which helps cover the cost of higher education if you were eligible for federal Pell Grant funding when you were younger, called Pell Advantage®.
Clifford Chance Foundation Incorporated (CCFI) partners with colleges to offer financial aid to low-income individuals.
Loans from Higher Education Institute (HEI) are another option if you need loan money to pay for your tuition and fees at an accredited school or program.
HEI’s loans are only open to those who have experienced some sort of setback like unemployment, illness, injury, or loss of spouse which prevents them from working full time outside the home.
Community Colleges & University Programs
Visit your local community college or university to see what programs are available.
Some schools offer free grants for women over 50, scholarships, volunteer opportunities, classes to help you learn new skills or even housing assistance.
You may also be eligible for a grant from the government if you have an idea that will change people’s lives. The 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant Program is designed to provide grants of up to $150,000 per year for five years.
These grants can be used by partnerships of colleges and universities and other nonprofit organizations such as libraries, museums, religious institutions, or cultural centers that are in urban and rural communities with high rates of poverty.
The funds can pay for child care services; after-school activities; mentoring services; family literacy activities; substance abuse prevention curricula; crime prevention curricula; any other evidence-based program designed to reduce poverty.
Applications must demonstrate how the proposed program will contribute toward increasing school readiness, closing achievement gaps between groups of students, or promoting lifelong learning among those served by the grantee organization.
National Organizations & Foundations
There are a number of national organizations that offer grants, scholarships, or other opportunities specifically for women over the age of 50.
These include:-
- Aging with Dignity
- AARP Foundation
- LeadingAge
- MetLife Foundation
- The United States Department of Health & Human Services
- The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a)
- National Association for Female Executives
- National Council of Negro Women
- Wider Opportunities for Women
- Older Women’s League
- The American Association of University Women (AAUW)
- Endowment for Middle Eastern Women- Girls Incorporated
- YWCA USA
- NASEO’s National Center on Girls & Women in Sport
These are just a few examples; grants, scholarships, and opportunities to help women over 50 can be found at your local library or online.
The Internet
Once you’ve reached a point in your life where you feel confident about where you want to go, it’s time to get out there and find the resources that will help make your goals a reality.
With grants, scholarships, and other government resources, women over 50 have plenty of options when it comes to financing their education.
First, search for grants specifically targeted toward older women looking to complete higher levels of education.
There are many different organizations that offer funding through grants such as the National Association of Colored Women (NACW) and the United Negro College Fund (UNCF).
These two organizations provide grants of up to $4000 per year for African American women who are looking to complete higher levels of education.
Grants from NACW range from $1000-3000 while grants from UNCF range from $1500-4000. Both require specific eligibility requirements before they can be applied for but the payoff is huge if granted!
Next, look into scholarships geared towards women over 50 years old. Here again, there are several places to turn for financial assistance.
The AARP Foundation offers grants of up to $5000 each year which are open to any woman aged 50+ with an undergraduate degree and a GPA of 2.5+.
Another option is the Women’s Legal Defense Fund Scholarship which offers grants ranging from $2000-$5000 annually in order to promote equal rights by enabling more women lawyers to enter into public service work that includes public interest law, legal aid, and criminal justice reform.
