Up to $4K per applicant available for professional growth
Posted: July 17, 2025
The American Association of University Women (AAUW) Honolulu Branch is offering its Career and Leadership Development Grant, designed to help working women in Hawaiʻi access professional growth opportunities that might otherwise be financially out of reach.
This annual grant provides funding of up to $4,000 per applicant (plus an additional $2,000 through AAUW Maui for Maui-only applicants) to women residing in or working in Hawaiʻi. This year, the funders are focusing exclusively on professional development conferences and career advancement opportunities for working professionals.
Through the grant funding, the AAUW aims to ease the burden of career-related expenses and encourages women to pursue transformative experiences, whether it’s attending a conference, earning a new license, or sitting for a professional exam.
What the grant covers
The grant is designed to support a wide range of professional development activities. Eligible expenses include:
- Pursuing career-related designations, licensing, and the like
- Trade certifications and licensing
- Conference registration fees (professional conferences only)
- Airfare and related transportation costs
- Hotel/accommodation costs
Grant funds cannot be used for academic conferences, food or incidentals, standardized admissions tests (e.g., MCAT, LSAT, GRE), research/data collection, or tuition for coursework toward an undergraduate or graduate degree.
Who can apply
The Career and Leadership Development Grant is open to women who meet the following criteria:
- Must reside or work in the state of Hawaiʻi (any island)
- Must not have received this grant in the past
- Must not be current AAUW Honolulu academic scholarship recipients
- No AAUW membership is required to apply
Application timeline and process
Applications are open now through Sept. 15, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. HST. The online application requires the following:
- Completed online application form
- Current resume or CV in PDF format
- Itemized budget outlining costs (up to $4,000)
- Proof of acceptance or registration in the professional event/program
Applicants will be notified of their status approximately four to six weeks after the application deadline. Those who are awarded the grant must submit a W-9 form and itemized receipts to receive reimbursement, which will be issued via PayPal or check.
All funds must be used by June 30, 2026.