AAUW has a long & distinguished history of advancing educational & professional opportunities for women in the U.S. & around the globe.
Since 1888, AAUW has been one of the largest funders of women’s graduate education, investing in women who go on to change the world. Each year AAUW provides millions of dollars in fellowships, grants, and awards for outstanding women around the globe and for community action projects. AAUW also funds pioneering research on women, girls, and education.
AAUW offers a number of fellowship programs which provide grant monies to women pursuing doctoral and postdoctoral studies. One such fellowship is was founded in 1997 and named in honor of AAUW-Walla Walla member Dina Baker, who passed away in 2021. Our branch, with help from other branches, saw that $100,000 fellowship fully funded in 2004. Women scholars who receive grants from this ongoing fellowship fund have our branch to thank.
Neighbors
2026 Community Project Grants
AAUW-Walla Walla raises funds for scholarships, STEM summer camp, and leadership conferences for women and girls. In addition, we allocate funds for project-based community grants to registered charitable nonprofit organizations or initiatives fiscally sponsored by a charitable nonprofit organization under Section 501(3)(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.
APPLICATIONS FOR 2026 ARE NOW OPEN!
To be considered for a grant, projects must align with the mission of AAUW-WW and take place within Walla Walla County or Milton-Freewater, Oregon.
The deadline is 5:00pm on April 15, 2026. All levels of funding will be considered up to $5000.
Last year, our branch distributed $13K to six organizations to support community projects, programs and services. The six recipient organizations were as follows::
Communities in Schools of the Blue Mountain Region (CISBM)
Hope Street
The Health Center
Walla Walla Immigrant Rights Coalition
Walla Walla Public Schools Foundation
YMCA - The Learning Center
Pictured here: Judi Krein (second from left), AAUW Community Project Grants Committee member delivering the grant check to Karen Carman, Hope Street executive director (left) and Hope Street residents.
Scholars
AAUW College Scholarships
Three types of AAUW scholarships support local women in reaching their educational goals while reducing the burden of student debt.
Women RISE (Resilient, Independent, Self-Sufficient) scholarships are for women returning to school after a break in their education, either to complete an undergraduate degree or a post-graduate degree.
STEM Horizon scholarships are awarded to women in their junior or senior year of college who are pursuing a degree in a science, technology, engineering, or math field or a STEM-adjacent field such as nursing.
Women in Trades scholarships are for women seeking professional qualifications in a trade or craft where women are underrepresented.
Our press release below highlights our 2025 scholarship recipients and their schools/majors. Our branch extends hearty congratulations to each student who was awarded a scholarship and is continuing her education!
2026 SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS OPEN
JAN 1 & ARE DUE BY MARCH 9!
Leaders
MAY 27 - May 30, 2026
Location: University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland
Application Deadline: April 13, 2026
National Conference for College Women Student Leaders (NCCWSL) is where hundreds of young women come to turn a moment into a movement. This national conference, sponsored by NASPA, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, brings together college women from around the country for three days of leadership training, inspiration, and networking. Enter the conference as an aspiring leader and leave it with the skills and confidence to pursue your goals.
The conference features outstanding keynote speakers, workshops, and dialogue and networking student participants from all over the nation. The conference focuses on Leadership Development, Civic Engagement, Policy and Advocacy, Awareness of Self and Others, and Career Engagement.
This is the twelfth year the AAUW Walla Walla branch is offering the NCCWSL scholarship. This generous scholarship pays for tuition, travel and lodging for the conference.
Applicants must be a woman student currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate college program. They may either be attending a local college or are a local Walla Walla Valley resident who is attending college in the Walla Walla Valley or outside of the area.
Scroll down to access the NCCWSL Scholarship Application Form.
Further information can be obtained by emailing walla2aauw@gmail.com or by calling/texting Holly Howard at 509-301-1859.
Selection of applicants will be completed by April 16, 2026
Registration to the conference will be submitted on or before April 22, 2026.
2026 NCCWSL INFO:
Make a tax-deductible donation.
Your generous contribution — in any amount — to the AAUW-Walla Walla Scholarship Fund will be used to fund scholarships for local women and girls pursuing higher education.
We appreciate your support!