Grants, scholarship application deadline nears
These five women, who earned GEDs through Project Oz, a 2011 grant recipient, celebrate their graduation. Project Oz teaches life and parenting skills, financial literacy, and help with GED preparation along with job preparation and connections to community resources. Photo: Lori Ann Cook-Neisler/The Pantagraph |
February 15 marks the application deadline for two important annual programs of Women of the ELCA: grants and scholarships.
Grants change lives
Agencies and non-profits that support healing and wholeness for women of all ages are invited to apply for a 2013 grant from Women of the ELCA. Grants in 2012 were given to an adult day program offering therapeutic activities and fellowship for older adults and respite for their caregivers, a program offering enrichment skills and peer support for victims of domestic and sexual violence, a healthy cooking course for people with developmental disabilities and a hospitality program offering transitional housing to homeless women who have survived domestic violence, among others. In total, 21 domestic grants were made totaling $47,525. Six grants totaling $10,000 were made to programs in Burundi, Cameroon, Ghana, India, Senegal and South Sudan.
Scholarships celebrate gifts
Scholarships are available for women who are members of ELCA congregations. There are scholarships for Lutheran laywomen who are studying for a career other than ordained ministry as well as scholarships for those in their final year at an ELCA seminary. The other scholarships fall into two administrative categories: for women administrators and faculty at ELCA colleges and seminaries who are participating in leadership training or management training institutes and for women interested in reaching the top of their fields as administrators.
How you can help
The grants and scholarships programs embody our purpose statement. With the grants program we help to bring about healing and wholeness in the church, the society and the world. Our scholarship awards support, affirm and celebrate the gifts of women.
Women of courage and hope established these two critical programs. These are legacy programs that need ongoing financial support because we receive more and more applications each year. With a gift to either the grants or scholarship program, you can live out our purpose statement while investing in the future of our church, our society and the world. Make a gift today online. For further informaion about including such a gift in your will, contact Emma Crossen, director for stewardship and development, at 800-638-3522, ext. 2736.