Associations

EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

The Educational Foundation of AAUW (EF), which is the philanthropic arm of the Association, views women as a critical resource and is dedicated to helping women develop their full intellectual and creative potential. In a constantly accelerating and changing world, the Foundation has grown and adapted to provide help through the following areas:                                          

American Fellowships are awarded to women who have achieved distinction or promise of distinction in their field and who are in their final year of professional study.

International Fellowships are awarded to qualified women from abroad who are desirous of undertaking advanced studies in the United States.

Eleanor Roosevelt Teacher Fellowships are awarded to K‑12 public school teachers as individuals or as lead members of teams. Funds support the development of innovative curriculum projects designed to encourage girls' interest and achievement in math, science and/or technology.

Fellowships for Selected Professions provide financial support for the final year of full-time graduate study in fields traditionally under-represented by women.

Career Development Grants support course work toward a master’s degree, second bachelor’s degree, specialized training in a technical or professional field, or participation in an academically based professional institute.

Community Action Grants support projects and programs that advance education and equity for women and/or girls.

Research and Projects Grants Program fund AAUW branches, states, and individual women for activities that support the broad Foundation goals. The Fort Wayne Branch has funded three Research and Projects grants named for R. Hazel Miller, Alda Jane Carson, and Dr. Joanne Lantz.

The latest update on branch endowments is that in December 2002 our Branch was able to make the last contribution to the Joanne Lantz Research and Projects Fund to fully endow it at $35,000.  The interest accrued will now be used to fund upcoming projects of AAUW. 

Branch, state, and division members have completed establishing the Phyllis Thompson Endowed Fund. Anyone may add to it.

NAMED GRANT HONOREES 2008-2009: Emerging Leader Cathy Huff; Wednesday Evening Forum Group

AAUW LEGAL ADVOCACY FUND

The AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund (LAF/the Fund) works to achieve equity for women in higher education by recognizing innovative efforts to improve the climate for women on campus; by offering assistance to women faculty, staff, and students who have grievances against colleges and universities; and by supporting sex discrimination lawsuits.

The LAF was founded in 1981 as a two year pilot project. In 1983, delegates to the AAUW Convention in San Francisco voted to make the LAF a permanent entity.

The Fund is administered by the Educational Foundation. The LAF's annual Progress in Equity Award recognizes a college or university program that is innovative and replicable, and that has resulted in significant progress toward equity for women at the winning institution. The 1995 Progress in Equity Award went to the Waterloo Teacher Preparation Project in Waverly, Iowa.

In 1987, the Legal Advocacy Fund established the LAF Network of volunteer attorneys and social scientists who are available to consult with women who have grievances against higher education institutions and with attorneys litigating sex discrimination lawsuits.

LAF criteria for support of a lawsuit include the plaintiff’s need for financial aid, a high probability of success, and the potential significance of the case for women in higher education. A lawsuit must have been filed in state or federal court before LAF support can be considered.

The LAF  provided financial support to a case and/or allow the plaintiff to use the LAF as a fund raising channel.  Once the Fund has accepted a case, contributions earmarked for that case can be accepted by the LAF and forwarded to the designated plaintiff.  A 20 percent administrative fee is deducted from designated contributions.

Since 1981, the Legal Advocacy Fund has contributed more than   $4,000,000.00 to the support of more than 100 cases.  AAUW currently supports 19 lawsuits. The AAUW Educational Foundation board has awarded a total of $32,000.00 in support of ongoing and new cases.

Contributions to the AAUW Legal Advocacy Fund are tax‑deductible to the extent allowed by law.

The new vision for LAF includes:

1. Broadening the focus of case support to allow us to select cases most likely to have a durable impact on the law
2. Reinforcing case support by creating or participating in amicus briefs that make key legal arguments on behalf of our plaintiffs
3. Enhancing public relations support for key cases to build the public dialogue
4. Expanding networks of legal and social scientist advisers available to support plaintiffs in effort to protect their rights
5. Exploring the possibility of training and other proactive strategies to allow women to steer their academic careers successfully without litigation

LAF network partners include attorneys with expertise in areas such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, sexual harassment, tenure denial Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, pay equity and pregnancy discrimination