Find grant funding as a minority woman
Women are still highly underrepresented in a variety of fields in American culture. In an attempt to bridge this gap, grant programs have been developed in a variety of areas to assist with promoting the fiscal and educational growth of women as well as their physical health. Minority women are even more underrepresented and thus may need even more assistance in finding relevant grant funding.
Business Grants
Business grants for minority women can be immensely helpful in securing capital for entrepreneurial endeavors. There are a variety of sources that minority women can turn to for business grant funding including the national grant search database, which allows individuals to search thousands of grants posted by the federal government (see Resources). The federal microloan program operated through the Small Business Administration (SBA) offers competitive rates to disenfranchised populations (like minority women) to help with supplies, inventory and furniture.
Education Grants
Education grants for minority women are growing in number. Minority-rich universities like Spellman University and Agnes Scott offer grants and scholarship funds to African-American women to help with education costs. Many universities offer diversity enrichment grants to help increase minority enrollment and interested parties should contact financial aid offices for current grant opportunities, such as those at Wellesley College. Industry- or field-specific grants are also available where women are underrepresented. For minority women pursuing careers in medicine or dentistry, there are grant opportunities available from prestigious universities like New York University and through national organizations like the National Physical Science Consortium. Professional organizations like the National Black Nurses Association also offer grant funding to increase representation of minority women.
Health Care Grants
The health and wellness of minority women is important given their under-representation in traditional medical environments. The federal government has developed various grant and funding programs to help improve the overall health of minority health populations, including Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans and Hispanic Americans (among others). Medical health care grants include grant funding for breast health (e.g., mammograms and breast cancer care) as well as nutritional support and mental health support. These grants are usually dispersed to nonprofit organizations and health care is then dispensed to populations via community health care initiatives. Women should check with local health departments and medical clinics for information on community-supported health care for minority women.
Research Grants
Minority-facilitated research is important to improving the diversity of academic scholarship. Many universities have special grant funding available to minority women who are conducting research in areas that assist communities, particularly research affecting the health and well-being of minority women. Some of the most substantial grants are offered to those doing medical research and are offered through major universities or medical centers, prescription drug companies and nonprofit organizations.
Grants for Single Mothers
Minority women make up a large population of single mothers in America. The need for financial assistance is a reality for many of these minority women. The federal government provides various forms of assistance to single mothers; however, this is often not sufficient. Nonprofit organizations such as Raise the Nation offer educational help to single mothers who wish to return to school to secure a better job skill set so that they can better provide for their children.
Tags: grant funding, minority women, minority women, federal government, health care
