Grant Programs

Women in Engineering Program

In the past twenty years there have been major changes in girls' science, math, engineering and technology (SMET) achievement and course taking. There are now minimal differences in girls and boys "average" science and math scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress tests. Girls are now taking the upper level math and science courses needed to enter engineering in about the same numbers as boys, with over 40% of high school physics and calculus students being girls. Yet, while the ability is there, as is the basic academic background needed to continue on in engineering, for a number of individual and societal reasons, young women are not continuing on in engineering. Indeed, among students taking the SAT, over three-quarters of those wanting to major in engineering and computer science are boys and the percent of women majoring in engineering hovers around 20%. There is an existing knowledge base that can and should be used to address this issue, however much is left to be learned. While work needs to be done to help more young women to become interested in engineering as a career, work also needs to be done to keep young women in engineering through college and beyond.

It is in this context that the Foundation is interested in funding programs in the following areas:

  1. Programs to Encourage Middle School Girls in Engineering conducted by engineering educators and others that encourage them to prepare for and undertake careers in engineering. The Foundation is particularly interested in new programs or modules, which, if they are found to be effective, will be continued within the applying institution(s). These programs supported by the Foundation are expected to test their effectiveness, to examine program impact on participant educational and career plans and on their SMET participation and achievement. Grants should range between $5,000 and $15,000 per year.

  2. Programs designed to improve the retention rate of undergraduate women in engineering. These may cover such diverse areas as classroom, climate, learning behaviors, classroom pedagogies and academic and social support programs. It is expected that the programs will examine their impact on SMET achievement. Grants are expected to range between $5,000 and $25,000 per year.

Special Proposal Review Criteria

Proposals should include how the program would contribute to the knowledge base of what works and what doesn't in increasing the numbers of women in engineering.

In addition to general information HERE, the proposal should include the following components:

  • An overview of the problem (please note the statement of the problem should go beyond a listing of the numbers and percentages of women in engineering and engineering prerequisites to address that which is behind those numbers).

  • A summary of related work in the field, including similar programs that have been implemented and any impact that has been made.

  • An evaluation plan that makes explicit how the impact of the project on participants will be tested.

  • A plan for continuing the program after the funding period.

Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Chapter Diversity Funding Program

Research has shown that the more women are engaged in engineering school, the more likely they are to graduate and become working engineers. Female students that participate in EWB activities fall into this category. Due to the large number of proposals that EiF receives from EWB chapters, we are instituting a formal EWB program focusing on gender diversity.

EiF will support EWB teams that are all-female, or a majority female. The project leader of the team MUST be female. Under this program, EiF will fund a maximum of 2 grants per year of $5,000 each (only) to EWB chapters.

Proposals should be sent in the normal manner, with a cover letter that clearly communicates the mailing address and email address for your contact person (see How to Apply), but additional details on the team's gender composition MUST be included. If a grant is awarded, an evaluation report must be submitted at the end of the grant period. The report should contain a detailed narrative account of what was accomplished and the goals fulfilled, a financial account and copies of any publications resulting from the grant. (See Info for Grantees)