Advancing the status of women through financial support in the final phase of their doctoral programs.

Applicants

Fellowship Grants 

Welcome doctoral candidate women! 

Fellowship Grant Application Portal

The 2025 Fellowship Grant cycle will open from November 1, 2024 to January 20, 2025. 

Founder Region Fellowship offers grants to women

  • enrolled in graduate schools within the boundaries of Founder Region
  • who have advanced to candidacy
  • who are entering into the last year of their doctoral programs

Grant requirements 

  • Competition is open to any outstanding graduate woman who is working toward a doctoral degree, preferably in the last year of study but permissibly during the last two years provided she has advanced to candidacy.
  • International students are encouraged to apply.
  • Applicant must be enrolled in a graduate school within Founder Region; including the Northern California counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Solano, Sonoma; the State of Hawaii; the U. S. Territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands; the Republic of Palau.
  • Candidates must complete the online application and upload all supporting materials.
  • Candidates considered for final selection must appear for a personal interview on one of the applicable dates below.

Application Requirements

  1. Application - completed online
  2. Estimated Expenses and Income for the Fiscal Year (July 1  - June 30)
  3. Autobiographical Statement (include family background, extracurricular activities, hobbies, interests, volunteer work, mentoring experience, plans after graduation)
  4. Non-technical Summary of Dissertation/Project 
  5. Official Statement from University/College of your advancement in the doctoral program
  6. Transcripts of all graduate work completed
  7. Proof of current registration
  8. Two recommendations from a professor or academic advisor

How to apply

  • Application process is done completely online through a grant management system as of 2023.
  • Students will create an account giving them access to the application & tasks. 
  • All supporting documents can be uploaded through the student portal.
  • References will be automatically emailed to complete their portion online.
  • Apply through Community Force Portal below.
link to application portal
The Fellowship Grant Portal is open from November 1 - January 20 of each year. 

deadline

  • Deadline to complete online application and upload all supporting documents is January 20 of each year. 

Dates for personal interviews

  • Hawaii Interviews: First weekend in March  
  • California Interviews: Second weekend in March  
  • Candidates abroad on these dates may be accommodated for their interview via Zoom video conferencing.

Grants Awarded

  • The awards are announced and formally presented at the Annual Founder Region Conference on the second weekend in May (except on Mother's Day weekend). 
  • The Fellowship Program occurs on that Friday night before the second weekend in May.
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