Centre County Community Action Grants
AAUW’s mission is to advance equity for women and girls through research, education, and advocacy. AAUW State College philanthropy is guided by the following values:
- We believe that advancing equity for women and girls expands the opportunities for everyone to participate productively in the economy and improves the overall quality of life for individuals, families, communities, and nations.
- We believe that collaborative community-based initiatives form a robust foundation for advancing equity locally and, ultimately, globally.
- We believe that lifelong education is a critical and essential pathway to equity.
2026 grant winners are listed below!
Grant Conditions:
- AAUW State College Community Action Grants fund specific programs, not organizations.
- Funded programs must relate in some way to the AAUW mission to advance equity for women and girls.
- Grant applicants must be non-profit organizations located in Centre County, Pennsylvania.
- More than half of the clients in the program to be funded must be women or girls.
- Grant application approval does not guarantee subsequent funding.
- AAUW State College reserves the right to partially fund or deny funding to a program based on a determination of how well it conforms to stated grant criteria.
- Non-profit organizations receiving grants from AAUW State College for programs they sponsor agree to acknowledge our support in ways visible to their clients and the public such as our logo, in program materials, newsletters, annual reports, and more. They also agree to submit a program update six months after receiving funds and when/if they apply for funds again in the following grant cycle.
- If the AAUW State College funded program is canceled or not implemented, funds should be returned to AAUW State College.
If you have questions about the community grants application process please contact grants@aauwstatecollege.org.
For 2026, AAUW State College received 20 grant applications requesting a combined $116,514. Our Community Action Grants Committee recommended funding $65,000 to 13 organizations to deliver high-impact services across Centre County. This level of demand demonstrates both the breadth of community need and the strength of our partner organizations; allocating funds to the most promising proposals ensures measurable outcomes while responsibly stewarding the proceeds from our annual book sale.
Collectively, these investments advance equity for women and girls, aligning squarely with AAUW’s mission and our branch’s focus on education, economic security, and advocacy.
Funded projects targeting barriers women and girls face in our region include:
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- literacy and ESL instruction (Mid-State Literacy Council)
- girls’ STEM education (CentreSTEM Inc.)*
- dental care access (Centre Volunteers in Medicine)
- transportation to support employment (Interfaith Human Services)
- recovery support for women (Go ReEntry)
- mother–daughter relationship workshops (Jana Marie Foundation)
- community female health resources (Schlow Centre Region Library)
- early-childhood assessments (CenClear)
- investments in internships that elevate young women’s voices (C-NET)
- help low-income women access medical appointments (CentreHelps)
- targeted early-education staff development (Park Forest Preschool)
- support for Children’s Day at the Arts Festival (Central Pa. Festival of the Arts)
- mindfulness writing for women to help overcome trauma (Ridgelines)
* CentreSTEM was funded this year with Community Action Grants but will be considered in the future for a STEM grant through the AAUW State College STEM Committee grant program.
Thank you to all of our 2026 grant applicants! The next Community Action Grant cycle opens September 1, 2026, and closes November 1, 2026. Centre County non-profits with a focus on advancing equity for women and girls are encouraged to apply.