The Fort Wayne Branch American Association of University Women (herein referred to as AAUW) Trust was established in 1979 when the Branch received a bequest from the estate of R. Hazel Miller. An additional bequest in 1989 from the estate of Letha Falls was added to the capital account. In 1998, a generous donation was given to the Trust in memory of Anne K. Waterfield. Additional gifts and memorials are recognized in the Treasurer’s AAUW Fort Wayne Branch Annual Reports.

AAUW Trust purposes include:

Encouraging education among members of AAUW and of the community

Funding appropriate studies and projects in keeping with the objectives of AAUW

Promoting standards of excellence in public school education and in higher education

Cooperating with persons, organizations, trusts, or foundations with similar purposes

Grants ranging from five hundred to three thousand dollars are distributed once a year. An individual or organization receiving a grant may reapply no earlier than three years from the date of the received grant (for example, a grant recipient of April 2019 would be eligible to reapply in January 2023). The grant application period is January 1 through February 28. The application form is included in this website and must be returned by way of this medium. The Trust Board meets in March to review the grant requests for eligibility and awards determination. Recipients will be notified and in April, at a public meeting place, both parties will sign a contract (see sample on this website) and the monies will be disbursed.

Public acknowledgement of receipt of a grant must be made by all recipients through means acceptable to the Board.

Further, at the end of the grant period, detailed accounting of the use of the funds is to be documented and examples given of print materials and other media used for public awareness of the project and acknowledging the use of AAUW Trust funds.

Finally, a presentation of the grant use, goals, and measure of accomplishment of said goals shall be made before the Board at the following April public meeting including physically giving the said documentation to the Board Chair or representative.

AAUW Trust Historian’s Report for 2022

A total of nine grants were awarded in 2022, totaling: $12,000.00. The grants were awarded to the following recipients:

• Associated Churches of Ft. Wayne & Allen County – To provide support and training for “Journey Beside Mothers” program for new and expectant mothers experiencing depression and/or anxiety.
• Bashor Children’s Home/United Methodist Church – To provide interactive Smart Board for classrooms of residential girls recovering from human trafficking trauma.
• Allen County Fort Wayne Historical Society, Inc. – To provide free museum admission for school students.
• Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo – To provide items for science activities for student campers.
• The Literacy Alliance – To support costume, props, and production costs for the play “Silent Sky” – A play about women and supporting equity in the work environment.
• League of Women Voters – An LWV Vote 411 Education Grant to provide ongoing public information about voting through publicity and media.
• Fort Wayne Youtheatre – To support production costs to provide sensory friendly performances for people with disabilities.
• Whittington Homes & Services for Children – To provide educational tutoring supplies for youth who families are not involved with the IN Department of Child Services.
• Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana-Michiana – To support the Girl Scout STEM Initiative for providing activities to help young women learn about careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).

A total of 403 grants have been awarded as of 2022. Through the years, the AAUW Fort Wayne Branch Trust has awarded grants to date totaling the amount of $461,012.42.