Soroptimist Women’s Opportunity Award

Soroptimist’s major project is the Women’s Opportunity Awards, which help women who provide the primary source of financial support for their families by giving them the resources they need to improve their education, skills, and employment prospects.

The Women's Opportunity Awards program is Soroptimist's major project. Through the program, clubs in 19 countries and territories assist women who provide the primary source of financial support for their families by giving them the resources they need to improve their education, skills, and employment prospects. Each year, about $1.5 million is disbursed through cash awards at various levels of the organization. Recipients of these awards—many of whom have overcome enormous obstacles including poverty, domestic violence, and drug and alcohol abuse—may use the awards to offset any costs associated with their efforts to attain higher education, such as books, childcare and transportation.

Eligible applicants must be women who provide the primary financial support for their families, and who are enrolled in or have been accepted to a vocational/skills training program or an undergraduate degree program. Applicants must demonstrate financial need. Only residents of Soroptimist International of the Americas' 19 member countries and territories are eligible to apply.

Since the Women's Opportunity Awards program began in 1972, more than $25 million has been disbursed to help tens of thousands of women achieve their dreams of a better life for themselves and their families.

Women's Opportunity Awards – Application Process

Deadline:
Applications to our club are due each year on December 15th. (Please disregard the earler date mentioned on the application form - as this only applies to those writing directly to the Region Office).

Step 1: Determine if you are eligible
Eligible applicants must be women who:

- Provide the primary financial support for her family (including children, spouse, siblings
and/or parents)

- Have financial need

- Are enrolled in or have been accepted to a vocational/skills training program or an
undergraduate degree program

- Reside in North or West Vancouver, British Columbia

- Have not previously been the recipient of a Soroptimist Women's Opportunity Award

- Are not a Soroptimist member, employee or immediate family of either

Step 3: Obtain References
You will need two different people to fill out the reference form ("ReferenceForm.pdf"). Please email this form to your references and request that they email the forms back to you when completed.

Step 4: Mail your application
Residents on the North Shore must submit their applications to the Soroptimist club on the north shore. (Please disregard Step 4 on the application form - this applies to applicants submitting directly to the Region Office). Completed applications must be mailed by the December 15th deadline to the address below.

Soroptimist International of North & West Vancouver
Women’s Opportunity Awards Committee
P. O. Box 38572 Metropolitan Postal Outlet,
North Vancouver, B.C. V7M 3N1