$30,000 Financial Aid Award for Women

Organization: Pave HER Way

Type: Grant

Location: United States

Deadline: October 16, 2026

Funding: Fully Funded

Pave HER Way is a Los Angeles based national nonprofit that funds women who are removing barriers for other women. Its need-based award gives up to $30,000 to a woman who knows what she wants to do but needs the money to get there, whether that is tuition, a training course, rent and food, childcare, or an emergency she did not plan for. Up to ten awards are available in this first 2026 cycle, and you may apply for this award or the organisation's $90,000 Disruptor Award, never both. **What you get:** - A need-based grant of up to $30,000. Up to ten awards are available in the 2026 cycle, and the amount you receive is set at Pave HER Way's discretion - Money across four categories, and you may request more than one in a single application: tuition, fees and other qualified educational expenses at an eligible institution; certificate and workforce training, conferences, workshops, mentorship or apprenticeship costs; food, rent, transport and other basic living costs; and childcare, medical expenses, utility assistance, disaster recovery or emergency housing - Funds paid out over a 24 month period, with budgets running from January 2027 - Mentorship, a cohort experience and access to the Pave HER Way network, all offered and none of them required - Category 1 scholarship money is paid directly to the eligible educational institution you name. Categories 2, 3 and 4 are paid to you, and money paid to you is taxable to you **What you'll do:** - Apply through Submittable, choosing the category or categories that describe how you plan to use the money and saying what you need it for - Supply the documentation your categories call for. Scholarship applicants may be asked for enrolment and financial aid records, and the form names everything required - Build a budget covering no longer than 24 months, starting January 2027 - Prove US citizenship or permanent residency if you reach the semifinalist stage, with a US passport or passport card, US birth certificate, Certificate of Naturalization, Certificate of Citizenship, or green card **Key dates:** - Applications opened August 31, 2026 - Applications close October 16, 2026 at 11:59pm PT - Decisions notified no later than December 31, 2026 - Funds disbursed over 24 months, with budget periods starting January 2027 **More information:** - The full Financial Aid Award Program Guidelines sit in the second half of paveherway.org/apply/grant-program-guidelines, below the Disruptor Award section - The 2026 application FAQ has its own Financial Aid Award tab on the apply page, covering the four categories, enrolment and documentation - Questions about eligibility, requirements or funding go to apply@paveherway.org

Pave HER WayGrant

$30,000 Financial Aid Award for Women

Oct 16, 2026 23:59:00 PT

Opportunity type

Grant

Funding

Fully Funded

Location

United States

Deadline

Oct 16, 2026 23:59:00 PT

About this opportunity

What you get:

A need-based grant of up to $30,000. Up to ten awards are available in the 2026 cycle, and the amount you receive is set at Pave HER Way's discretion
Money across four categories, and you may request more than one in a single application: tuition, fees and other qualified educational expenses at an eligible institution; certificate and workforce training, conferences, workshops, mentorship or apprenticeship costs; food, rent, transport and other basic living costs; and childcare, medical expenses, utility assistance, disaster recovery or emergency housing
Funds paid out over a 24 month period, with budgets running from January 2027
Mentorship, a cohort experience and access to the Pave HER Way network, all offered and none of them required
Category 1 scholarship money is paid directly to the eligible educational institution you name. Categories 2, 3 and 4 are paid to you, and money paid to you is taxable to you

What you'll do:

Apply through Submittable, choosing the category or categories that describe how you plan to use the money and saying what you need it for
Supply the documentation your categories call for. Scholarship applicants may be asked for enrolment and financial aid records, and the form names everything required
Build a budget covering no longer than 24 months, starting January 2027
Prove US citizenship or permanent residency if you reach the semifinalist stage, with a US passport or passport card, US birth certificate, Certificate of Naturalization, Certificate of Citizenship, or green card

Key dates:

Applications opened August 31, 2026
Applications close October 16, 2026 at 11:59pm PT
Decisions notified no later than December 31, 2026
Funds disbursed over 24 months, with budget periods starting January 2027

More information:

The full Financial Aid Award Program Guidelines sit in the second half of paveherway.org/apply/grant-program-guidelines, below the Disruptor Award section
The 2026 application FAQ has its own Financial Aid Award tab on the apply page, covering the four categories, enrolment and documentation
Questions about eligibility, requirements or funding go to apply@paveherway.org

Who can apply

You identify as a woman
You are at least 18 years old, or will be by the time you submit your application
You are a US legal citizen or permanent resident of the United States
You are not a relative of an officer, employee or member of the Pave HER Way Board of Directors
You apply for the Financial Aid Award or the Disruptor Award, never both. Submitting an application for both automatically disqualifies both applications, so choose one before you start
You presently need financial assistance to fund your education or to overcome personal hardship. This award is decided on financial need as well as merit
One application per award cycle. Submissions are final and cannot be edited once sent, and an incomplete or incorrect application is disqualified automatically
You can produce proof of US citizenship or permanent residency if you reach the semifinalist stage. Failing to provide acceptable documentation means disqualification

AI Verification

✓ AI Verified

Our AI read the official sources and cross-checked the key facts. Here is what held up, and what it could not confirm.

This opportunity is run by an established organization, and we confirmed its key details against the official source. As always, never share sensitive personal or financial information until you are sure a request is genuine.

LOT Verification ScoreStrong

Cross-checked 21 of 22 key facts

Confirmed Our best read Not stated

Good to know

+Up to $30,000, need based, with up to ten awards in this first cycle
+Free to apply
+No mandatory mentorship attached, and no interview requirement is stated for this award
+Pave HER Way is a registered US 501(c)(3), and the deadline and process are published clearly

Worth checking yourself

!You may apply for either this award or the Disruptor Award, not both. Applying to both automatically disqualifies both applications. That is their rule, in their own words
!The money arrives over 24 months from January 2027, not as a lump sum
!Category 1 scholarship funds are paid to your institution rather than to you
!Closes 16 October at 11:59pm Pacific
!Their August press release says US citizen or resident while the guidelines say permanent resident. Assume the stricter reading and ask them if you are between the two

Sources checked

PApaveherway.orgApplyPApaveherway.orgApplyPApaveherway.orgApplyPApaveherway.orgApplyPApaveherway.orgApplyPApaveherway.orgApplyPApaveherway.orgApplyPApaveherway.orgApplyPApaveherway.submittable.comOfficial

LOT finds and checks opportunities from public sources. Always confirm details on the organiser’s own page before applying.