Women's Leadership Scholarship

Due to losses caused by the current global financial crisis, and uncertainty about the timing of recovery, the Channel Foundation regrets that it must suspend its Women’s Leadership Scholarship Program for new applicants for 2009-10. Current recipients in two year programs are receiving renewal funding for the second year of their programs. We look forward to positive economic changes that will enable us to reopen the program for 2010-11.

WLS pre-applications for the 2010-2011 academic year will hopefully be available beginning Jan. 1 through March 12, 2010 on our website or by request from info@nativeleaders.org. Pre-applications received after March 12, 2010 will not be considered.

We encourage you to submit your pre-application materials early. Those who submit their pre-application materials near the March 12th due date risk leaving some of their materials ineligible for full review by the committee.

There are two stages in the WLS application process. All applicants are invited to submit pre-applications but only a few will be invited to complete full applications.

January 1, 2010	Pre-applications are available
March 12, 2010	Last day pre-applications available
Late March/Early April 2010	Committee reviews all pre-applications, and invites the top 15-20 candidates to submit full WLS application with supporting documentation
Late May 2010	Committee reviews full applications
Early June 2010	Awardees notified
Summer 2010	Funds disbursed

All applicants are invited to fill out pre-applications (which will hopefully be available Jan.1 through March 12, 2010) on our website or by request from info@nativeleaders.org after January 1, 2010.

PLEASE NOTE: INCOMPLETE PRE-APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED

You must fill out ALL portions of the form.
List information about the Master's degree program you have applied to and your anticipated degree date.
List information about the educational costs for the Master's program you applied for in US dollars.
List information about other scholarships, fellowships or financial aid you are applying for.
If you are not a woman leader from a developing country and/or a member of an indigenous tribe or group, PLEASE DO NOT APPLY.
Finally, your work experience and educational goals MUST be related to human rights, public health, sustainable development and/or a related issue. If they are not, PLEASE DO NOT APPLY.
WLS does NOT FUND individuals applying for second Master's degrees.

After the pre-application period ends, all candidates will be notified about their application status. Incomplete pre-applications will not be considered for review. Unsolicited additional documents provided by the pre-applicant will not be reviewed. Only a small group of candidates will be invited to complete a full application.

In late March/early April, the WLS Selection Committee meets to screen all pre-applications. No other documentation is reviewed in this preliminary screening. The committee chooses the 15 - 20 candidates that most closely match WLS award criteria, and invites applicants in this group to submit the full WLS application with supporting documentation. In late May, after reading all of the full applications, the committee meets again to decide on the award recipients. The awardees are notified at the beginning of June, and award funds are issued in the summer months.