Margaret McNamara Education Grant Program in US, Canada & Trinity DC 2018

Margaret McNamara Education Grant Program in US, Canada & Trinity DC 2018

Deadline: January 15, 2018

The Margaret McNamara Education Grant (MMEG) Program in US, Canada & Trinity DC 2018 is open for application. The mission of MMEG is to assist women from developing countries who are pursuing their education with the aim of improving the lives of women and children in their countries. They are one of the few organizations who provide financial assistance to such women.

Education grants are awarded to women from developing and middle-income countries who, upon obtainment of their degree, intend to return to or remain in their countries, or other developing countries, and work to improve the lives of women and/or children.

The organization draws inspiration from Margaret McNamara, and her vision of education and gender equality. Margaret used her influence as wife of Robert McNamara, the World Bank’s fifth President, to advocate for the recognition and inclusion of these critical elements of development programs. Before her death, she was awarded the highest civilian distinction in the United States, the Medal of Honor, in recognition of her important contributions.

Grants

• Grants of up to US$15,000 have been awarded in the US/Canada program, and US$7,000 in the Africa, Latin America and Trinity programs. Grant amounts may vary, based on exchange rates and availability of funds.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following:

• Be female of at least 25 years old at time of application deadline (see specific regional program application below);
• Be a national of a country listed on the MMEG Country Eligibility List (except for the Trinity Washington University program);
• Be enrolled (not just accepted) at an accredited academic institution when submitting application; and plan to be enrolled for a full academic term after award of the grant by the Board;
• Not be related to a World Bank Group, International Monetary Fund or Inter-American Development Bank staff member or spouse.
• For US and Canada

o    Applicants must already be enrolled as a full time student, with relevant student visa in national passport, and plan to continue studying full time in the following academic year;

o    Not hold US citizenship or permanent residency (green card) or Canadian citizenship or Canadian landed immigrant status.

• For Trinity Washington University

o    Applicants must already be enrolled as a full time student, and plan to continue studying full time in the following academic year;

o    Not be related to Trinity staff.

Application

Before starting the MMEG application process, please scan the following documents in digital form (pdf preferred, jpeg or png):

• Identification (ID) card with photo:

o    national passport page with photo and date of birth, if studying outside your home country, or

o    government/university-issued identity card with photo and birth date;

• Most recent proof of official registration from university (not their acceptance letter);
• Most recent official university transcripts and/or reports;
• Visa page or study permit page within current passport (if studying outside home country);
• Second passport page with clear photo (in case of dual citizenship).

You will be asked to upload these documents at specific areas of the online application form.  You will also provide:

• Brief paragraphs of your personal story, and a description of how your studies, experiences and future plans are linked to your commitment to women and children in developing countries;
• An estimate of your financial situation for the coming academic year, and planned strategies to cover funding needs;
• A summary of your thesis (if applicable), including its objective, methodology and findings, and relationship to career goals.
• Two reference letters are required. Please contact two people from whom you would like to request a reference letter. Referee 1 must be a faculty member from your current university. Referee 2 may be from a person (non-family member) who can vouch for your character. At least one of the individuals must have known you for the equivalent of at least two semesters. After receiving their confirmation, you will be asked to provide in the application form:

o    Email addresses and phone numbers of the two people providing references. They will each receive an email link from Embark Online to write their recommendation. When their recommendations are submitted, you will also be notified by Embark.

Applications are accepted between September 15 – January 15. Queries may be addressed to mmeg.us.canada@gmail.com (for US & Canada) or mmeg.trinity@gmail.com (for Trinity DC) during this period. Decisions for the academic year 2017-2018 have been announced and the recipients contacted.

For more information, visit Margaret McNamara Education Grant Program.