Awards, Scholarships and Recognition

Soroptimist clubs around the region provide scholarships and recognition to the youth, women and businesses within their communities. Many clubs offer scholarships and awards in addition to the ones listed below.

For more information, to request an application, or to nominate someone who resides within the boundaries of the Northwestern Region, please use our contact form.

Awards and Scholarships

Women's Opportunity Award
The Women’s Opportunity Awards program is Soroptimist’s major service project. The awards improve the lives of women by giving them the resources they need to improve their education, skills, and employment prospects. Each year, Soroptimist clubs in 19 countries and territories assist women in overcoming personal difficulties and improving their lives through education and skills training. The women, who provide the primary source of financial support for their families, may use the cash award to offset any costs associated with their efforts to attain higher education, including books, childcare and transportation. Club recipients become eligible for additional cash awards at other levels of the organization, including three $10,000 finalist awards.

Many Women’s Opportunity Award recipients have overcome enormous obstacles in their quest for a better life, including poverty, domestic violence, and drug and alcohol abuse. Each year, more than $800,000 is disbursed through awards at various levels of the organization to help women achieve their dreams of a better life for themselves and their families. Since the Women’s Opportunity Awards program began in 1972, it is estimated that $15 million has been disbursed and more than 20,000 women have been assisted. In 2003, The Women’s Opportunity Awards program received the Award of Excellence from the American Society of Association Executives’ Associations Advance America program.

Making a Difference For Women
Around the world, many women are working to improve the lives of women and girls. Some women work to improve conditions for women and girls through their personal or volunteer efforts; others do so through professional avenues. The Soroptimist Making a Difference for Women Award is designed to honor these women. Although not Soroptimists, their work helps promote the issues that are important to Soroptimists, while offering inspirational stories about how to make a difference in the lives of women.

This award honors women who are making extraordinary differences in the lives of other women. Examples would be a woman who helps to establish a domestic violence shelter, a woman who starts a mentoring program for at-risk girls, or a woman who lobbies her company to provide on-site child care. This program will give the club and the entire organization the opportunity to say “thank you” and
encourage others to explore ways to assist women. A Making a Difference for Women Award recipient should be a woman who:

• has worked to improve the lives of women and girls,
• has had a significant impact on the lives of women and girls,
• would inspire and encourage other women.

The Soroptimist Making a Difference for Women Award begins at the local-level where clubs recognize a woman in their community. Clubs submit their entry to the region-level, where the region selects a woman to honor at the region conference. The regions submit their entries to the federation-level, where
one woman is selected to receive a $5,000 donation to her favorite charitable organization. The recipient will also be invited to accept her award at SIA’s biennial convention or other federation meeting.

Violet Richardson Award
Awarded to young women between the ages of 14 and 17 who make the world a better place through volunteer efforts, especially those that benefit women or girls. The program offers a cash grant to award recipients and to the organization for which they volunteer.

Professional Technical Scholarship
A scholarship awarded to anyone enrolled in a non-degree program leading to a certificate or license.

Fellowship Award
This monetary award supports women residing in the Northwestern Region who are returning to school for postgraduate study in an accredited college or university leading to an advanced degree (Masters or Ph.D.).

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