WKU Sisterhood Grant Application Process

The WKU Sisterhood is a group of women with shared values who enjoy collaborating to advance the mission of WKU. Members pool their financial gifts, award funds to WKU initiatives and maximize the impact of an individual’s philanthropy. Each member of the group has an opportunity to be connected and learn about University priorities. Members have an equal voice on how the pooled funds of the WKU Sisterhood are distributed annually to the University community.

This year, the WKU Sisterhood will award one or more grants for larger undertakings (Impact Grant) and up to four grants for smaller projects (Small But Mighty Grants). In addition to meeting the eligibility criteria set forth below, applicants for an Impact Grant must request a minimum of $10,001 in funding for the applicant’s project. Applicants of a Small But Mighty Grant may request up to a maximum of $10,000. 

Previous grant recipients can be viewed here.

The WKU Sisterhood invites WKU students, friends, faculty and staff to apply for funding for the 2023-2024 academic year.

Up to five applicants for the Impact Grant will be selected and invited to present their proposals to the voting members of the WKU Sisterhood at their fall meeting on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023. Attendance at the annual meeting is required of all finalists. At the fall meeting, the voting members of the WKU Sisterhood reserve the right to make multiple awards, if they so choose, and are granted the option of determining the increments of each award.

A sub-committee of the Nominating Committee will consider applicants for the Small But Mighty Grants and present their choice(s) to the voting members of the Sisterhood for their approval during the fall meeting.  Small But Mighty Grant applicants will not be required to make a presentation.

Eligible projects must:

• Be affiliated with WKU and further WKU’s mission to prepare students of all backgrounds to be productive, engaged and socially responsible citizen-leaders of a global society.
• Identify one full-time WKU faculty or staff member to act as the primary point of contact/responsible party.
• Receive the endorsement of the Department Head and Dean or Vice President of the program’s respective area.
• Provide a completed application, including a detailed budget, for a suitable project.
• If selected as a finalist for an Impact Grant, a representative of the project must be present at the fall meeting.
• If selected as an Impact Grant recipient, the project must complete the following:
  • Attend the fall meeting the following year (one year post-award) to share the outcomes of the grant funding.
  • Submit a mid-year status report six months post-award.
  • Submit a final report on year post-award.
• If selected as a Small But Mighty Grant recipient, the project must complete the following:
  • Submit a mid-year status report six months post-award.
  • Submit a final report one year post-award.

Grant recipients should acknowledge support from the WKU Sisterhood in communications, presentations, publications and events, as appropriate.

Grant recipients must submit mid-year reports (six months post-award) and final reports (one year post-award) on the status of the grant. Reports should include a financial accounting of funds expended, activities, measures of success (evaluative process, impact, publications, presentations etc.) and subsequent funding. Previous reports can be viewed here.

More information on reporting will be shared with grant recipients.

Sept. 6, 2023 - Grant Q&A Session via Zoom

Oct. 1, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. - Grant Applications Due

Oct. 20, 2023 - Impact Grant Finalist Notification

Nov. 10, 2023 - Annual Meeting with Grant Recipient Selection at Luncheon

Click here to access the application.

Click here to download the signature page for application approvals.