We dream of a world where women and girls have the resources and opportunities they need to reach their full potential, live free from violence, and live their dreams.

We believe that education is the most powerful tool for women to transform their lives.

Our Live Your Dream Awards provide grants to women who have overcome obstacles and are trying to get their lives back on track, build a better life and lift themselves and their families out of poverty through education and skills training.

Each year, more than $2.1 million in education grants are awarded to nearly 1,500 women who have overcome obstacles such as poverty, violence, teen pregnancy, addiction, mental health issues, or the death of a family member. Live Your Dream Awards recipients may use the cash award to offset costs associated with their efforts to attain education, such as books, childcare, tuition and transportation.

Eligible applicants must provide the primary financial support for their families, be enrolled in or accepted to a vocational/skills training program or an undergraduate degree program, and must demonstrate financial need.

LIVE YOUR DREAM AWARD:

The Soroptimist Live Your Dream Awards  assists women who provide the primary source of financial support for their families by giving them the resources they need to improve their education, skills and employment prospects.

Each year, more than $1.6 million in education grants are awarded to more than 1,200 women, many of whom have overcome enormous obstacles including poverty, domestic violence and/or drug and alcohol abuse. Live Your Dream Awards recipients may use the cash award to offset any costs associated with their efforts to attain higher education, such as books, childcare, tuition and transportation.

In addition to providing the primary financial support for their families, eligible applicants must be enrolled in, or have been accepted to, a vocational/skills training program or an undergraduate degree program and must demonstrate financial need. Also, please note only residents of Soroptimist International of the Americas’ member countries and territories are eligible to apply for the educational grants.

The Live Your Dream Awards involves three levels of cash awards. The program begins at the local Soroptimist club-level, where award amounts vary. Local-level award recipients become eligible for region-level awards of either $3,000 or $5,000. Region-level award recipients then become eligible to receive one of three international-level awards of $10,000.

Since the Live Your Dream Awards program began in 1972, about $30 million in education grants have been disbursed to assist tens of thousands of women achieve their dreams of a better life for themselves and their families. In 2007, the program received the Associations Advance America Summit Award—ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership’s highest level of recognition.