Grant opportunity

Women and Girls in Astronomy Program 2026

The Women and Girls in Astronomy Program is accepting proposals for community-based projects that use astronomy for development while advancing inclusion, leadership, and participation of women, girls, and underrepresented genders in astronomy and STEM.

Mini-grantAstronomySTEMGender equityCommunity engagement
Funder
Associated Universities, Inc. / NA-ROAD
Application deadline
Application deadline: May 31, 2026
Award
Ten mini-grants of USD 2,000 each
Applicant
Individuals and organisations
Discipline
Physical & Mathematical Sciences
Region
Canada, United States, Mexico, Greenland, and the Caribbean
Posted
May 24, 2026

Call summary

Overview

The Women and Girls in Astronomy Program is led by Associated Universities, Inc. under the North American Regional Office of Astronomy for Development and supported by the Henry Luce Foundation.

Who can apply

  • Applicants may be based in the United States and its territories, Canada, Mexico, Greenland, or Caribbean island nations.
  • Projects should be community-based and should foster inclusion, leadership, and participation of women, girls, and underrepresented genders in astronomy and STEM.
  • Projects should connect with NA-ROAD priorities and may approach astronomy through scientific, social, technical, cultural, or artistic perspectives.

What it supports

  • Astronomy-for-development projects that increase access, participation, leadership, and inclusion.
  • Community engagement, education, outreach, cultural or artistic astronomy activities, STEM participation, and local development-oriented astronomy projects.
  • Selected projects are expected to contribute to the broader WGAP model and may receive mentoring and visibility through the programme.

Funding and duration

The 2026 call will select ten projects for mini-grants of USD 2,000 each.

Application deadline

Application deadline: May 31, 2026

How to apply

Use the official AUI announcement and linked application materials. Applications must be received by 31 May 2026.

Call details

About the opportunity

The Women and Girls in Astronomy Program is led by Associated Universities, Inc. under the North American Regional Office of Astronomy for Development and supported by the Henry Luce Foundation.

Associated Universities, Inc. / NA-ROAD lists this opportunity for Individuals and organisations, Physical & Mathematical Sciences, Canada, United States, Mexico, Greenland, and the Caribbean.

This listing is written for researchers, students, universities, NGOs, research teams, policy professionals and academic institutions searching for Physical & Mathematical Sciences grants, fellowships, scholarships, conferences, workshops and funding opportunities in Canada, United States, Mexico, Greenland, and the Caribbean contexts.

Eligibility

Applicants may be based in the United States and its territories, Canada, Mexico, Greenland, or Caribbean island nations.

Projects should be community-based and should foster inclusion, leadership, and participation of women, girls, and underrepresented genders in astronomy and STEM.

Projects should connect with NA-ROAD priorities and may approach astronomy through scientific, social, technical, cultural, or artistic perspectives.

Funding and benefits

The 2026 call will select ten projects for mini-grants of USD 2,000 each.

Themes and supported activities

Astronomy-for-development projects that increase access, participation, leadership, and inclusion.

Community engagement, education, outreach, cultural or artistic astronomy activities, STEM participation, and local development-oriented astronomy projects.

Selected projects are expected to contribute to the broader WGAP model and may receive mentoring and visibility through the programme.

Deadline and timeline

Application deadline: Application deadline: May 31, 2026.

Applicants should confirm the exact deadline time, time zone, required documents, portal steps and any institutional approvals on the official call page before submitting.

How to apply

Use the official AUI announcement and linked application materials. Applications must be received by 31 May 2026.

Before applying, check eligibility rules, budgets, attachments, page limits, partner requirements, cost-share conditions and whether the opportunity uses an expression of interest, full proposal, registration or nomination stage.