The Soroptimist Women's Opportunity Awards

The Women’s Opportunity Awards program was established in 1972 to assist women with primary financial responsibility for their families to obtain the skills-training and education necessary to improve their employment status and standard of living for themselves and their family. Each year, $1.5 million in club, region and federation funds are awarded to more than 1,000 women in SIA’s 19 member countries and territories. The women receiving these financial awards may use them for any costs associated with their educational efforts, including tuition, books, child care, and transportation.

Read about the impact of the Women's Opportunity Awards.

In the video below, watch the amazing story of 2012 Soroptimist Women's Opportunity Award recipient, Dawn Johnson.

New Resources
Check out what’s new from Soroptimist to increase the collective impact of the Women’s Opportunity Awards!

• Taking Control of Your Financial Future Webinar
• Soroptimist: Investing in Women's Empowerment Through Education (.pdf)
• Women and Economic Empowerment White Paper (.pdf)
• Beyond a Cash Award to Build Collective Impact (.pdf)
• Women's Opportunity Award Awareness Badges

Club Participation
These materials provide guidance, tips, suggestions and resources for administering the program in your local community.

• Women's Opportunity Awards Emailable Application
• Women's Opportunity Awards Order Form (writable) (.pdf)
• Women's Opportunity Awards Club Participation Instructions (.pdf)
• Women's Opportunity Awards Club Participation Materials (writable) (.pdf)
• Women's Opportunity Awards Eligibility Checklist (.doc)
• Women's Opportunity Awards Club Transmittal Form (writeable) (.pdf)
• Women's Opportunity Awards Certificate (writable) (.pdf)

Marketing and Public Awareness
These materials provide sample publicity materials and other resources needed to market the Women's Opportunity Awards in your community.

• Women’s Opportunity Awards Information Poster (writable)(.pdf)
• Women’s Opportunity Awards Information Poster Instructions (.pdf)
• Fact Sheet: Women's Opportunity Awards (.doc)
• Women's Opportunity Awards Public Awareness Kit (.doc)
• Women's Opportunity Awards Public Awareness Speech (.doc)
• Using the Women's Opportunity Awards Public Awareness Speech (.doc)
• Women's Opportunity Award Media Consent Form (.pdf)
  *Please note: that even if an award recipient signs this consent form, clubs should still consult with her before releasing sensitive information to the media or public.
  
  
• Women's Opportunity Award Awareness Badges
  Download some of our awareness badges and help spread the word to women you know who might be eligible to apply! Post on your website, social networks or include them in your email signature.
  
  
• Meet the three remarkable women who were chosen as 2012 finalists
  

Best for Women: Reclaiming the Dream
The Women’s Opportunity Award helps women to improve their education and job skills so they can build a better life for themselves and their families. Their stories of overcoming obstacles are inspiring. Each month, a past recipient is featured in Best for Women.

• Reclaiming the Dream: Tamanika Ferguson (.pdf)
• Reclaiming the Dream: Francine Nunziata (.pdf)
• Reclaiming the Dream: Tina Poole (.pdf)
• Reclaiming the Dream: Chie Chinone (.pdf)
• Reclaiming the Dream: Sheila Burson (.pdf)
• Reclaiming the Dream: 2011 federation recipients (.pdf)

Video Resources
Soroptimist helps countless women and girls discover the power of their dreams through the Women's Opportunity Awards. Watch how Soroptimist clubs and members continue to transform women's lives through its programs.

• Watch past Soroptimist Women's Opportunity Award recipient Sena Kimbrell on her quest to live her dream
• Soroptimist's Women's Opportunity Awards Public Service Video Clip
• Watch the webisode series featuring Tyra Wright Johnson, a Soroptimist Women's Opportunity Award recipient

Additional Resources
The following resources provide additional information and assistance in participating. Please contact your Women's Opportunity Awards region chair or SIAHQ if you have any questions or need additional support.

• Beyond a Cash Award to Build Collective Impact (.pdf)
• Soroptimist Women's Opportunity Awards: Achieving Success through Application Workshops (.pdf)
• Best for Women article: Soroptimist Women’s Opportunity Awards: Achieving Success through Application Workshops (.pdf)
• Women and Education White Paper
• Women's Opportunity Awards Frequently Asked Questions (.pdf)
• Women's Opportunity Awards Frequently Asked Questions: At-Large Applications (.pdf)
• Access contact information for Women's Opportunity Awards Region Chairs
• Taking Control of Your Financial Future

Instructions for Using Writable PDF Documents

Quick Links
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