Science Club for Girls Expansion Grant

Science Club for Girls Expansion Grant is sponsored by The Women’s Foundation of Massachusetts. Provides funding for the expansion of Science Club for Girls' programs in Greater Boston and Massachusetts Gateway Cities.

Transformational Grants from Cummings Foundation & Women’s Foundation of Boston! Dear Science Club for Girls Community, I’m excited to announce that Science Club for Girls has received a 10-year, $750,000 grant from Cummings Foundation and a 3-year $300,000 grant from The Women's Foundation of Boston ! We are so incredibly grateful to these foundations for their transformational investment in our programs.

Since restructuring in 2018, our enrollment has grown over 350%, and we’re now serving 700 participants with 190 mentors in our semester-based clubs and over 1,200 participants in the year. At this stage of growth, these high-level, multi-year grants allow us to plan strategically for expansion, knowing we have dedicated partners we can rely on as we expand to reach more girls and gender-expansive youth.

To be clear, these are not just grants for Science Club for Girls but investments in our collective future. Currently, women represent just 34% of the STEM workforce, with Black and Latina women comprising only 4% of scientists and engineers in the United States.

Both Cummings Foundation and The Women’s Foundation of Boston know investing in women and girls yields long-term positive economic returns across generations and throughout communities. By funding free, hands-on, experiential programs and maximizing meaningful interactions with women-in-STEM mentors, these generous foundations address the systemic barriers that prevent underrepresented groups from accessing quality STEM programming.

Thanks to our community of supporters led by Cummings Foundation and Women’s Foundation of Boston, girls and gender-expansive youth have the opportunity to dive into engaging STEM curriculum with the support of mentors who share similar lived experiences and backgrounds.

Our programs also play a role in paving pathways into higher education and careers at all levels of the STEM ecosystem, building a more diverse and inclusive STEM community. This investment in our programs for girls and gender-expansive youth will allow us to sustainably expand access across Greater Boston and into the Gateway Cities.

Long-term, our efforts will foster a rich diversity of perspectives and individuals from all backgrounds finding their place in STEM fields, thereby strengthening key industries in Massachusetts. Cultivating a diverse workforce is not just important; it's essential for solving society's most pressing challenges. Varied perspectives spark innovative solutions that drive progress.

We are confident that our girls and gender-expansive youth will lead the way in tomorrow’s innovation, transforming our communities and the world for the better. Thank you again to Cummings Foundation and The Women’s Foundation of Boston for investing in a brighter, more inclusive future for us all.

Cummings Foundation Grant Program supports Massachusetts’ nonprofits with the aim of supporting a wide variety of causes, including housing and food insecurity, workforce development, immigrant services, social justice, education, and mental health services. The Women's Foundation of Boston promotes the economic advancement, leadership, and well-being of women and girls in the Greater Boston area.

They are dedicated to creating, funding and accelerating projects that equip women and girls with the tools they need to be successful, confident and productive members of their communities. Their work is grounded in the belief that women and girls deserve an equal opportunity to learn and to lead because when women succeed, we all succeed.