Women’s Resource Center now accepting individual applications for education and training grants

Applications to be reviewed and awarded monthly

Women in La Plata County who need financial assistance to enroll in training programs or education classes now have a new funding resource through the Women’s Resource Center.

WRC Director Liz Mora announced this week that the Center now is accepting applications for scholarships from its new Educational Opportunities Fund to be used for training or other education that will help recipients increase their incomes and achieve economic self-sufficiency.

“Time and again we see women in difficult financial situations whose opportunities are limited by their lack of education or training. We established the Educational Opportunity Fund as a flexible funding resource that will allow women to take advantage the many educational programs in the area. Whether they need funding to complete their GEDs, take a basic computer class, or a series of workshops to update a certification, women can now find help through the Women’s Resource Center,” said Mora.

The Educational Opportunity Fund is part of the Center’s new initiative to provide more educational assistance to La Plata County women. Last fall, the WRC Board of Directors invested $25,000 with the Fort Lewis College Foundation to offer scholarship assistance to a La Plata County high school graduate who would be the first in her family to graduate from college. The first scholarship will be awarded in Fall 2012. The Center also has plans to establish another Fort Lewis College scholarship for a non-traditional student who wants to pursue a degree.

And this winter, the Center established the Educational Opportunity Fund to help women who may not be ready for college but who would benefit from any kind of training that would give them the skills they need to find a better-paying job. Funds will be available throughout the year and will be dispersed monthly.

Deadline to apply for an Educational Opportunity Fund scholarship will be the first Friday of every month. Applicants will be notified of the award decision by the fourth Friday of the month, so Mora advises anyone who seeks financial support to plan ahead.

To apply, applicants must be a resident of La Plata County for a minimum of one year, must be working or can demonstrate a strong work ethic, and must use the award at an accredited organization or educational institution. The first round of applications are due by Friday, April 6, with award announcements scheduled for Friday, April 27.

An application and all award criteria are available at the Center at 679 E. Second Ave., Suite 6, in Durango, or online www.wrcdurango.org. For more information, contact the Women’s Resource Center by 247-1242.