Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions’ Global Women’s Leadership Network (GWLN) is calling on the worldwide credit union movement to advocate that “we can all choose to celebrate women's achievements and break the bias” on International Women’s Day by encouraging industry women to apply for the 2022 GWLN Scholarship. Applications are due April 15.

New this year, GWLN is adding an empowerment grant award as a part of the 2022 scholarship application process. In addition to completing the traditional application, nominees must also submit an empowerment grant proposal for a one-year project they would want to implement in their credit union. 

Along with receiving a complimentary one-year membership to the Global Women’s Leadership Network and complimentary registration to the 2022 World Credit Union Conference (WCUC), to be held July 17-20 in Glasgow, Scotland, scholarship recipients will also present their Empowerment Grant Project to attendees of the GWLN Forum at WCUC 2022. The attendees will then vote on which scholars will receive support for the implementation of their project.

Scholarship winners are also required to:

• attend all GWLN-specific events during the 2022 World Credit Union Conference.
• attend the 2022 Sister Society strategy session. 
• attend 2022 scholarship recipient virtual meetings. 
• provide updates showcasing their progress and the growth of their credit union and communities.

“We’re very excited to see the innovation and creativity from our applicants in their submissions. Empowerment grants were first offered in 2014 and past projects included the creation of business development centers in financial cooperatives to help female entrepreneurs, the development of a series of financial fitness workshops for young females as they get ready for college, and the design and implementation of a communication strategy to reach financially excluded youth and women. It’s through the support of our industry champions that GWLN continues its work to empower women in our industry, advance women in leadership roles and make that measurable difference in their communities, credit unions and for themselves,” said Lena Giakoumopoulos, GWLN program director.  

Since 2009, Global Women’s Leadership Network has awarded 70 scholarships to women from 25 countries. Scholarships are made possible through funding from annual membership donations and industry partner sponsorships, including the generous support of Co-op Solutions, CUNA Mutual Group, CU Direct, Kinecta Federal Credit Union, PSCU and the Susan Adams Scholarship Fund, established in honor of former Entrust Financial Credit Union CEO Susan Adams and supported by One AZ Credit Union.