Rankin Grant: $3,000 a Year for Women Over 35
Finding childcare is always the thing that holds me back from believing that what I want to do is possible. It seems like everyone around me is stretched. Even though I have the blessing of a supportive village of family and friends, they have their own children and their own ambitions, and everyone is pressed for time right now.
Childcare is ridiculously expensive. Gas, groceries and the rent are stressful, but they are not the limiting factor. The limiting factor is always childcare. So any grant I can redirect to childcare, the kind that gives me the mental space of knowing my children are well cared for while I pursue my ambitions, is the best gift I can receive.
I come from generations of women who find a way, strong and independent women who made it happen, on their own or together. This week’s Funding Friday pick is built for women like that. The Jeannette Rankin National Scholar Grant pays women 35 and older up to $3,000 a year, and the money goes to you, not to your school.
Who it’s for
The Rankin grant is for women 35 and older with financial need. You have to be working toward a first associate’s degree, a first bachelor’s degree, or a technical or vocational credential at an accredited nonprofit school in the U.S. The foundation says applicants must self-identify and present as women.
That word first matters. If you already hold a bachelor’s degree, or your program is at a for-profit school, this one isn’t for you, and that’s fine. There are more grants coming every Friday.
What $3,000 a year can pay for
Scholar Grants are up to $3,000 a year, and they can renew for up to five years. Over five years, that’s as much as $15,000. The foundation calls it unrestricted, nontuition money, and it’s paid directly to you.
Here’s my honest take. Grants that let you pay for life costs instead of tuition far exceed the return on value of grants that only cover tuition. Most of us can find some kind of student loan or college-based funding. But grants that cover childcare, food or gas can change the quality of your life while you’re in school. People don’t talk about that enough, especially when it comes to adults with real adult responsibilities.
For my family, $3,000 would cover the cost of childcare while I’m in class and while I’m studying at the local library. That’s the whole gift. Not a bigger tuition check, but the hours.
It’s not only us out there trying to carve a path. As we carve the path our ambition leads us down, we are also responsible for young lives. They need us there to guide and nurture them even as we pursue our dreams. Anything that can take the weight of bills off a working parent who’s also in school needs to be talked about more.
The deadline and what you need
The application and all recommendation letters are due Feb 12, 2027. The foundation notifies applicants on July 31, 2027.
The date that matters more is the one before it. Your recommenders don’t get their request until you press submit, and the foundation asks you to give them at least three to four weeks. So plan to submit by Jan 15. The application itself takes at least 90 minutes, and the foundation suggests creating your account at least six weeks before the deadline, so start by early January.
A weekly planner helps here. Write in the submit-by date, not just the due date, so the countdown stays in front of you.
How to apply
- Take the eligibility survey on the Jeannette Rankin Foundation’s Scholar Grant page.
- Confirm you qualify, then read through the application and the timeline before you start writing.
- Create your Submittable account and start loading your answers at least six weeks before Feb 12.
- Line up your recommenders now. Tell them the request will come by email after you submit, and give them the date.
- Answer the questions about your goals and your need, then submit by Jan 15 so your recommenders have about four weeks.
If you want more options on the same calendar, my Best Scholarships for Adult Learners 2026 Guide lists awards open to parents and returning students.
How I’d answer “why now?”
The application asks about your goals and your need. Here’s how I’d answer it.
I have wanted to earn my bachelor’s and master’s degrees my whole life. I’ve had personal setbacks that disrupted my emotional and mental health and stole my focus, and each one interrupted my education. I’ve also had many, many chances to pivot away from school and explore another side of myself.
I’m an entrepreneur. I’ve opened and closed many successful businesses, including an eight-year run of a nightclub in New York City called Basquiat’s Bottle. Today I own and run a tutoring company and a scholarship company, and on the back burner I’m developing a clothing store and a print-on-demand stationery company. I always try to build a business out of my passions, so that the way I make money never bores me or makes me dread going to work.
Having my daughter changed everything about how and when I went back to school. I want her to see me as the example of what is possible, and as the bare minimum of what she can achieve in her life. If I’m going to be her model of success, I can’t take shortcuts or accept limits on myself. One of my visions is to hold a higher education degree, and if I want to model that for her, I have to pursue it.
Your answer won’t sound like mine. It should be just as specific: your goal, your need, and what the money would change for your family this year.
The tip I learned the hard way
You cannot expect everyone to operate on your timeline. People have their own lives and their own responsibilities, and they are not obligated to help you. Handing someone a rushed deadline because you got organized late is disrespectful. You may not think it is, but it is.
A recommendation letter is a request. It’s also you showing your commitment to yourself, your self-discipline and your character, in how and when you ask. For the Rankin grant, ask in December, tell them the request arrives after you submit, and submit by Jan 15.
What I’d tell a friend who says she’s too old
If a friend of mine were sitting across the table at 41, qualified for this, and kept saying she’s too old to apply for scholarships, I’d be blunt with her, because she’s my friend. That’s an irresponsible position to take. Are you too old to apply for health insurance? So you want to pay full price at the doctor? Why would you take yourself out of the running because of the number attached to your age? It’s fiscally irresponsible.
The issue isn’t that you’re too old. The issue is making the time to apply, and that’s a matter of discipline and dedication, not age. I know that sounds harsh. It needs to be said, because you’re limiting yourself for reasons that don’t make sense. If you meet the eligibility requirements, you apply.
Who should skip this one
Always review the eligibility requirements before you spend time applying for anything. If you’re outside the scope, this one is not for you. If you find yourself bending your story or your credentials into a shape that fits, it’s probably a waste of time. Someone out there is an exact fit, and you’d be forcing a square peg into a round hole.
Quick answers
Is there an income limit? The foundation asks you to show financial need. Its Scholar Grant page doesn’t list an income cap, so let the eligibility survey tell you.
Can I use it for tuition? It’s described as unrestricted, nontuition money paid to you. Plan on it for the life around your classes: childcare, rent, gas, groceries.
When will I hear back, and does it renew? Applicants are notified July 31, 2027. Grants can renew for up to five years.
Before you go
Do not apologize for wanting things that have nothing to do with your children. You are more than just a mother, and your dreams and visions deserve to be valued in their proper place. It’s your responsibility to provide for your children as you pursue your dreams, but you should not be apologizing for having them.
If you’d like one grant like this every Friday, with the deadline and one next step, I’d love to have you on the Funding Friday list.
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