Each year, the Pat Asch Fellowship awards $17,500 to a woman who seeks to channel her passion and experience to a cause, which will strengthen and advance her work in the Greater Richmond community.
Learn More about The Pat Asch Fellowship for Social Justice
Proposal Requirements:
- Describe a leadership or development experience for which this Fellowship will help catapult.
- Proposed fellowship experience should position applicant to engage in new endeavors motivated by a desire for social change.
- Outline personal and professional goals and how the applicant intends to advance her social justice work in Richmond.
Fellowship funds can be applied to a wide range of goals such as:
- Furthering the recipient’s own education, leadership, or professional development
- Re-entering the workforce
- Switching to a new career
- Extending her work to a new social justice purpose
In her fellowship experience proposal, the applicant is expected to include a projection of activities to be completed within 12 to 24 months of receiving her fellowship and anticipated outcomes of her fellowship experience.
- Is at least 50 years of age
- Resides or works in Richmond City, Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico, Goochland, or Powhatan County
The following are not eligible for funding with the Pat Asch Fellowship for Social Justice:
- Capital investments (property)
- Operational expenses
- Stipends or gifts for project participants and/or people other than the applicant
- Staff and relatives of YWCA Richmond and the Fellowship Selection Committee are not eligible to apply for the Fellowship
- One-page cover letter that includes a brief biography and contact information. Please remember to include date of birth to ensure age eligibility for the fellowship.
- Statement of intent (if written, up to three pages; if a video, up to 10 minutes) that describes:
- Your interest in and motivation to apply for the Fellowship
- The issue or priority to be addressed through your social justice efforts
- The Fellowship project/experience design
- Your intended outcomes from the Fellowship experience
- The relationship between this project and the cause of social justice
- Detailed timeline and specific plan for the use of the funds.
Please email your application to Rupa Murthy at rmurthy@ywcarichmond.org by Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at 5 pm.
- Tuesday, June 1, 2021 – Written or video application is due by 5 pm. Please submit applications to Rupa Murthy at rmurthy@ywcarichmond.org.
- Thursday, July 1, 2021 – Finalists will be notified for an interview.
- Wednesday, September 1, 2021 – Fellowship recipient will be notified.
- Friday, September 24, 2021 – The 2021 Pat Asch Fellow will be announced to the public at YWCA Richmond’s 2021 Outstanding Women Awards luncheon.
March 2022 – The 2021 Fellow will be invited to share her progress.
All application materials must be received by Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at 5 pm.