AAUW Morgan Hill actively supports our local community, both as an organization and as individual volunteers, Our members have created and implemented local programs for girls and women, in addition to supporting AAUW California and national AAUW programs at a local level. The branch also provides grants, recruits volunteers, co-sponsor programs, and provide publicity for local non-profit organizations. Branch support is conditional upon the organization’s goals being consistent with AAUW’s mission: AAUW advances gender equity for women and girls through advocacy, education,and research.

BookSmart Community Advantage

BookSmart Community Advantage fosters literacy and community through reading, writing, art and educational programs. AAUW Morgan Hill supports them by promoting their reading literacy programs and sorting books for those programs. Learn more on their website.

Civic Engagement

We take a lead in engaging Morgan Hill’s citizens in the democratic process and in taking action on AAUW’s Public Policy priorities. Go to Civic Engagement for details and examples of the following:

Community Action Grants

The success of our annual Wildflower Run enables us to now provide grants  to local non-profit community organizations, for projects whose goals are consistent with AAUW’s mission. Applications are due in the fall  for grants issued for the following year.

Click here for past recipient information, guidelines, and an application form.  Contact our Community Action Grants chair.

Leadership Morgan Hill

AAUW Morgan Hill encourages our members to expand their contributions to–and leadership within–the Morgan Hill community. Each year we sponsor  participation in this community leadership development program. Application for an AAUW MH scholarship to participate in Leadership Morgan Hill is open to women in the community and not limited to our branch members.

Selection for an AAUW scholarship to participate in Leadership Morgan Hill is made by our Leadership Development team. Learn more about the program from the Leadership Morgan Hill website.

Local Scholarships

AAUW Morgan Hill annually provides one of the largest numbers of scholarships in Morgan Hill. Scholarships are provided to high school graduates (from Sobrato, Live Oak, Central, and the Community Adult School). “Reentry” or “Deferred Entry” Scholarships are also offered to local women returning to college after a break in their education. A special Healthcare Scholarship is designated for college students pursuing a degree in a healthcare field, and another  endowed STEM scholarship is also offered each year. In some years additional memorial scholarships may also be available. Finally, all previous AAUW Morgan Hill scholarship recipients have the opportunity to apply for subsequent Keeping in Touch (KIT) grants until recipients complete their undergraduate degrees.

Contact our scholarship chair, or learn more from the local scholarships page of our website.

Morgan Hill Historical Society

AAUW Morgan Hill provides docents for the Morgan Hill House and Historical Museum at Villa Mira Monte. The branch also publicizes Historical Society events to members. AAUW member contact is Kathy Sullivan.

Morgan Hill Library & Friends of the Morgan Hill Library

AAUW Morgan Hill regularly offers educational evening programs on topics related to gender equity and other social justice issues. These programs are held at the library, co-sponsored by the Morgan Hill Library, and open to the public. We also co-sponsor (with the library and the Friends of the Library) the annual Silicon Valley Reads guest speaker program at the library. The branch also publicizes other Friends of the Library events.

To learn more about AAUW’s scheduled programs at the library, contact our Programs VP. AAUW member contact for the Friends of the Library is Carol O’Hare.

South Valley Science & Engineering Fair (SVSEF)

The South Valley Science and Engineering Fair organizes an annual science fair. SVSEF’s mission is to promote youth engagement in STEM through both community outreach and providing a safe, inclusive, juried competition for 6th – 12th grade students in Morgan Hill, Gilroy, and San Martin.  AAUW member contact and lead event organizer is Susan Hines.

Young Women Leaders

AAUW Morgan Hill branch members mentor local young high school leaders. These young women then offer an annual leadership conference for other local teens. Conference topics include subjects of particular interest to today’s teens.

Contact our Young Women Leaders mentors , or learn more from AAUW Morgan Hill’s Young Women Leaders website.

Morgan Hill Wildflower Run Research and Projects Grant Endowment (#4403)

This endowment, established in 2014 and completed in 2019, was funded through some of the annual proceeds from the Wildflower Run. It funds community action and career development grants. Another branch endowment, the Blaine/Cate Endowment for Graduate Fellowships (#1802) was completed in 2001. It funds an annual graduate or postgraduate fellowship.Both endowments prioritize supporting students studying in the Bay Area.

For more information on this and other national AAUW priorities, go to National AAUW Programs. To learn more about annual recipients of funds from either of these endowments, go to the national AAUW Fellowships and Grants Directory.