Proposals will be due by February 12, 2008.

The MAA plans to award grants for projects designed to encourage college and university women or high school and middle school girls to study mathematics. The Tensor Foundation, working through the MAA, is soliciting college, university and secondary mathematics faculty (in conjunction with college or university faculty) and their departments and institutions to submit proposals. Projects may replicate existing successful projects, adapt components of such projects, or be innovative. Possible projects are to:

• organize a club for women interested in mathematics or mathematics and science;
• provide release time to allow a faculty member to prepare a course on women and mathematics, provided the host institution agrees to offer such a course;
• create a network of women professional mentors who will direct mathematics projects for girls;
• hold a conference for counselors to prepare them to encourage women and girls to continue to study mathematics;
• conduct a summer mathematics program for high school women;
• bring high school women onto a college campus for a Math Day with follow-up;
• structure a program for high school and/or college women to mentor younger female mathematics students with math projects or math clubs;
• form partnerships with industry to acquaint women students with real-life applications of mathematics.

The objectives of the TENSOR-MAA Program are to:

• encourage mathematics faculty to develop projects to increase participation of women in mathematics; and
• provide support to project directors.

Grants will be up to $6,000 and will be made to the institution of the project director to be spent within the year. An institution is expected to supply matching funds or in-kind support as an indication of commitment to the project. These grants will not support any institutional indirect costs or provide fringe benefits. To provide maximum flexibility, unexpended funds may be carried forward. Some grants may be renewed for another year, with a three year maximum.

Grants will be made to:

• college and university mathematics faculty; or
• secondary school or middle school mathematics faculty working in conjunction with college or university faculty.

Proposals will be evaluated in a panel which will include members of the MAA Committee on Participation of Women, Women & Mathematics Network, and a trustee of the Tensor Foundation.

The proposal should not include any attachments except a cover page, two-page (maximum) vita and letters of support. If the proposal is a renewal please attach a one-page (maximum) report after the cover-sheet. The following guidelines should be addressed, preferably in this order:

Concept: What are your ideas and philosophy about mathematics and education that form a basis for your project?

Rationale: In what way will your institution be a welcome host for the project?

Objectives: What are the objectives of your project?

Activities: What tasks do you plan to undertake for your project? Describe the mathematics content and activities you expect to provide participants.

Personnel: What is the name, position and qualifications of the proposed project director? Who else will be involved in the project? How?

Evaluation: How will you judge the success of this project?

Budget: How will your funds be spent - personnel, materials, release time, etc.? An additional budget page, separate from the three-page proposal, is requested from all proposers.

Commitment: What is the potential for long-term commitment of the host institution?

Future funding: What is the likelihood of institutionalization through local or state funding after start-up funding from the Tensor Foundation?

Timeline: When will you carry out the activities?

Proposals will be due by February 12, 2008.  All proposers will be notified by the end of March 2008. 

The three-page (maximum) proposal should be in a font that is easy to read. The guidelines should be addressed following a cover page. (Right-click to download this Word document) Please send your proposal as a word attachment to proposals@maa.org. Please write "Women and Math" in the subject line.

Please do not hesitate to contact the Program Director for assistance in preparing your proposal.

While differences occur among highly successful intervention projects, there are some characteristics which effective projects targeting women and girls seem to have:

• project goals clearly articulated and measurable;
• strong academic component; focus on enrichment, not remediation;
• teachers highly competent in the subject matter who believe that women can learn the material;
• heavy emphasis on every-day applications of mathematics and on careers in the field;
• teaching strategies that take into account the needs and cognitive development of women and girls;
• role models;
• parents, teachers, guidance counselors involved;
• strong directors and a committed and stable staff;
• development of a peer support system;
• institutional commitment.

Brief descriptions of programs previously funded by Tensor are available.