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Diamond Education Grant

Charity No 1139668

This grant awarding body was set up by our Federation (SIGBI) in 1972. Its purpose is to provide grants to assist women to update their skills after employment breaks or to acquire new skills to improve their opportunities for employment and promotion. Awards are made to help towards the cost of course fees or books/equipment, not for living expenses.

The grants that have been awarded include courses as diverse as helicopter engineering, teacher training, an MA in play therapy, a BSc in midwifery, a conversion course for  an overseas qualified pharmacist and a diploma in sign language interpreting.

How to apply

Applications for grants towards courses in the academic year September 2024 to July 2025 are now open. Short courses are considered as long as they fall within these dates. Please complete the application form , but do read the notes below first to check if you are eligible.

To be eligible for a grant you do not have to be a Soroptimist (most of our applicants are not) but you must be female and permanently resident within one of the countries of our Federation. Eligible countries are listed below.

The closing date for applications is 15 April 2024, and all applicants will be notified via email at end of June 2024 whether or not they have received a grant. Successful applicants will be asked to provide some further proof of enrolment and two references before their grant is issued.

To be eligible you must be permanently resident in one of the countries of our Federation, which are:

Eligible Countries:

Asia

Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka

Europe

Guernsey, Isle of Man, Jersey, Malta Republic of Ireland and United Kingdom

Caribbean

Anguilla, Barbados, Grenada, Jamaica, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos

How to donate

Nearly forty awards were given out last year. With increased funding, many more women could be helped to make that vital career step up. To make a donation, complete the donation form and return it to joanne@sigbi.org: SIGBI Donation Form. The form includes details of how to make payment by cheque or by BACS.

And don’t stop there! Next time you review your Will, please consider including a legacy for the Fund, enabling your work as a Soroptimist to live on after you. The wording should be as follows: “I GIVE the sum of £……….to SIGBI Ltd (address as above) for the benefit of the Diamond Education Grant Registered charity No 1139668.”

Recycling in aid of the Diamond Education Grant

Many clubs have successfully used the jewellery recycling service to fund raise for past SIGBI projects and their own projects, and we now ask you to consider continuing this great method of raising funds in aid of the Diamond Education Grant.  SI Milford Haven is currently doing this in conjunction with “Recycling for Good Causes”.

Please encourage your Members to support this project so that we can continue to transform the lives of women and meet our goal to educate, empower and enable.  Clubs can raise funds by simply collecting recyclable items such as jewellery (made of any material), watches, rings, old bank notes and coins or gadgets such as Sat Navs, Games Consoles and Games, Tablets, Video Cameras, Mobile Phones, iPods and Laptops of any age.

The smaller items can be posted in a padded envelope to FREEPOST Licence RSXA-GJBY-ARRZ, Soroptimist International DEG, Unit 14 Amber Business Village, Tamworth, B77 4RP.  For gadgets please request a sack by contacting Erene Grieve via hq@sigbi.org or 01646 278826, fill it and then request collection from customerservices@recyclingforgoodcauses.org.

Don’t Delay Start Recycling Today!