Tensor Women & Mathematics Grants – Mathematical Association of America

Funded by the Tensor Foundation, the Tensor Women & Mathematics Grants support projects designed to encourage college and university women and pre-college girls to study and persist in mathematics.

Each year, we invite proposals from college/university mathematical sciences, and from secondary mathematics faculty who are partnering with college/university faculty. Interested high school teachers are strongly encouraged to seek out college and university mathematical sciences faculty in the formulation of proposals to benefit high school students.

Funding Details

Grants will be up to $6,000 and will be made to the institution/organization of the project director for a one-year project.
In-kind institutional support is expected as an indication of commitment to the project. No indirect costs or fringe benefits are supported.
Applications will be accepted from college and university mathematical sciences faculty at accredited U.S. (including U.S. Territory), or Canadian AUCC-member institutions. Faculty must be working with high school mathematics faculty if the project targets those students, but the college/university must be the fiscal agent.

Types of Projects

All projects should have a strong mathematical component. Sample activities can include:

Organizing a club for women interested in mathematics or mathematics and science.
Creating a network of women professional mentors who will direct mathematics projects for girls.
Holding a conference for counselors to prepare them to encourage women and girls to continue to study mathematics.
Conducting a summer mathematics program for high school women.
Bringing high school women onto a college campus for a Math Day with substantive follow-up.
Structuring a program for high school and/or college women to mentor younger female mathematics students with math projects or math clubs.
Forming partnerships with industry to acquaint women students with real-life applications of mathematics.

Project Timing:

Projects should be conducted over a sufficient period of time to engage student participants in learning and applying new and interesting mathematics that they will not otherwise encounter in their classes.
Projects may be conducted during summer, during the school year, on weekends, or after school.

Call for Proposals

The application portal for 2024 is now closed. To view the previous call for proposals click the link below. An updated call and link for the 2025 cycle will be posted here in Fall 2024.

2024 Call for Proposals

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it possible for one department/institution to submit multiple proposals to the DMEG, Neff, and Tensor programs within the same grant year?

Yes, but it is unlikely all will be awarded. The MAA aims to distribute support across a diverse array of projects and locations. Departments considering multiple submissions should ensure proposals are distinct and involve different team members, following internal consultation.

Must key project personnel be MAA members to improve our funding prospects?

No, MAA membership is not required for key project personnel. Funding decisions consider personnel qualifications, but MAA membership status has no impact on the likelihood of receiving a grant.

Is it permissible to allocate grant funds for faculty release time?

Your budget may not pay for release time for faculty. It is assumed that this will be covered by your university as in-kind contribution.

Is it possible to apply for funding for a one-day event?

Tensor SUMMA and Tensor Women do not have such a restriction, but one-day events without follow-up have not been seen as competitive projects.

Should my institution provide dollar-for-dollar support to the project? Is in-kind support the same as Indirect?

We do expect some institutional support or commitment from your college or university, but this can be in-kind contribution, such as in the form of materials, office supplies, use of space, etc. They need not match dollar-for-dollar. The institutional support requirement is meant to indicate your institution’s commitment to your project.

Indirect cost (also called Facilities and Administrative Rate, or F&A Rate) is the mechanism used to reimburse a university for the infrastructure support costs associated with sponsored research and other sponsored projects. The F&A rate is essentially an overhead rate. Tensor programs do not support indirect costs.

Can institutions outside the U.S. apply for Tensor funding?

At this time, applications will be accepted from college and university mathematical sciences faculty at accredited U.S. (including U.S. Territory) or Canadian institutions.