Advancing Health and Humanity for Over 100 Years
Since 1917, the American Women’s Hospitals Service has been providing global aid to clinics and regions around the world both in the form of grant support as well as relief supplies.
Learn about the fascinating history of AWHS and the indefatigable spirit of the early AMWA women physicians who served in the war effort despite being rebuffed by the U.S. Government:
Our latest efforts have included:
- Supporting relief efforts for Ukraine ($7000), Pakistan flood victims ($10,000) and Global Cancer Care and Research Institute in Kenya ($2000), Yemen, Clinic Nepal, Gaza, and earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria
- $26,000+ to Afghanistan for food and medical aid and Aschiana Clinic
- $6000+ for reusable menstrual pad kits for girls in Suriname
- COVID-19: oxygen concentrators for India ($23,000), face masks to U.S. and overseas locations (Taiwan donation), face-shields (3-D printing with The Robonauts and University of Michigan Medical School), pulse oximeters and face masks for Parma, Italy, 80,000 face masks and shields to Navajo Nation (with Operation Pegasus and Tzu Chi Foundation)
We thank our members and donors for their generous support.
AWHS Clinic Grants
AWHS has supported independent clinics and relief efforts both in the U.S. and abroad for over a century, bringing essential medical care to diverse populations. The clinics themselves have been similarly diverse, offering access to a spectrum of care from a hospital in Haiti to floating clinics and traveling operating rooms along the Amazon river. AWHS has supported healthcare in Tanzania, Uganda, India, Japan, and Nepal with a particular focus on women and children in underserved communities. We are devoted to fostering sustainable and innovative programs that will inspire individuals and make a difference for communities in need. Learn more about AWHS-supported clinic sites and apply for a grant.
Funds are distributed on a yearly basis for grants between $2000 and $3500. The application process is competitive, with successful proposals clear demonstrating emphasis on:
- Sustainability
- Community involvement
- Community impact
- Health, empowerment, and advancement of women
- Strong educational partnership with AWHS
- Mentorship opportunities
Applications are accepted through July each year for disbursement of funds by the end of the calendar year. For questions, please email [email protected].
AWHS Community Project Grant
Do you have a project that supports a community in need? AWHS offers grants of up to $500 for initiatives that:
- Empower or advance women
- Improve healthcare access for underserved populations
- Enhance the quality of care in rural or urban underserved areas
Projects may include community engagement, health-related research, service, advocacy, or education.
Application deadlines: January 5, May 5, and September 5.
AWHS Overseas Travel Grant for Medical Students and Residents
Are you planning an overseas rotation or service trip to support medically underserved communities—especially women and children? AWHS offers grants of up to $1000 to help cover travel expenses for AMWA medical students and resident physicians engaged in global health work. These experiences provide meaningful opportunities to serve vulnerable populations and enrich medical training through hands-on learning and cultural exchange.
Application deadlines: January 5, May 5, and September 5.
AWHS History
Originally established in 1917 as AMWA’s War Service Committee, AWHS rose to the challenge when women physicians were not accepted by the U.S. Army. Undeterred, they organized hospital units staffed entirely by women physicians and volunteers to support overseas war relief efforts. The mission of AWHS was twofold: To relieve suffering through medical care and to advance women in the medical profession.
Much of this remarkable history was chronicled by Dr. Esther Pohl Lovejoy in her books Certain Samaritans and Women Physicians and Surgeons. The Legacy Center Archives at Drexel University College of Medicine serves as the official repository for AWHS documents and photographs.
AMWA has curated an online and traveling exhibition, Women Physicians in World War I, along with the short film At Home and Over There: American Women Physicians in World War I, which celebrate this inspiring legacy.
Explore More:
- View an AWHS report from 1917
- They Were There: American Women Physicians and the First World War (Article)
- American Women Physicians in World War I (Exhibition)
- At Home and Over There (Film)
- The American Women’s Hospitals at Home: Public Health in Depression-Era Appalachia (Pinterest)
For over a century, AWHS has continued this tradition of service, supporting medical programs and projects that improve health and advance equity — both in the U.S. and around the world.
AWHS Postcards
Read about some of our past efforts in the AWHS newsletter Postcards:
- AWHS 2020 – 2021 Postcards
- AWHS 2016 Summer Postcards
- AWHS 2015 Spring Postcards
- AWHS 2014 Winter Postcards
Contact us via email at [email protected]