Why smart donors invest in tuition scholarships and how it changes lives
The case for strategic giving that creates economic mobility in SW Washington
Most philanthropists understand that education is a good investment. What they don't always understand is which type of educational giving creates the most impact per dollar.
Large university endowments are important. National scholarship programs serve vital purposes. But if you want to see measurable change in your own community, if you want to know your money positively altered someone's life trajectory, local tuition scholarships offer something bigger programs can't: immediate, transformational relief at the exact moment a woman is deciding whether to stay in school or drop out.
At Woman of Wonder, we've supported more than 50 women with tuition scholarships ranging, over the years, from $500 to $2,200. Every single one represents a woman who can now say, "I am a Woman of Wonder."
Here's why strategic donors are choosing to invest in education at the local level, and why you should consider joining them.
Donors represent light to women seeking higher education. Photo by Nick Hawkins
The economic case: return on investment
Let's talk numbers, because smart philanthropy requires understanding impact.
Individual economic mobility
Students from Washington's lowest-income families who earn a postsecondary credential make more than both their parents combined by just their third year after graduation. Over a lifetime, a bachelor's degree holder earns approximately $1 million more than someone with only a high school diploma.*
Your $2,000 scholarship doesn't just help someone pay tuition. It enables earnings potential that compounds over decades.
Regional economic impact
Washington State has set a goal: 70% of adults aged 25 to 44 should have a credential beyond high school. We're currently at 62%. Closing that 8-percentage-point gap requires both higher enrollment and higher completion rates.
Every percentage point of increased educational attainment translates to:
Higher median household incomes
Reduced reliance on public assistance programs
Increased tax revenue
More robust local economies
Better health outcomes across the population
When you invest in education, you're investing in the economic vitality of Southwest Washington.
The completion challenge
Here's the problem keeping state education officials awake at night: Washington has built one of the most generous financial aid systems in the country. We award the highest amount of need-based grant aid per undergraduate student nationwide. For families of four earning up to $78,500, the Washington College Grant covers full tuition at public institutions.
But students are still dropping out at alarming rates. Not because they can't handle the coursework. Because they can't afford to live while they study.
In 2024, Washington surveyed college students statewide. The results are stark:
1 in 2 students reported basic needs insecurity
44% experienced food insecurity in the past month
3 out of 4 parenting students cannot afford needed childcare
34% experienced housing insecurity
50% lack adequate access to mental health services
These rates increased between 2022 and 2024.
The students most affected? Those from historically marginalized communities, first-generation students, parenting students, and students with disabilities. Precisely the populations most likely to benefit from educational attainment—and least likely to complete without additional support.
Why tuition scholarships matter when state aid already covers tuition
This is the question thoughtful donors ask, and it deserves a direct answer.
State financial aid primarily covers tuition and fees. But many students still have tuition gaps:
Part-time students receive prorated aid
Income fluctuations can affect eligibility mid-year
Students at certain income thresholds receive partial grants
Recent state budget cuts have reduced coverage for some income levels
Even when tuition is fully covered, here's the strategic value of additional tuition support:
Budget pressure relief
When a woman receives a tuition scholarship from Woman of Wonder, she can redirect money she would have scraped together for tuition toward rent, groceries, childcare, and transportation. Think of it as pressure relief in a system that's already at the breaking point.
A single mother working full-time and attending nursing school faces $2,800 per month in childcare costs alone. If she has to worry about covering a $2,000 tuition gap on top of that, she's doing math every day about whether staying in school is sustainable.
Your scholarship removes one variable from that impossible equation.
The multiplication effect
State financial aid works on fixed formulas and academic calendars. Woman of Wonder scholarships are nimble. When a student faces an unexpected crisis—lost job, rent increase, car breakdown—and is tempted to drop out, local scholarship support can mean the difference between persisting and quitting.
Students who receive need-based aid are dramatically more likely to stay enrolled. During the pandemic, enrollment at Washington's four-year institutions increased 7% for students receiving need-based aid while dropping 21% for those who didn't. At two-year colleges, the pattern was even more pronounced: up 15% for aid recipients, down 32% for non-recipients.
Aid works. Support keeps students in school. And completion changes lives.
The equity imperative
If you care about equity in your giving, education is one of the highest-leverage investments you can make.
Washington State defines equity as "an outcome in which justice is realized through a continuous, intentional process of identifying and abolishing racism and all forms of oppression designed to marginalize students, communities, and families."
Here's what that looks like in practice:
Hispanic and Latino students represent 27% of Washington's public high school population but only 12% to 14% of public college enrollment. Black students face similar underrepresentation. These gaps aren't accidents—they're the result of systemic barriers including inadequate financial support for basic needs.
The student populations reporting the highest rates of basic needs insecurity are:
Parenting students (overwhelmingly women)
First-generation students
Students with disabilities
American Indian and Alaska Native students
Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian students
Students who experienced foster care or homelessness (84% insecurity rate)
When you support Woman of Wonder, you're funding scholarships that specifically reach single mothers and women on their own—populations disproportionately affected by the barriers that cause dropout.
Your investment doesn't just help individuals. It actively works to close equity gaps that perpetuate economic inequality across generations.
Why local giving outperforms national programs
Large scholarship programs serve important purposes, but local giving offers distinct advantages:
Responsiveness
Woman of Wonder operates in Southwest Washington. We know this community. We understand that the cost of living in Vancouver differs from Seattle. We recognize that childcare deserts in rural areas create different barriers than transportation challenges in urban ones.
We can respond to local needs faster than state or national programs to find assistance for our scholars.
Relationship and accountability
When you give to Woman of Wonder, you're not sending money into a void. You're supporting women in your community—future nurses, teachers, social workers, business owners, and civic leaders who will live and work here.
As we grow, we'll be sharing stories of our scholars (starting in 2026) so you can see exactly how your investment translated into changed lives.
Strategic focus
We do one thing well: tuition scholarships for women in Southwest Washington. We prioritize single mothers and women on their own who are making it work through sheer determination. Our mission is specific, our impact is measurable, and your dollar goes directly to that mission.
Efficiency
Local nonprofits typically have lower overhead than large national organizations. More of your donation reaches the women you're trying to help.
The federal and state landscape: why your support matters more than ever
The higher education funding landscape is shifting in ways that make local support increasingly critical.
Federal uncertainty
The U.S. Department of Education has experienced significant workforce reductions, creating delays in FAFSA processing and uncertainty about future federal aid levels. Students are struggling to navigate a system in flux.
State budget pressures
Washington State has begun reducing some financial aid programs:
The Bridge Grant ($500 for non-tuition expenses) has been eliminated
Students at 61% to 65% of median income now receive reduced WA Grant awards
Further cuts are planned for students at private institutions
Translation: The gaps are growing, not shrinking.
This is exactly when local, community-based scholarships become essential. While state and federal programs face political and budgetary constraints, local giving can be nimble, responsive, and immediate.
What your investment funds
Let's be specific about what happens when you donate to Woman of Wonder.
A $1,700 scholarship funds:
One term (almost) of tuition at a community college for a woman pursuing a certificate in medical coding, dental hygiene, or early childhood education
The gap between what financial aid covers and what tuition costs for a part-time student balancing work and school
The difference between a woman staying enrolled or dropping out due to a mid-year financial crisis
A $6,000 scholarship funds:
One term of tuition at a four-year university for a woman pursuing a nursing degree, teaching credential, or social work license
Multiple terms at a community college, allowing a woman to complete her degree without accumulating debt
Your cumulative giving funds:
A woman's transformation from surviving to thriving
Economic mobility that extends to her children and family
A more educated, more economically stable Southwest Washington
A future community leader who remembers that someone believed in her
Strategic giving options
One-time donation
Every dollar helps. Even $500 provides meaningful relief for a woman facing tuition costs.
Monthly giving
Recurring donations allow us to plan scholarship awards with confidence. A $200 monthly donation funds a full scholarship over the course of a year.
Set up monthly donations through PayPal Giving
Named scholarships
Larger donors can establish named scholarships in honor of someone who valued them or valued education, creating a lasting legacy.
Matching challenges
Consider offering a matching gift during our GivingTuesday campaign (December 2) to inspire other donors and amplify your impact.
Email us for assistance setting up matching gifts.
Planned giving
Include Woman of Wonder in your estate planning to ensure women in Southwest Washington have educational opportunities for generations to come.
Email us to set up a time with our financial advisor on estate planning.
GivingTuesday: December 2
This GivingTuesday, we're asking our community to invest in economic mobility by supporting women's education.
Your gift on December 2 will help us:
Award more scholarships in our spring application cycle
Reach women who don't yet know that local support exists
Build a sustainable funding base that allows us to grow our impact
Every woman who completes her degree becomes a model for her children, her family, and her community. She proves that education is possible, that barriers can be overcome, that determination combined with support leads to transformation.
Your GivingTuesday donation makes that possible. Here’s our Giving Tuesday page.
The vision: what we're building together
Woman of Wonder currently focuses on tuition scholarships because that's where we can create immediate, measurable impact with the resources we have.
But our vision is bigger. As we grow, we hope to find resources for our scholars to address more of the basic needs crisis that prevents women from completing their degrees. Your investment today builds the foundation for that future.
Imagine a Southwest Washington where:
No woman has to choose between feeding her children and attending class
Single mothers can pursue nursing degrees without crippling anxiety about childcare costs
Women returning to education after years in the workforce find a support system ready to help them succeed
Economic mobility is accessible to everyone with the determination to pursue it
That's what we're building. Scholarship by scholarship. Woman by woman. Community partnership by community partnership.
Your next step
Smart philanthropy requires both head and heart. The head says: education is a high-ROI investment that creates economic mobility and regional prosperity. The heart says: these are our neighbors, our community members, women with potential who just need someone to believe in them.
Both are true. Both matter.
We invite you to invest in Woman of Wonder this GivingTuesday—and to join us in building a Southwest Washington where every woman who wants to pursue education can afford to complete it.
Support women's education this GivingTuesday
Because when a woman stands up and says "I am a Woman of Wonder," your belief in her is part of what made it possible.
Other ways to support:
Attend our White Elephant Book Exchange fundraiser (March 14)
Share our mission with your network
*Data for this blog post is from the Washington Student Achievement Council and their 2026 Strategic Action Plan [PDF].