AWS Foundation (American Welding Society Foundation)

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $3 million+ (scholarships and grants combined)
• Grant Range: $5,000 - $50,000 (institutional grants)
• Scholarship Range: $1,000 - $10,000+
• Decision Time: 2-3 months (notifications in late May/early June)
• Application Deadline: March 15 annually
• Geographic Focus: North America (US and Canada)
• Founded: 1989

Contact Details

Address: 8669 NW 36th Street, #130, Doral, FL 33166

Phone:

• Main: 305-443-9353
• Toll-Free: 1-800-443-9353

Email:

• General Inquiries: customercare@aws.org
• Foundation: foundation@aws.org
• Scholarship Applications: scholarship.aws.org

Website: www.aws.org/foundation

Business Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST

Overview

The AWS Foundation, established in 1989 as the philanthropic arm of the American Welding Society, is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to ensuring the growth and development of the welding industry through strengthening research and educational opportunities in welding and related industries. With over three decades of impact, the Foundation has distributed more than $2 million through grants to educational institutions across North America since 2017, in addition to awarding over $2.5 million annually in scholarships to individual students. In 2024 alone, the Foundation supported more than 1,200 welding students at over 400 academic and training institutions across all 50 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces. The Foundation recently doubled its flagship Welding Workforce Grant from $25,000 to $50,000 per facility, demonstrating its commitment to meeting the critical workforce needs of the welding industry. Led by a volunteer Board of Trustees with administrative support from American Welding Society staff, the Foundation operates through a small development team focused on program development, fundraising, public relations, marketing, and financial management.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The AWS Foundation offers three distinct grant programs:

Welding Workforce Grant: Up to $50,000 (recently doubled from $25,000)

• Application method: Annual application cycle with March 15 deadline
• Review by AWS Foundation Grants Committee (comprised of Board of Trustees and AWS Board of Directors members)
• Notifications sent in late May or early June
• For secondary and post-secondary welding education/training institutions
• Focused on increasing welding graduates and placement in welding careers
• Designed to help schools meet local industry demand

Section Grants: Up to $5,000

• Sponsored by four AWS Sections annually
• Local/regional focus for welding schools
• Similar eligibility and application requirements as Welding Workforce Grant

Specialty Grants: Variable amounts

• Designed to help meet specific goals
• Details available through direct contact with Foundation

Eligible Uses

Grant funds may be used for:

• Welding or metalworking equipment
• Nondestructive (NDE) or destructive testing equipment
• Fume extraction systems
• Computer-based welding training systems
• Lab materials (up to 20% of total budget)
• Conversion to an AWS Accredited Testing Facility

What They Don't Fund

Grant funds cannot be used for:

• Facility construction or renovations
• Vehicles or unrelated capital items
• Travel expenses
• Salaries or benefits
• Student tuition
• Scholarships
• Textbooks
• Personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Indirect costs
• For-profit schools (ineligible entirely)

Priority Areas

The Foundation prioritizes applications that demonstrate:

• Clear plans to increase the number of welding graduates
• Improved job placement rates in welding or welding-related careers
• Response to documented local industry hiring needs
• Capacity to expand enrollment through equipment/facility upgrades
• Commitment to meeting workforce development goals

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

Carey Chen - Executive Director and CEO of American Welding Society (effective January 20, 2025)

• Previous AWS Foundation Treasurer (2015-2022)
• Former member of AWS Foundation Board of Trustees and AWS Board of Directors
• Chaired Finance & Business Development and Investment Committees
• Brings extensive manufacturing and leadership experience from CEO roles at Fathom Digital Manufacturing Solutions (NYSE:FATH), Cadrex Manufacturing Solutions, and Incodema Holdings LLC

Board Structure

The AWS Foundation is governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees, which includes members with affiliations to leading welding industry companies such as:

• Sky Cylinder Testing
• ESAB Welding & Cutting Products
• Miller Electric
• Atlas Welding Supply

Notable Trustee: R.C. Pierce served as Chairman of the AWS Foundation Board of Trustees and continues to serve as a trustee, bringing decades of industry leadership.

The Foundation's administrative operations are supported by a small development staff from the American Welding Society, handling program development, fundraising, public relations, marketing, and financial management.

Application Process & Timeline

Eligibility Requirements

To apply for AWS Foundation grants, institutions must:

• Hold AWS Educational Institution Membership (required)
• Be a high school, career-technical school, trade/technical post-secondary school, or community college
• Be a non-profit institution (for-profit schools are not eligible)
• Not have received an AWS Foundation grant within the previous three years

How to Apply

Application Deadline: March 15 annually

Application Method:

• Online application through AWS Foundation website
• Applications require detailed project proposals including:
  • Specific equipment or resources requested
  • Budget with supporting quotes from distributors, suppliers, or contractors
  • Projected impact on enrollment and graduate placement
  • Letters of support from local businesses expressing hiring needs

Required Materials:

• Completed application form
• Detailed budget with vendor quotes (applications with quotes receive preference)
• Letters from local employers documenting need to hire welding graduates (preferred)
• Letter of support from an AWS Section officer (Grants Committee gives preference to applications with Section support)

Decision Timeline

• Application Deadline: March 15
• Review Period: March - May
• Notification: Late May or early June
• Total Timeline: Approximately 2-3 months from submission to decision

Post-Award Requirements

The AWS Foundation conducts ongoing monitoring:

• Regular audits of project success throughout the funding term
• Intervals determined by the Foundation
• Recipients must report on enrollment increases and graduate placement outcomes

Success Rates

While specific acceptance rates are not publicly disclosed, the Foundation's impact data provides context:

• Since 2017, more than $2 million awarded to welding schools across North America
• In 2024, numerous schools received grants, with recent examples including Bristol Technical Education Center and Tourtellotte High School in Connecticut
• The Foundation recently doubled grant amounts, suggesting increased capacity to fund more institutions

Reapplication Policy

For Grant Recipients: Schools that successfully receive a grant must wait three years before reapplying. This waiting period applies only to funded institutions.

For Unsuccessful Applicants: The Foundation does not appear to restrict unsuccessful applicants from reapplying in subsequent years, though this is not explicitly stated. Contact the Foundation directly at foundation@aws.org for clarification.

Application Success Factors

Based on the Foundation's stated priorities and recent award patterns, successful applications demonstrate:

Strong Industry Connection

• Include employer support letters: The Grants Committee specifically prefers "letters from local businesses expressing an immediate need to hire graduates"
• Document specific hiring commitments or workforce gaps in your region
• Demonstrate partnerships with welding employers who will hire program graduates

Detailed, Quote-Supported Budgets

• Critical success factor: "Applications with supporting budgetary quotes from distributors, suppliers, or contractors will be given preference"
• Obtain formal quotes for all equipment or materials requested
• Ensure quotes are current and from reputable vendors
• Show clear cost-benefit analysis

Section Endorsement

• Leverage local AWS connections: "The Grants Committee will give preference to applications with a letter of support from a Section officer"
• Connect with your local AWS Section early in the application process
• Engage Section leaders in your planning to secure strong endorsement letters
• Demonstrate how your program supports Section goals

Measurable Impact Projections

• Specify the number of additional students you can enroll with grant support
• Provide concrete placement rate goals and how you'll achieve them
• Show how equipment will enhance training quality and student outcomes
• Reference specific industry standards or certifications students will achieve

Recent Success Examples

Bristol Technical Education Center (Connecticut, 2024):

• Awarded Welding Workforce Grant for four new multiprocess welding machines and welding tables
• Result: "Can now accept eight additional students into the welding program while providing enhanced training to meet the specific needs of local employers"

Tourtellotte High School (Connecticut, 2024):

• Received funding for lab expansion
• Result: "With the additional booths and equipment, can now train 20 more students annually"

Strategic Alignment

The Foundation's stated mission emphasizes "ensuring the growth and development of the welding industry through strengthening research and educational opportunities." Successful applications clearly articulate how grant funds will:

• Address documented workforce shortages
• Expand capacity to train qualified welders
• Meet specific technical skill requirements of regional employers
• Contribute to the broader welding industry's sustainability

AWS Foundation Membership Requirement

Note that AWS Educational Institution Membership is mandatory to apply. Factor in the cost and timeline for obtaining membership when planning your application.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• AWS membership is non-negotiable: Secure AWS Educational Institution Membership before beginning your application—it's a prerequisite, not a preference
• Employer letters carry significant weight: Invest time in securing compelling letters from local businesses documenting their immediate need to hire welding graduates
• Quote quality matters: Don't submit estimated costs—obtain formal, current quotes from vendors as applications with supporting quotes receive explicit preference
• Section relationships are valuable: Build relationships with your local AWS Section officers early; their endorsement letters influence the Grants Committee's decisions
• Three-year wait for recipients: If you receive a grant, you cannot reapply for three years, so make your initial request as comprehensive as possible
• Focus on measurable outcomes: The Foundation wants to see specific numbers—how many more students you'll enroll, projected placement rates, and concrete workforce impact
• Time your application strategically: With a March 15 deadline and late May/early June notifications, plan for a 10-12 week review cycle in your institutional planning

References

1. American Welding Society Foundation - About Page. AWS.org. Accessed February 24, 2026. https://www.aws.org/about/foundation/

2. "Welding Workforce Grant | AWS Foundation Grants for Welding Education." AWS.org. Accessed February 24, 2026. https://www.aws.org/career-resources/students/grants/welding-workforce-grant/

3. "AWS Foundation Section Grants | Supporting Local Welding Initiatives." AWS.org. Accessed February 24, 2026. https://www.aws.org/career-resources/students/grants/section-grants/

4. "American Welding Society Announces Carey Chen as New CEO." AWS.org. January 2025. Accessed February 24, 2026. https://www.aws.org/about/news/2025-aws-announces-new-ceo/

5. "American Welding Society Foundation Doubles Grant Amount." Welding Digest. February 2025. Accessed February 24, 2026. https://www.aws.org/magazines-and-media/welding-digest/wd-feb-25-welding-society-foundation-doubles-grant/

6. "AWS Foundation Now Accepting Applications for $2.5 Million in Welding Scholarships." AWS.org. January 2025. Accessed February 24, 2026. https://www.aws.org/about/news/aws-foundation-accepting-scholarship-apps/

7. AWS Foundation - GuideStar Profile. GuideStar/Candid. Accessed February 24, 2026. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/65-0148545

8. AWS Foundation Inc. Nonprofit Explorer - ProPublica. Accessed February 24, 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/650148545

9. "AWS Foundation Grants for Welding School | Empowering Welding Education and Innovation." AWS.org. Accessed February 24, 2026. https://www.aws.org/career-resources/students/grants/

10. Contact AWS - American Welding Society. AWS.org. Accessed February 24, 2026. https://www.aws.org/contact-us/