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Our ProgramsClare Boothe Luce Program for Women in STEM

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About the Clare Boothe Luce ProgramThe Clare Boothe Luce Program for Women in STEM is dedicated to significantly increasing the number of women in math, science and engineering at every level of higher education.

By addressing the structural and cultural barriers that contribute to the gender gap, and advancing women’s leadership in the sciences, a new–more inclusive–landscape can take shape. As of 2024, the Clare Boothe Luce Program awards grants of up to $750,000 to fund higher education institutions’ efforts to address the obstacles that prevent or discourage women on their campuses from pursuing and thriving in STEM fields.

Additionally, the Henry Luce Foundation awards CBL STEM Community Grants that allow CBL institutions to build impactful and supportive STEM ecosystems within their local communities.

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Program HistoryClare Boothe Luce (1903-1987), was a remarkable woman whose career spanned seven decades and nearly as many professional interests (including journalism, politics, and theater)

She left most of her estate to the Henry Luce Foundation. A known trailblazer, she declined to limit her vision to the fields where she had established her reputation. She chose instead to establish a legacy that would benefit current and future generations of women with talent and ambition in areas where they continue to be severely underrepresented—science, mathematics, and engineering.

Among Clare’s notable achievements was writing and producing The Women, a critically acclaimed Broadway play that opened on December 26, 1936.

However, her many accomplishments weren’t limited to the arts. Clare was instrumental in establishing the Atomic Energy Commission and was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Italy, becoming the first American woman to represent her country to a significant world power. In 1981, President Reagan appointed Clare to the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board, and in 1983, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Through her bequest, the Clare Boothe Luce Program (CBL) began supporting women in STEM at higher education institutions.

As stated in her will, the program is intended “to encourage women to enter, study, graduate, and teach” in fields where obstacles to their advancement persist. In its first 35 years, the Clare Boothe Luce Program awarded grants totaling over $241 million, supporting nearly 4,000 undergraduate, graduate, and early career women faculty and making great strides to close the gender gap in STEM.

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Additional Resources

Looking for more insights and inspiration? Explore our curated selection of informative articles, videos, and related programs beyond Luce.

Apply for a GrantWe are committed to identifying the most promising ideas and projects for support. All Luce programs accept unsolicited inquiries through our online portal.

How to Apply