P.E.O. Projects that Make a Difference
We take great pride in transforming the lives of women by providing grants, scholarships, awards and loans for higher education, alongside owning and supporting Cottey College – a distinguished liberal arts college dedicated solely to women.
P.E.O. Education Loan Fund
Lends money to qualified women students to assist them in securing a higher education.
P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship Fund
Provides scholarships for international women students to pursue graduate study in the U.S. or Canada.
P.E.O. Program for Continuing Education
Provides need-based grants to women in the U.S. or Canada whose education has been interrupted and who find it necessary to return to school to support themselves and/or their families.
P.E.O. Scholar Awards
Provides substantial merit-based awards for women in the U.S. or Canada who are pursuing a doctoral-level degree at an accredited college or university.
P.E.O. STAR Scholarship
Awards scholarships to exceptional women in their final year of high school to attend an accredited postsecondary educational institution in the U.S. or Canada in the next academic year.
Cottey College
Welcoming women from all over the world, this nationally ranked, fully accredited liberal arts and sciences college for women offers baccalaureate degrees in a variety of majors.
You Can Make an Impact
Play a pivotal role in a woman’s life by establishing a permanently endowed fund in the P.E.O. Foundation.
Empowering Women through Education
If friendship is the cornerstone of P.E.O., then philanthropy is the bridge. P.E.O. has a shared mission of empowering women through education and our projects are an ongoing testament to that dedication.
Valentina Hormaechea
International Peace Scholarship Fund Recipient
Michaela Brantley
Program for Continuing Education Recipient
Brenda Varriano
Scholar Award Recipient
Our Sisterhood’s Impact on Women’s Education
Since its inception in 1869, P.E.O. has given approximately $462 million in financial assistance through our ELF, IPS, PCE, PSA and STAR projects to more than 129,000 women.
As of July 2025, P.E.O. has awarded:
EDUCATIONAL LOAN
FUND DOLLARS
INTERNATIONAL PEACE
SCHOLARSHIPS TOTALING
PROGRAM FOR CONTINUING
EDUCATION GRANTS TOTALING
SCHOLAR AWARDS
TOTALING
P.E.O. STAR
SCHOLARSHIPS TOTALING