AABCF Amy E Polk Scholarship Application 2026

Application Deadline: MARCH 1, 2026

The AABC Foundation is accepting applications for the Amy Ellen Polk Memorial Scholarship. The annual scholarship provides a tuition grant for a How to Start a Birth Center Workshop offered by the American Association of Birth Centers. If the recipient attends an in-person workshop, an additional $500 is awarded for travel expenses.

The workshop is offered in two formats:

Online course that you can complete at your own pace, in your own home
Multi-day, in-person workshop. In 2026 the workshop will be offered October 27-29 in Indianapolis, Indiana, immediately preceding the AABC Birth Institute

Who can apply? An eligible candidate must:

Be actively working on the development of a freestanding birth center in their community.
Demonstrate financial need.

Follow these steps for your best scholarship application.

Download the Amy E Polk Scholarship Application Overview
Review tips for a strong application
Prepare your application answers
Complete and submit the online scholarship application.

Tip: Bookmark this page so you can return to your application.

Question Title

* 1. Provide your contact information.

Name *

Organization

Address *

City/Town *

State/Province *

ZIP/Postal Code *

Country

Email Address *

Phone Number *

Question Title

* 2. How would you take the AABC How to Start a Birth Center Workshop?

In-person

Online

Not sure at this time

Question Title

* 3. What is your experience with birth centers? (150 words)

Question Title

* 4. Why do you want to open a birth center? (150 words)

Question Title

* 5. Provide a timeline of your development process to open a birth center, and describe your progress. What and when was the last action you took in this process? (150 words)

Question Title

* 6. What resources have you brought together towards your goal of establishing a birth center? This includes, but is not limited to, staff, funds, equipment, community support, etc. (150 words)

AABCF Amy E Polk Scholarship Application 2026

Question Title

* 1. Provide your contact information.

Question Title

* 2. How would you take the AABC How to Start a Birth Center Workshop?

Question Title

* 3. What is your experience with birth centers? (150 words)

Question Title

* 4. Why do you want to open a birth center? (150 words)

Question Title

* 5. Provide a timeline of your development process to open a birth center, and describe your progress. What and when was the last action you took in this process? (150 words)

Question Title

* 6. What resources have you brought together towards your goal of establishing a birth center? This includes, but is not limited to, staff, funds, equipment, community support, etc. (150 words)

Question Title

* 7. How do you plan to serve diverse communities and create equity? (150 words)

Question Title

* 8. Why do you need financial assistance to attend the AABC How to Start a Birth Center Workshop? (150 words)

Question Title

* 9. Which topic(s) of the AABC How to Start a Birth Center Workshop are you most looking forward to? (150 words)