The AnitaB.org Pass-It-On Awards are among the most distinctively structured recognition programs in the women-in-computing landscape. Unlike fellowships or scholarships that require nomination by an academic institution or application to a formal committee, Pass-It-On Awards are community-driven: they are designed to fund the ideas of women in computing who want to start or expand a project that helps other women in the field — mentorship programs, outreach initiatives, community workshops, or research efforts with a community-development dimension. The awards are relatively modest in dollar terms but carry significant community recognition within the AnitaB.org ecosystem, particularly among the Systers network and the Grace Hopper Celebration community. Understanding how Pass-It-On Awards work, who receives them, and what makes a successful application requires understanding the AnitaB.org philosophy as much as the formal award structure.
AnitaB.org and Its Mission
AnitaB.org — the organization formerly known as the Anita Borg Institute — was founded in 1997 by computer scientist Anita Borg and historian Telle Whitney to increase the representation of women in computing and to connect, inspire, and guide women in computing. The organization runs the Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC), the world's largest gathering of women and non-binary technologists, which attracts over 30,000 attendees annually. It also administers the Systers mailing list and online community — one of the oldest continuously operating professional communities for women in computing, now with hundreds of thousands of members globally.
The Pass-It-On Awards reflect the AnitaB.org philosophy that the most effective way to advance women in computing is to support women who are already working to help other women — funding the grassroots organizers, mentors, and community builders who operate at the local and institutional level rather than primarily recognizing individual academic achievement.
What Are Pass-It-On Awards?
Pass-It-On Awards provide funding to women in computing to support projects that will benefit other women in technology. The awards are typically in the range of $500–$1,000 per recipient (amounts vary by cycle and available funding). While the dollar amount is modest relative to fellowships like NSF GRFP or the Hertz Foundation Fellowship, the Pass-It-On Awards' value lies primarily in their community endorsement and in the network they connect recipients to, rather than in the financial support alone.
Projects funded by Pass-It-On Awards have included: workshops teaching women engineers negotiation and salary advocacy skills; outreach programs bringing computing education to underserved middle schools; mentorship matching programs within university CS departments; open-source projects addressing specific barriers women face in technical roles; and documentation and research efforts quantifying the state of women in computing in specific institutions or regions.
Recipients are expected to "pass it on" — to use the award to create programming, tools, or community that benefits other women, not to fund their own individual research or education. This community-orientation distinguishes Pass-It-On Awards from conventional academic fellowships and makes the selection criteria substantially different.
Eligibility Requirements
Pass-It-On Awards are open to women — including undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty, researchers, and industry professionals — who are working in computing or closely related technical fields. The awards are international in scope; AnitaB.org has distributed Pass-It-On Awards to recipients in the US, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
There is no GPA threshold, no publication requirement, and no institutional nomination required. The award is open to women at any career stage, including early undergraduates with a compelling community project concept. Non-binary individuals are also welcome to apply in many award cycles — AnitaB.org's inclusive community orientation is reflected in the eligibility language, which evolves over time; the current cycle's eligibility criteria should be confirmed on the AnitaB.org website at the time of application.
The key eligibility factor is having a concrete project plan that benefits other women in computing. Applicants who want to fund their own education or personal research are better served by other award programs; Pass-It-On selection reviewers are evaluating community impact potential, not individual academic trajectory.
How the Application Works
Pass-It-On Award applications are typically accepted through AnitaB.org's online application portal. The application asks applicants to describe: the project they intend to fund; the specific women in computing the project will serve; how the award funds will be used; and how the applicant will measure the project's impact. Letters of support from community members or colleagues who can speak to the project's value are typically included.
The review process is conducted by AnitaB.org staff and community members. Selection criteria prioritize projects with clear community benefit, feasible plans given the award amount, and potential for ongoing impact beyond the immediate project (i.e., projects that seed something sustainable, not one-time events without lasting output).
Awards are announced on a rolling or annual basis depending on the funding cycle. Many Pass-It-On Awards are distributed in connection with the Grace Hopper Celebration, where recipients are recognized within the conference community. The GHC connection gives the awards a visibility and community endorsement that significantly exceeds what the dollar amount alone would generate.
The Systers Network Connection
The Systers community — AnitaB.org's online professional network for women in computing — is where many Pass-It-On Award announcements, calls for applications, and recipient stories circulate. For women who are not already Systers members, joining the community is both directly useful for networking and practically valuable for staying informed about Pass-It-On Award timelines and application windows.
Past Pass-It-On recipients frequently continue as active Systers community members and become informal advocates for the program within their own institutions and networks. The Pass-It-On Award alumni community is a meaningful subset of the broader Systers network and can provide peer mentorship for applicants developing their project proposals.
Pass-It-On Awards vs. Other AnitaB.org Programs
AnitaB.org also runs the GHC Scholars program (formerly Grace Hopper Celebration Scholarships), which funds women to attend the Grace Hopper Celebration — covering conference registration, travel, and lodging for students and early-career professionals who would not otherwise be able to attend. GHC Scholars and Pass-It-On Award recipients are different populations with different selection criteria, though there is significant overlap in the AnitaB.org community from which both draw.
Women considering AnitaB.org programs should evaluate both: GHC Scholars if the goal is attending the Celebration and accessing its networking and career development resources; Pass-It-On Awards if the goal is funding a community project. Both are legitimate entry points into the AnitaB.org ecosystem and both carry community recognition within that ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Anita Borg Pass-It-On Award?
A community-impact award of $500–$1,000 from AnitaB.org for women in computing who want to fund projects benefiting other women in the field. Unlike academic fellowships, Pass-It-On Awards fund community programming, outreach, mentorship initiatives, and research with community-development dimensions — not individual educational costs.
Who is eligible for the AnitaB.org Pass-It-On Award?
Women (and in many cycles, non-binary individuals) in computing at any career stage — undergraduate, graduate, faculty, researcher, or industry professional. International applicants are eligible. No GPA threshold, publication record, or institutional nomination is required. The key criterion is a concrete project plan benefiting other women in computing.
How much is the Pass-It-On Award?
Typically $500–$1,000 per recipient, varying by cycle and funding availability. The award's value extends beyond the dollar amount to community recognition within the AnitaB.org and Grace Hopper Celebration ecosystem, which can be substantial for recipients working in women-in-computing organizing and advocacy.
How do you apply for the AnitaB.org Pass-It-On Award?
Through AnitaB.org's online application portal. The application asks for a project description, the target community the project will serve, a budget for how the funds will be used, and a plan for measuring impact. Letters of support from community members or colleagues are typically included. Application windows vary by cycle — monitor the AnitaB.org website and Systers community for announcements.
What is the Systers community and how does it relate to Pass-It-On Awards?
Systers is AnitaB.org's online professional network for women in computing, one of the oldest continuous online communities for women technologists. Pass-It-On Award announcements, application calls, and recipient stories frequently circulate through Systers. Joining the Systers community is valuable both for networking and for staying informed about Pass-It-On Award timelines.
What kinds of projects do Pass-It-On Awards fund?
Mentorship programs, outreach workshops for underserved communities, salary negotiation training, open-source projects addressing barriers women face in technical roles, and research documenting the state of women in computing in specific institutions or regions. Projects must benefit other women in computing — individual education or personal research is not within the award's scope.