AWHONN provides qualified members with opportunities to enhance their initiatives, both academic and professional; in addition recognize the tremendous efforts nurses do within their professions and communities outlined by AWHONN’s mission.

Refer back to this page throughout the year as new and open opportunities are posted.

Awards

Lifetime Achievement Award

Thank you to Kenvue for supporting the Lifetime Achievement Award

The Lifetime Achievement ward recognizes an AWHONN member who has made a significant contribution to the specialties of women’s health, obstetric and/or neonatal nursing. The Award is the organization’s highest honor.

The 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to:

Diane Lynn Spatz, PhD, RN-BC, FAAN, FAWHONN

The 2025 AWHONN Awards of Excellence recognizes and honors nurses who make extraordinary contributions in promoting the health of women, newborns, and families at the local, state, national, and international levels.  

Leadership Award

Teresa Horak, MS, RN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, FAWHONN

Education (Scholarly) Award

Diane DiTomasso, PhD, RN, IBCLC, FAWHONN

Practice Award

Miranda J. Wahnsiedler, MSN, BS, AGCNS-BC, RNC-OB, C-ONQS

Global Health Award

Joan Edwards, PhD, RN, CNS

Research Award

Denise Côté-Arsenault, PhD, RN, CPCLC, FNAP, FAAN

Each year, the editors of the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing (JOGNN) and Nursing for Women’s Health (NWH), in concert with their Editorial Advisory Boards, elevate the outstanding scholarship of one paper from their respective journal’s previous year’s volume and acknowledge the contribution of the paper with either the Best of JOGNN award or the NWH Excellence in Writing award.

Best of JOGNN Award

The 2025 Best of JOGNN Award goes to Patricia McGaughey, PhD, CNM, MSN, lead author of the article “Variation in Preterm Birth Rates Across Prenatal Care Sites in New York.”

Nursing for Women’s Health Excellence in Writing Award

The 2025 Nursing for Women’s Health Excellence in Writing Award goes to Jane Anyango, PhD, MSN, RN, lead author of the article “Thematic Synthesis of the Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence Among Mothers Who Use Substances.”

The EWEB Researcher Award is intended to assist new researchers in beginning areas of study, investigating clinical issues, or launching a pilot study.

Scholarships

Through the generous support of AWHONN’s charitable giving program, Every Woman, Every Baby, AWHONN is offering 35 Convention Scholarships to full members, and new this year, we will be offering 5 scholarships to student members. Members experiencing financial hardship and members of underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

 Applications must be submitted by March 31, 2025, 5 pm EST.

AWHONN offers two scholarships for registrations to the Synova NICU Leadership Forum. Scholarships are for full AWHONN members in new leadership positions within the last two years including nurses who are educators, managers, directors, and administrators in NICU clinical settings. Attendance will help you gain confidence in your role as a new leader, develop skills to navigate difficult conversations, understand how cultures and demographics impact your work, and advance your emotional intelligence to foster development of your team.

Applications closed.

AWHONN’s Every Woman, Every Baby, AWHONN is thrilled to award four individual hospitals/facilities/institutions with its highly regarded program, Perinatal Orientation and Education Program.

With POEP, your hospital/facility/institution can establish consistent educational support for the provision of high-quality care for mothers and newborns. To learn more about POEP, please visit the POEP page to learn more.

Application are now closed.

AWHONN’s Every Woman, Every Baby is thrilled to award four hospitals/facilities/institutions with its highly regarded program, Neonatal Orientation and Education Program (NOEP).

With NOEP, your facility can establish consistent provision of high-quality care for high-risk and vulnerable newborns. Learn more: noep.

Application is now closed.

2024-2025 AWHONN EBP Scholarships

Do you want to impact clinical practice in your facility? AWHONN is offering several opportunities for members to earn a scholarship to attend an evidence-based practice immersion program. We are excited to partner with The University of Iowa for the Advanced Practice Institute: Promoting Adoption of Evidence-Based Practice immersion and The Ohio State University for the Helene Fuld Health Trust National Institute for Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing and Healthcare immersion. The cost of the education for accepted scholars will be funded through Every Woman, Every Baby. For in-person attendance, a travel stipend will be awarded.

Applications are now closed, and all applicants will be notified of their status in July/August 2024.

Grants

AWHONN’s commitment to nursing research and scholarship is reflected in our 25-year history of funding nursing research and promoting evidence-based nursing care. Our program is designed primarily for researchers whose efforts are on the beginning developments of a program of research.

Awards are granted to researchers whose proposals investigate variables relevant to women’s health, obstetric, or neonatal nursing. Studies that are clinically focused and outcome based are a priority. Projects that focus on the nurse’s role in delivering cost-effective care in these sub specialties are encouraged and will also be considered.