Thanks to the very generous donations of the Chuck Dowler family and the Keith Sawyer family, the Des Moines Woodturners offer a scholarship program for the benefit of chapter members. Woodturning can be an expensive endeavor.  The cost of equipment such as a lathe, bandsaw, chainsaw, sharpening system, buffing system and the myriad of items like drive centers, scroll chucks, live centers, adapters, jaws, and faceplates can mount rapidly.  In addition is the cost of turning tools, embellishing tools, specialty tools and a host of accessories, supplies and finishing products, not to mention the cost of wood if you don’t have the capacity to harvest your own.

By the same token, three and five day woodturning educational events are also expensive when located out-of-state.  Travel costs, lodging and tuition can easily run $1,000 to $1,700 per event. 

This scholarship is not intended as a source of financial aid for those who might otherwise not be able to afford the educational experience.  Instead, it is offered as an incentive to those serious about woodturning who are willing to expand their skills and knowledge and bring those skill-sets back to share with our members in a variety of ways – just as Chuck Dowler did.  The scholarship can effectively provide recipients anywhere from a 25% to 50% discount toward the overall cost of their attendance expenses.

The purpose of the scholarship is to expand personal woodturning skills and knowledge and share their experience with fellow members by:

• Attending Chapter events and sharing their learning experience with other members
• Showing examples of their work as a result of their learning experience
• Demonstrating what they learned at a future chapter meeting, event, or class
• Sharing their overall learning experience and confidence building experience with other members
• Encouraging other members to expand their woodturning skills via similar educational experiences
• Volunteering for Chapter leadership positions (wide variety of opportunities)

Examples of event costs in 2019:

• Marc Adams two day course on turning & finishing burls & curls with Seri Robinson is $330 plus $200 mat’l fee.  Min two nights lodging at $120/night is $240, Travel at $0.14/mi is $121 RT DM to Marc Adams School equals $891  ($445/day)

• AAW Annual three day Symposium is approximately $400 registration fee, $350 – $600 round trip airfare depending on location. Min three nights lodging at $140/night = $420 for total average cost of $1,295 ($432/day) + meals/banquet/vendor shopping!

• Marc Adams five day course with Al Stirt is $825 plus $45 material fee ($174/day). Min five nights lodging at $120/night is $600, Travel at $0.14/mi is $121 RT DM to Marc Adams School is $1,591 ($318/day)

• Jimmy Clewes classes are $650 for 3 days, including lunch.  Add for air fare, car rental, lodging, meals in Las Vegas, NV

• Trent Bosch classes are $600 for 3 days, including lunch.  Add for air fare, car rental, lodging, meals in Fort Collins, CO

• Arrowmont classes average $800 for 7 days.  Add for air fare, car rental, lodging, meals in Gatlinburg, TN (Agar, Ellsworth, etc.)

• David Ellsworth 3-day class is $800 incl materials and 3 healthy meals/day.  Add for air fare, car rental, lodging near Ashville, NC

Our sincere gratitude to the Dowler and Sawyer families for designating our Chapter for memorial gifts.

This scholarship fund is managed by and future funded by donations and Des Moines Woodturners Inc., an AAW Chapter and IRS approved 501(c)(3) non-profit adult educational organization.

Scholarship Criteria

• Scholarships will only be awarded for woodturning education of two days length or longer (a minimum 14 hrs of scheduled woodturning education) conducted by recognized professionals or instructors in a structured learning environment.  Examples of approved venues include 2-day or longer Regional and National AAW symposiums, Arrowmont School of Arts and Craft, John C. Campbell Folk School, Marc Adams School of Woodworking, Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Dale L. Nish School of Woodturning, and a host of professional woodturner multi-day woodturning courses taught in the instructor’s studio.  To verify they qualify, contact the scholarship committee chair for clarification on courses you’re considering.
• Members of the Scholarship Committee are not eligible to apply but other Chapter board members, volunteers and members at large are eligible if they meet all eligibility criteria.
• Applicants must have been members of both DMWT for at least 2 years prior to applying.  They must also be members in good standing of DMWT the calendar year the scholarship is scheduled for use, plus, the following calendar year.  
• Applicants must have a basic understanding of woodturning techniques and safety prior to applying.  This can be illustrated by showing their work and proficiencies at regular Chapter meeting events.  They must also own a working woodturning lathe, basic high-speed steel woodturning tools, an adequate sharpening system and personal safety equipment such as ANSI Z81+ face shield, safety glasses and ideally dust and hearing protection.  (NOTE: Some schools and classes allow finish sanding and don’t have adequate dust collection and air cleaning equipment.  In addition, large classes can be quite noisy for extended periods of time.)
• Applicants apply by submitting the Woodturning Scholarship Application  Form prior to the application deadline date. The application deadline dates, grant dates (notification deadline) and learning experience completed deadlines are published below. 
• A member may receive a scholarship no more than once in a consecutive three year period.
• Submissions not meeting criteria will be rejected, and applicants notified.
• Eligible applicants are interviewed by the Scholarship Committee and scored based on yet to be determined criteria. If number of applicants becomes overwhelming, a two-step method will be applied where applications are screened and narrowed down to a select group for in-person interviews with the scholarship committee.
• The Scholarship Committee is not required to select any applicant. If all applicants fall below the selection criteria, then none will be selected. The decision to grant a Scholarship is at the sole discretion of the Scholarship Committee.
• All applicants will be notified of the Scholarship Committee’s decision prior to the Date of Grant deadline shown below. This is approximately six weeks after the application deadline.
• The Scholarship Committee may grant up to a maximum of $500 per quarter year.  The Scholarship Committee will consult with the Board of Directors annually and adjust the maximum award amount as prudent and appropriate.
• Scholarship funds will be reimbursed after the successful completion of course of study by submitting  receipts for course/symposium tuition and proof of completion/attendance.  Scholarship funds can be used to assist with tuition/symposium fees, lodging or transportation expenses that in total, exceed value of scholarship.  Scholarship funds will be paid within 10 days after receipt of all necessary proof of completion and reasonable costs of attendance greater than the scholarship amount.
• Scholarship grants must be used within 14 months after award notification. See the chart of deadline dates for reference.
• If a scholarship recipient cannot complete the approved learning experience prior to the deadline, due to reasonable life circumstances that arise after notification of the scholarship grant, the recipient shall notify the Scholarship Committee, who will meet to review circumstances and determine whether to extend the completion deadline or forfeit the grant. 
• All decisions of the Scholarship Committee are final.

Scholarship Committee: Mike Hamilton (Chair), Doug Lundberg

APPLICATION DEADLINE	DATE OF GRANT	EXPERIENCE COMPLETE BY
April 15, 2022	June 1, 2022	July 31, 2023
July 15, 2022	September 1, 2022	October 31, 2023
October 15, 2022	December 1, 2022	January 31, 2024
January 15, 2023	March 1, 2023	April 30, 2024
April 15, 2023	June 1, 2023	July 31, 2024
July 15, 2023	September 1, 2023	October 31, 2024
October 15, 2023	December 1, 2023	January 31, 2025
January 15, 2024	March 1, 2024	April 30, 2025

To view a printable PDF version of the above information, click HERE.

To view a printable PDF of the scholarship application form, click HERE.