current funds

Grants from the Women and Girls Fund

The Women and Girls Fund is both a component fund of The Community Foundation and a local movement to involve women in philanthropy. Initially established as a field of interest fund by the 2008-2009 Community Foundation Board of Governors, this fund enriches our community by addressing the needs of area women and girls. The founding vision is a fund made up 1,000 women, each willing to pledge $1,000. The long range goal, then, is a $1 million endowment. Specific strategies of the effort include empowering area women leaders to contribute “time, treasure and talent” on behalf of women and girls, as well as generating localized data to inform and guide charitable grant making. Grant funding recommendations are made at the direction of the fund’s membership of donors.

Funding in 2023

The Women and Girls Fund allocates money, time, and talent to address the critical needs of women and girls in our community. We wish to address persistent and systematic gender inequalities that not only dampen the lives of women and girls, but negatively impacts families, economies, and communities. Areas of focus include health, education, employment, safety and wellness of women.

It is important for applicants to demonstrate:

• Significant impact
• Fiscal responsibility
• Innovation/Creativity Collaboration
• Outreach to traditionally unappreciated populations
• Commitment to racial diversity and equity, and engagement for women and girls of color

What we fund:

Examples of program areas that the Women and Girls Fund does fund (by no means is this list exhaustive):

• Early education and childcare economic mobility
• Physical, mental and emotional health, safety and wellbeing
• Public safety nets and wraparound services
• Holisitic programming for girls

The Women and Girls Fund grant opportunity does not fund:

• Co-educational programs that do not clearly communicate the specific and unique aspects of women and girls
• Advancement of capital or endowment campaign
• Event sponsorship
• Political campaigns or promotion of candidates for public office
• Promotion of religious beliefs
• Scholarships that fund individual students

The Community Foundation will not award grant support to organizations that, in their constitution, bylaws or practices, discriminate against a person or group because of age, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation or religious belief. 

Grantees, however, may target services to a particular population when the targeted groups require specialized programs to meet specific needs not shared by the general population. 

Evaluation criteria:

The Women and Girls Fund will evaluate grant applications using the following criteria:  

Project narrative: 

• Connection to the mission and funding priorities of the Women and Girls Fund Service to women and girls is clearly specified, defined and articulate. Narrative provides a clear picture of all proposed actions and activities. 
• Project/program dates and locations are clearly addressed and anticipated. 
• Roles and responsibilities are defined and work to strengthen/enhance the project. 
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Project demonstrates how it will be inclusive/accessible to all applicable audiences. 
• Funding Sources: Project has an achievable funding plan and is not 100% dependent upon grant award. 
• Budget: Budget clearly defines where awarded funds will be applied 

Funding details:

Available funding: one-time award $50,000 

Application timeline:  

Application opens: Monday, January 9, 2023 

Application closes: Thursday, February 23, 2023, 5 pm 

Additional information may be requested once your application is reviewed. 

Funding decisions will be made by a membership vote Live Ballot event: April TBD

Award notifications to follow.