WEEKLY NEWS // DECEMBER 12, 2024

// FROM THE DESK OF RASHMI YADAV MARYA, BOARD CHAIR, WOMEN'S FUNDING NETWORK

Join WFN: A Year of Impact & Vision for 2025

Dear Colleagues,

As we step into 2025, I am honored to reflect on the impact we made together in 2024 and invite you to renew or join the Women’s Funding Network (WFN) as a member. As the largest global funding alliance for gender equity and justice, WFN unites over 130 grantmakers, nonprofits, corporations, and individuals who invest $1.4 billion annually in advancing economic security, education, leadership, and the well-being of marginalized genders worldwide.

In 2024, we empowered our members through resources like the Advocacy and Policy Virtual Help Desk, bi-monthly Policy Newsletters on critical issues, and election-focused feminist philanthropy strategies. WFN hosted transformative gatherings, including a transnational delegation in Mexico City for the inauguration of the country’s first female president and the launch of the Just Rise Fund, a bold new investment prototype. Peer communities thrived with virtual and in-person meet-ups, fostering vital connections for collective action.

We are fortunate to have incredible partners who enhance our capacity to make an impact and drive change. Our institutional funders have been astounding philanthropic collaborators. Additionally, we were deeply grateful for the legacy of the late Sue Miess from Tucson, Arizona, whose generous bequest to WFN has touched us profoundly.

Looking ahead, join us at Feminist Funded ’25 on September 10-11 (with an optional global policy action day on September 9) in Washington, D.C., for WFN’s 40th anniversary global conference. This landmark event will convene global leaders to co-create a more just and equitable world.

Now is the time to become part of this thriving community. Together, we can amplify our shared vision for gender justice.

Warm regards,

Rashmi Yadav Marya
Women’s Funding Network
Chair, Board of Directors

You're Invited

RSVP to be the first to hear about ticket sales for Feminist Funded '25, presented by the Women's Funding Network. The 2023 conference was a sold-out event. This is an opportunity you won't want to miss.

September 10-11, 2025 in Washington, D.C.
Optional Policy Action Day on September 9, 2025

RSVP for Feminist Funded '25 Here

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Submit content for the newsletter here.

News from WFN

NEW MEMBER & 2025 WFN MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL

Our network thrives on the strength and diversity of our members. Please join us in welcoming new WFN member Leela Bilmes Goldstein, and in appreciating WFN members who have renewed for 2025:

Fondo Semillas
I Be Black Girl
Sara Boyd
Shruthi Jayaram
The David & Lucile Packard Foundation
Women Win

If you have questions about WFN membership, please contact us.

News from WFN Members

MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENTS

Join us in congratulating Julienne Lusenge, Director of the Fund for Congolese Women and leader of SOFEPADI for being selected as one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2024.

Congratulations to Washington Area Women's Foundation's President & CEO, Tamara Wilds Lawson, for being named the Washington Business Journal’s 2024 Nonprofit Leader of the Year.

The Women's Foundation California is unwavering in its dedication to building a multigenerational, cross-cultural movement that fosters hope, resilience, and justice. In their 2024 Annual Report, readers will see not only the impact of their collective work, but also the hope and determination that define them.

The Women's Fund of Hawai'i has released their Annual Report for 2024. Read along as they share more about the strides that the organization has made over the past year.

Women’s Fund of Central Indiana's new report, The State of Women in Central Indiana paints a picture of what it’s like to be a woman in Central Indiana. It includes regional and statewide data on the health, wellbeing, and safety of women. It will allow for better policy, support, and decision-making for Central Indiana women.

Working for Women knows that empowering women is key to breaking the cycle of financial insecurity. Women are not just breadwinners—they are community builders, leaders, and innovators. With CareerCircle, they're creating pathways that enable women to move beyond barriers and into jobs that pay well and offer real opportunities for advancement. Read their case study here.

Victorian Women's Trust has prepared a Maternal Care Survey to gain a deeper understanding of people's birth experiences in Australia (including non-binary and trans parents). Responses will help them advocate for evidence-based strategies and policy recommendations to drive meaningful change in maternity care.

Australia's first digital archive of women's speeches, Madam Speaker is a collaboration between the Victorian Women's Trust and digital agency, Your Creative. This new resource will platform women's vital contributions throughout Australian history. Learn more here and contribute here.

MEMBER EVENTS

Have questions about the Jeannette Rankin Foundation Scholar Grant application? Join them on Wednesday evenings until February 12, 2025 for applicant support. Learn about grants here and register for a support session here.

December 18, 2024 | 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. PST | Register here

Early bird registration for ABFE's 2025 Annual Conference, Harambee is available now through December 16. Join them as they honor the work they've done, the challenges they’ve overcome, and the bold steps they’ll take together toward a more just future.

April 6 - 9, 2025 | Register here

Opportunities and Resources

Join the DC Girls' Coalition, for its 2025 Youth Town Hall—a powerful platform amplifying the voices of youth of color in D.C. This inspiring event invites city leaders to hear directly from young people about the challenges impacting their lives and communities while exploring collaborative solutions.

January 22, 2025 | 5:00 - 8:30 p.m. EST | Register here

Radiant Strategies' Freedom School for Philanthropy Cohort for Women Donors is being held in Los Angeles, CA. Join peers from across multiple women donor networks for 3.5 days of moving equity and justice-centered values into our philanthropic practice.

February 4 - 7, 2025 | Register here

Join funders from across the country for Funders Together to End Homelessness' 2025 Funders Forum in Los Angeles, CA. The event will be held in conjunction with the National Alliance to End Homelessness' 2025 Innovations & Solutions for Ending Unsheltered Homelessness Conference.

February 25, 2025 | 9:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. PST | Register here

Save The Date for The Funders Network's 25th Anniversary Conference in Baltimore, MD. This gathering will bring together place-based, regional and national funders to deepen their learning, share their strategies, and broaden their professional networks.

March 17, 2025 | 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 a.m. EDT | Register here

What We're Reading

How Latinas Are Combating The Wage Gap Via Entrepreneurship — Forbes

Researchers Counted All the Biases Women Face at Work. You’re Going to Be Shocked by the Number —Inc.

What We're Watching

Danielle Brooks opens up about what she's learned as a woman in Hollywood, telling the camera, "Ya'll do need to pay us more!"

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