Dear John,

What a year! While 2024 brought some incredible challenges, we found joy and strength in community, and celebrated huge wins that will allow us to go even further in driving change. We marked the close of the largest fundraising campaign in the Foundation’s history, surpassing our goal of raising $100 million in honor of our 50th anniversary. We expanded our involvement in the global feminist movement. We hosted events that brought folks from all walks of life together in the fight for gender and racial justice.

As I look back on the year, I can’t help but think of all the incredible voices we heard from – voices of young people, voices of movement elders, voices that have historically been silenced. This diverse set of voices elevating in concert is essential to achieving an equitable society. 

At our annual Ms. on Martha’s event, I had the opportunity to have a conversation with reproductive justice foremother Byllye Avery, who has been using her voice for the movement for decades. At our Women of Vision Awards, we heard the powerful voices of feminist leaders and activists. We also had many voices come to the table, from new staff and board members, to our trailblazing grantee partners. 

As I reflect on all the voices we’ve heard this year, I can’t forget the voices we won’t hear in 2025, like that of Nikki Giovanni, a legendary poet, writer, and activist. I’ll close with one of my favorite quotes from her work: 

“We’ve got to live in the real world. If we don’t like the world we’re living in, change it. And if we can’t change it, we change ourselves. We can do something.” 

Here at Ms. Foundation, we remain steadfast in our commitment to amplify voices as we move towards achieving true equity. We’re wishing you and your loved ones a very happy holiday, and we can’t wait to continue this work with you in the new year. 

In solidarity,

Grantee Partner Spotlight: African American Roundtable

When Ryeshia Farmer was just five years old, she could already see the disparities segregation caused in her home town of Milwaukee. Now, she and the African American Roundtable are working to organize, nurture, and transform Black leaders to build power in service of Black liberation. 

Learn more about the organization's important work in our latest grantee partner spotlight.

Join us on Bluesky!

Exciting news – Ms. Foundation has joined Bluesky, the social media platform! If you or your organization are on the platform, we’d love to connect there – you can find us at @msfoundation.bsky.social. 

If you’re not following us on other platforms, we’d love to connect there as well! You can find us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube!

We're Hiring!

Reporting to the Chief of Programs, the Director of Grants Management within the Grantmaking and Capacity Building Department will advance the Foundation’s overall strategies and goals through effective grants management across the Foundation’s grantmaking programs, initiatives, and donor advised funds. 

We are seeking a director with a stellar record of equity-centered, trust-based, values-driven grantmaking practice, people-centered collaboration, and change management experience. To learn more and apply, head to our website!