** OCTOBER 30, 2020
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Elizabeth Headshot Dear Colleagues,

A recent report ([link removed]) from TCC Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, examined how philanthropy support organizations (PSOs ([link removed]) ) advance community power building, noting that funders are increasingly investing in strategies to build power within communities of color and other traditionally marginalized groups.

There was one glaring omission in the report, however: it failed to include gender justice PSOs, like the Women’s Funding Network, and therefore excluded the stories of your triumphs, learnings, and dedication to building local leadership and influence at the intersection of race and gender.
Unfortunately, the exclusion of gender justice from these types of conversations is something we see often, and seek to address. There is no racial justice without gender justice. That’s why our intersectional feminist approach is so profound. Marginalized genders are represented in each and every demographic, socioeconomic, ethnic and geographic group.

After decades of deep relationship- and trust-building in our communities, women’s foundations and gender justice funders have been able to mobilize in this moment faster and with more effectiveness than any other philanthropic sector.

In June, Women’s Funding Network launched the Response, Recovery and Resilience Collaborative Fund ([link removed]) (RRRCF), a multi-million-dollar initiative to support women’s funds and foundations as they adapted to the pandemic while remaining committed to their grantmaking and advocacy for the women and girls most impacted by systemic racism and injustice. Examples of COVID-19 response include Women’s Fund of Greater Birmingham, which created a rapid response fund to support child care centers serving children of essential employees in high-need areas throughout Alabama. The Women's Foundation of Minnesota deployed $500,000 in emergency grants to organizations serving women and girls experiencing gender-based violence, older women and those who need short-term financial support due to the effects of the pandemic. And the Canadian Women’s Foundation created a $1 million national emergency fund to provide
critical support to women and girls through the COVID-19 crisis.

This month, nine of your colleagues are building on their COVID response work with the launch local “hubs” as part of the Women’s Funding Network’s regional Women’s Economic Mobility Hub ([link removed]) project, an 18-month effort funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to increase support and resources necessary to advance economic mobility among women and girls. The project is being launched at a pivotal time when economic mobility is essential to surviving the financial uncertainties resulting from the COVID-19 crisis.

You’re also deploying game-changing whole-family ([link removed]) funding strategies that aim to lift entire families out of generational disparities in employment, education, health, housing and economic mobility. We were thrilled to highlight your efforts in our announcement yesterday of the release of Whole Family Approaches to Economic Mobility: A Funder’s Guide to Supporting Multigenerational Policy and Practice ([link removed]) , ([link removed]) made possible through a partnership between WFN and Ascend at the Aspen Institute ([link removed]) with funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation ([link removed]) .

Thank you for all you do. Just days away from the U.S. general election, we know your work is helping to mobilize diverse and powerful participation in civic society all over the world.

Thank you for your courage and dedication.

Yours for equity and justice,
Elizabeth Barajas-Román
Women’s Funding Network
President & CEO


** OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES
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Women's Funding Network and Ascend at the Aspen Institute released a new toolkit, "Whole Family Approaches to Economic Mobility: A Funder’s Guide to Supporting Multigenerational Policy and Practice," ([link removed]) which offers tools and resources to address community needs through multigenerational family — "2Gen" — programming and policies.

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Ascend at the Aspen Institute released a new report, 2Gen Platforms for Scale: Whole-Family Approaches Rooted in Community with National Reach ([link removed]) , which captures insights and lessons of the pioneering practitioners leading Community Action Agencies, women’s funds, community colleges, Head Start programs, and workforce development boards.


** WFN MEMBER INITIATIVES
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The Women's Foundation of Colorado (WFCO) will be hosting a virtual screening of the documentary, (In)Visible Portraits, which shatters the too-often invisible othering of Black women in America and reclaims the true narrative as told in their words. Following the screening, there will be The Color of Conversation with WFCO President & CEO, Lauren Y. Casteel, Director, Oge Egbuonu and Festival Founder, Stephanie Rance.

November 13, 2020
6 p.m. MST
Register here ([link removed]) !
[link removed]
Join The Women's Foundation of Greater St. Louis (WFSTL) for the virtual 2020 Women in the Workplace Employment Scorecard. Since 2017, WFSTL has evaluated policies, practices and outcomes of employers in the St. Louis region through its Women in the Workplace: Employment Scorecard Initiative, which incentivizes and educates employers to create workplaces where women can thrive.

November 11
12:00pm CST
Register here ([link removed]) !
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The Women's Fund of Western Massachusetts will be hosting a virtual, interactive workshop, "How To Build Career Stamina When the Ground Keeps Shifting," ([link removed]) where career expert, Dr. Nayla Bahri, will explore the ways to reclaim and rebuild agency, even in uncertain times.

Tuesday, November 10, 2020
3:00-5:00pm
Register here ([link removed]) !
[link removed]
How Women Lead will be hosting #GetOnBoard Week, an exciting virtual summit with 20+ board-related activities for board-ready and active female board directors. Thousands of board seats for women are opening up in the coming years, and now is the time to support your corporate board journey.

November 16-20, 2020
REGISTER TODAY! ([link removed])


** WEEKLY READ
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Women could decide the 2020 presidential election. - New York Times ([link removed])

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"Is it too late to hope for a Black woman on the Supreme court?" Read a reflection ([link removed]) on the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett and the need for a woman of color in the Court.
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NBC's Know Your Value ([link removed]) spotlights several women who are pushing through barriers and spreading positivity, kindness, support and awareness during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Black women were among the fastest-growing entrepreneurs, then COVID arrived. - Forbes ([link removed])
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Human rights groups are calling for a boycott of a business conference launching this week in Saudi Arabia due to the country's imprisonment of women's rights activists. - NBC News ([link removed])

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Read an opinion piece ([link removed]) on the global effect of the Trump administration on women and girls.
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In Arkansas, falling behind on rent can lead to jail time. Evictions in Arkansas can snowball from criminal charges to arrests to jail time because of a 119-year-old law that mostly impacts female, black and low-income renters. - ProPublica ([link removed])

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COVID-19 is having detrimental effects on millions of girls around the world. Here ([link removed]) 's how you can drive change in your own community.

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WATCH: These Black women voters in Detroit, Michigan, explain why they're voting in the 2020 presidential election.


** Browse the New WFN Website!
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