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WEEKLY NEWS // NOVEMBER 16, 2021
Becoming More Community Centric
This week, in celebration of National Philanthropy Day, we are excited to hear from one of our local heroes Nicole M. Young-Martin, Community Investments Manager at the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts, as our guest contributor.
Nicole shares her insights and experience with us on how a local women’s fund is changing the very nature of philanthropy right in their backyard – and how the global community of women’s funds, foundations, and gender justice funders across the world can use and deploy the principles she identifies as key to our collective values rooted in feminist funding:
- Community Decision-Making and Local Leadership
- Engage Youth early in Community Decisions
- Provide Operational Support grants for Nonprofits
- Building in Anti-Racist Policies into Philanthropy
- Seek Experience of Local Subject Matter Experts
In recognition of National Philanthropy Day in the US, we celebrate the values that tie this community together and the special nature of community-based funds and foundations that are supported by their communities, and that draw on local leadership to fund in their communities.
Women’s foundations were born out of the intersectional values of centering gender and race as a key principle to affecting lasting change. They pioneered participatory grantmaking and including the voices and leadership of those most impacted. They raise the dollars that they grant out. They take a multigenerational approach to solving problems. And most of all, they build strong local community engagement around the most pressing needs of their most vulnerable populations.
Our sincere thanks for all that you do.
~The WFN Team
What is the Signal for Help?
The Signal for Help, created by The Canadian Women’s Foundation, a WFN member, is a nonverbal hand signal that provides a way to discreetly communicate when someone needs help. The #SignalForHelp campaign is an example of philanthropy in action, and is just one way in which WFN and our members are promoting justice and equality for women and girls.
WFN Member News
The Women's Foundation of Boston will also be hosting a 2021 Information Session on Thursday, December 2 from 12:00pm-1:00pm EST, where you can learn how The Women's Foundation economically empowers Greater Boston women and girls. To register, click here.
The Women's Fund of Greater Milwaukee presents "Disruptors, Changing the Power Dynamics." During this annual event which also includes a virtual option, the Women’s Fund deepens the community conversation about gender and race and the impact of intersectionality for women in Milwaukee.
November 18, 2021 | 11:30am - 1:30pm
Decades of hard-fought gender equity progress have vanished over the past 18 months as women have been pushed out of the workforce in record numbers due to COVID-19 while taking on increased childcare and caregiving responsibilities. To address these challenges head-on, The Chicago Foundation for Women (CFW) has announced SHEcovery – a commitment from the Foundation to fund, support, and build a more equitable system that supports all women, but especially Women of Color. To learn more, click here.
Join The Women’s Foundation of Minnesota for their virtual convening, Road to Transformation Listening Series: Themes & Solutions. This will be a conversation with leaders and advocates across the state about the themes and solutions that emerged in their most recent Listening Series with women and girls across Minnesota.
December 7, 2021 | 3:00pm-4:00pm
Join The Women's Foundation of Colorado (WFCO) for their next Chat4Change, The Great Resignation: Why Work Isn’t Working for Women. The WFCO President and CEO Lauren Y. Casteel will chat with Katica Roy, gender economist, CEO and founder of Denver-based Pipeline, about the future of women’s participation in the workforce.
November 30, 2021 | 5:00-6:30pm
The Women's Foundation of Colorado is hiring a new Director of Development. To learn more, click here. Apply by November 22.
New Hampshire Women's Foundation is hosting their 17th annual WomenBuilding Luncheon, virtually. Join them for an exciting conversation about gender justice philanthropy, the future of the women’s funding movement, and the Women’s Foundation’s new strategic priorities. The program features special guests Teresa C. Younger, President and CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women, and Jennifer Lockwood-Shabat, former President and CEO of the Washington Area Women’s Foundation, as well as our She Change grant recipients, and several New Hampshire girls.
December 1, 2021 | 12:00pm - 1:30pm
The Village Giving Circle at Texas Women’s Foundation celebrated with its members and supporters and announced that it had given a record $260,000 in funds to 16 nonprofit organizations whose missions support the African American community in North Texas. To learn more about The Village Giving Circle, click here.
Join The Ascend Fund for a discussion with author Rebecca Sive about her new book, Make Herstory Your Story, a tool to help today's activists find and raise the volume on their own voices and formulate a plan for change.
January 19, 2022 | 12:00pm EST
Register here and pre-order your copy of the book from bookshop.org.
The Fund for Women and Girls had a successful 5th Annual Champions of Change Event on October 27, 2021, held at the Farmhouse Bistro at People's Light. The event raised over $45,000 in support of local women and girls. A full recording of the event and program highlights are available on their website and YouTube channel.
Opportunities and Resources
Join The Ascend Fund for a discussion with author Rebecca Sive about her new book, Make Herstory Your Story, a tool to help today's activists find and raise the volume on their own voices and formulate a plan for change.
January 19, 2022 | 12:00pm EST
Register here and pre-order your copy of the book from bookshop.org.
The Wallace Foundation has released a new report, Summer for All: Building Coordinated Networks to Promote Access to Quality Summer Learning and Enrichment Opportunities Across a Community.
Join Hispanics In Philanthropy for #LatinxGive, their campaign to to inspire giving by and for the Latino community in the run up to #GivingTuesday on November 30, the largest day of online giving around the world. To learn more, click here.
Join Wake Up & Vote and The People Votes in New York City for an in-person Friendraiser for Movement Media’s We Vote AND Program. In an era when non-stop digital media shapes opinions, drives action, and changes minds, Movement Media provides grassroots groups with the media support and tools to execute entertainment-forward, data-driven, digital content programs designed to increase voter turnout, enhance grassroots on-the-ground efforts and build these groups' long term capacity beyond election day.
November 29, 2021 | 6:30pm-8:00pm | dieFirma
The Women’s Forum is opening 10,000 virtual passes to engage youth delegates from across the globe at the Women's Forum Global Meeting 2021, as well as 100 youth delegates in person in Paris. Young people aged 16-25 OR anyone currently in ongoing education and training (of any age) can participate.
November 15-19, 2021: Register here.
As society rethinks the future of work, Politico asked a group of women how they’d like to remake their work weeks to help them better balance their lives.
Meet the founder who has helped women-owned business secure over $14 million in funding. — Forbes
Read here for 18 famous women who called out Hollywood for the way it depicts women on screen.
Check out the Council on Foreign Relations' "Women Around the World This Week", a series that highlights noteworthy news related to women and U.S. foreign policy.
What We're Reading
Missing Girl Is Rescued After Using Hand Signal From TikTok
By Daniel Victor and Eduardo Medina
What We're Watching
WATCH: Nearly three months after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, the list of human rights violations against Afghan women is growing.
