Welcome to the weekly newsletter from the Women's Funding Network.

WEEKLY NEWS // JANUARY 6, 2022

// A LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT & CEO

When Hope is Peeled Away, Practical Optimism Remains

Dear Colleagues,

If I’m being honest, I do not feel all that hopeful coming into the new year. I know many of you feel the same.

It’s hard to stay hopeful when people everywhere are sick with the latest variant of COVID-19, regardless of the precautions and sacrifices they’ve taken. This is compounded in the U.S. by government gridlock that resulted in an end to a lifeline program – which experts predict will push more than 10 million more children back into poverty. Food prices are on the rise all over the world, with Turkey reporting an almost 40 percent increase. It is going to be a difficult month, and perhaps year, for many people.

Yet when hope is peeled away, thankfully what remains is practical optimism. It’s the sense that, though so much is out of our control, together, we can change some things for the better.

Our Women’s Fund members in the United States have a combined reach of 22,598,034 adult women (18 and older) who are below 200% of the federal poverty level and 16,244,524 children (male & female under 18) who are below 200% of the federal poverty level. This means that in the U.S. alone – our alliance impacts over 38 million women and children in poverty.

If the size of philanthropic funding matched the scope of the issues each of you are facing locally as well as your potential reach, there would be reason to hope again.

That’s why at WFN we’re committed to increasing the financial investment in women’s funds and our sector. The way we get through this is by coming together, keeping our hearts generous, and our minds open about what we need to do.

We’ll be there every step of the way. We’re here with you.

Onward,

Elizabeth

Elizabeth Barajas-Román

Women’s Funding Network

President & CEO

ICYMI: 2021 Year-End Highlights

ICYMI, stories to get inspired [[link removed]]. Make a commitment for 2022 to give generously to your local women’s fund – find your fund in the Member Directory.

View our Member Directory [[link removed]]

Speaking of exciting recaps from 2021, our highlight reel from last year's virtual conference, Women Funded 2021: The Feminist Factor [[link removed]], is now live.

Watch the Highlights [[link removed]] View All WF21 Sessions [[link removed]] WFN Member News New Report: A Gender Equal World

Women Moving Williams has shared the release of their latest report, Realizing Generation Equality: A Blueprint for a Gender Equal World [[link removed]]. This interactive report offers learnings and key recommendations for how the philanthropic sector can support the UN Generation Equality Forum’s ambitious goals moving forward.

Read the Report [[link removed]]

Our Bodies, Our Power: Abortion & Women’s Reproductive Health and Justice [[link removed]]

WFN President and CEO Elizabeth Barajas-Román will moderate a panel of activists and philanthropic leaders discussing reproductive health and justice. Join this interactive discussion on the landscape for reproductive rights and what can we do to stop further erosion of our freedoms. Free to all WFN members.

Date: January 10, 2022

Time: 8:30 – 10:00 am PST

Learn More and Register Here [[link removed]]

Spotlight on this powerful letter to the [[link removed]] Chronicle of Philanthropy [[link removed]] , [[link removed]] from Rise Up Founder and Executive Director Denise R. Dunning.

“Even more than the amount of her donation, the trust Scott invests in nonprofits is truly transformational. Scott enables organizations like mine to shift from a mind-set of scarcity and competition to one of abundance and possibility by freeing us from the traditional constraints of philanthropic bureaucracy."

- Denise R. Dunning

Job Opportunity: Rise Up is hiring a new Digital Communications Associate [[link removed]], who will be an integral part of our growing communications team at Rise Up.

Congratulations to one of the oldest women’s funds in the US. 2022 will mark The New York Women’s Foundation’s 35th anniversary.

What We're Reading

In a troubling picture, American women are looking at a rockier road to secure retirement than their male counterparts. — T [[link removed]] he New York Times [[link removed]'s%20a%20troubling%20picture.]

Google is currently under fire for its mistreatment of black women workers. — T [[link removed]] he Root [[link removed]]

The Chinese government is set to overhaul its law governing women’s rights for the first time in decades. However, many women are skeptical that real progress will follow. — T [[link removed]] he New York Times [[link removed]]

Women are losing confidence at work – here’s how to help them in 2022. — F [[link removed]] orbes [[link removed]]

What We're Watching

WATCH: The Indian government is investigating a website that purported to offer Muslim women for sale, the second time in less than a year that a fake online auction of this kind has sparked outrage in the country.

Have a story to share?

Email Ellen at [[email protected]]

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