Philanthropy Front and Center - Washington, DC

Nominations for Leadership Awards Are Open

The Washington Area Women's Foundation is now accepting nominations for its annual Leadership Awards.

This year's program, called Between the Cracks & At the Intersections, is seeking emerging and innovative nonprofit organizations in the Washington metro area that are working to positively impact the lives of women and girls from underresourced, oppressed, or marginalized communities or through innovative work at the intersection of gender, race, class, sexual orientation, and ability in their communities.

The Leadership Awards Committee will make awards of $10,000 each to ten nonprofits selected through a process of nomination reviews, interviews, and site visits. In addition, an online vote will be open to the public and will result in an additional award of $5,000 to one of the ten award recipients.

Nominated organizations must have 501(c)(3) nonprofit status and a board of directors in place, have been in operation for at least two years, have an annual budget of no more than $2 million, and primarily serve women and/or girls in the areas of this year's chosen theme.

Anyone in the Washington metro area can make a nomination, and you can even nominate your own organization. The deadline for submitting nominations is November 3, 2009. Learn more on the Women's Foundation web site. 

Free Shipping in July on New Study on Women's Funds

This July, the Foundation Center is offering free shipping on our new report, Accelerating Change for Women and Girls: The Role of Women's Funds, when you order online.

Philanthropy by and for women has increased dramatically since the 1970s, calling attention to critical, previously-hidden issues such as human trafficking and domestic violence. Published in partnership with the Women's Funding Network, this report examines patterns of giving by women's funds and their role in spearheading social change.

Read highlights of the study's findings at our web site and visit our Marketplace to purchase the full report ($19.95). Buy now >>

New Study Examines Funding for Women and Girls and the Importance of Women's Funds

Accelerating Change for Women and Girls: The Role of Women's Funds, a study published jointly by the Foundation Center and the Women's Funding Network, examines institutional giving to projects targeting women and girls and explores the growing influence of women's funds in the philanthropic landscape.

According to the report, which draws on the Foundation Center's grants data, fiscal summaries, and survey research, the rate of foundation giving for women and girls has grown faster than foundation giving in all areas. The role of women’s funds has also gained in significance in recent years, both in terms of actual grantmaking and in terms of bringing attention to “…the catalytic power of investing in women and in women-led solutions” (Highlights, p. 2).

"Women are a rising force in philanthropy," said Christine Grumm, president and CEO of the Women's Funding Network. "This report demonstrates the power women-led solutions have in creating sustainable change in communities."

In conjunction with the release of the new study, Josie Atienza, assistant director of research at the Foundation Center, and Grumm presented report highlights to a group of more than 60 grantmakers and nonprofit organizations. Other speakers were Bradford K. Smith, president of the Foundation Center; Larry McGill, senior vice president for research; Ana Oliveira, president and chief executive officer of the New York Women's Foundation; and Merble Reagon, executive director of the Women’s Center for Education and Career Advancement.

For a free executive summary of Accelerating Change for Women and Girls: The Role of Women's Funds and information on ordering the full report, visit the Gain Knowledge area of the Foundation Center's web site.

Funding for Local Programs Focused on Women and Families

The Washington Area Women's Foundation created a grantmaking initiative, Stepping Stones, to help build the economic security and financial independence of low-income, women-headed families. It is the first multi-year initiative of its kind in the DC area. The deadline for this year's first round of proposals is Wednesday, April 15, 2009.

The following funding areas are already up and running for Stepping Stones: 

• Financial Education and Wealth Creation Fund 
• Jobs Fund 
• Strategic Opportunity and Partnership Fund 
• Early Care and Education Funders Collaborative

Stepping Stones was created in response to the findings in A Portrait of Women & Girls in the Washington Metropolitan Area, the first and only comprehensive look at the status of women and girls in the region.

You can learn more about the Stepping Stones initiative on the Women's Foundation web site.

Help a Local Funder Give a Grant!

The Washington Area Women's Foundation recently announced the ten recipients of its 2009 Leadership Awards. These awards recognize and bolster organizations doing amazing work - and getting results - for women and girls.

• Boat People SOS, Inc.


• Calvary Women’s Shelter


• Daughter for the Day, Inc.


• DC Trafficking Intervention Program (DC TIP) at Polaris Project


• Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project (DV LEAP)


• Extended Day Program at the Washington Middle School for Girls 


• Family Preservation and Strengthening Services (Family PASS)


• Friends of Guest House


• Second Chance Employment Services


• WIN WIN in Washington at Through the Kitchen Door

Each organization received a $10,000 grant to support their work focused on the health and safety of women and girls.

But it doesn't end there! The Women's Foundation is asking people to vote online to give an additional $5,000 to one of the Leadership Awardees. This is to encourage the public to participate in learning about and choosing the organization that they feel will best contribute to long-term social change for DC-area women and girls.

Visit TheWomensFoundation.org from March 16-27, 2009 to cast your vote. Voting is free and open to the public. Participants are asked to vote only once. So help give a grant to a worthy organization!