Author: Mosely

A Heartfelt Thanks and New Adventures!

Posted on by Mosely

I want to share some personal news with you.  This summer, I will be joining the W.K. Kellogg Foundation as the Vice President for Programs, Philanthropy and Volunteerism. It is a wonderful recognition of the impact and innovation of our collective work at Washington Area Women’s Foundation. But, it is also a little bittersweet for me as I will miss the Washington community deeply.

My time with The Women’s Foundation has been a fantastic adventure. Working with so many terrific women and men has been an incredible privilege. The opportunity to play a role in creating a foundation that is committed to social change and investing in women and girls in the local community of Washington, D.C. has been a joy, and an experience I plan to take to the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and keep in my heart always.

It is hard to leave The Women’s Foundation; however, the foundation is extremely well positioned with a robust grantmaking program, strong fiscal outlook, highly engaged and committed Board of Directors, talented staff and a diverse circle of donors and partners.  When I reflect on the past six plus years, I do so with great pride and gratitude when I think about all we have accomplished together:

  • Exceeding $1 million annually in innovative grantmaking;
  • Establishing a visible and inclusive institution in the Washington metropolitan area, known as the “go to” organization on women’s philanthropy and impact;
  • Building one of the strongest networks of partners in our region—with more than 120 new alliances created in the last two years as a result of Stepping Stones; and,
  • Developing a strong Board, expert staff and substantial financial assets to ensure The Women’s Foundation’s future.

    • From the thousands of women whose lives have been changed, to our Board, staff, Grantee Partners and many donors and volunteers, The Women’s Foundation is in an ideal position to build on the success and impact we have achieved together.

    The Board leadership of The Women’s Foundation has been and continues to be a core reason for our success. Moving forward, the Board is finalizing the formation of a search committee that will be co-chaired by founding board member Loribeth Weinstein and Rubie Coles, Associate Director of the Moriah Fund.  As with all that we do, the search committee will be reflective of our community, and its members will be announced in the coming weeks. Marjorie Sims, our Chief Operating Officer and also a founding Board Member, will assume the role of Interim President upon my departure on June 12. Lastly, I am delighted to report that The Women’s Foundation will receive a generous leadership transition grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

    Your commitment, wisdom and generosity will continue to inspire and motivate me, and, more importantly, will continue to have a transformative impact on women and girls in our community.

    We have come a very long way – and it would not have happened without you. It has truly been an honor and an adventure.  Please stay in touch!

    With warmest regards and heartfelt thanks, 

    Anne Mosle

    Claudia Thorne brings home the power of giving together!

    Posted on by Mosely

    Hi all, Anne here, and I just had to note for everyone how thrilled I was to open my Washington Post on Sunday and read Claudia Thorne’s piece, "The Joy of Philanthropy!"  For the full article, click here!   

    Her experience as a member of Washington Area Women’s Foundation’s African American Women’s Giving Circle brought home what we embrace at the Foundation—that the power of philanthropy is measured not by what one individual can do, but by the impact achieved when people come together to work towards a common goal!
     
    Many thanks, Claudia, for taking the time to share with our community the tangible and spiritual power of giving together and what it’s meant to you. The African American Women’s Giving Circle has supported wonderful organizations and influenced the lives of many girls and young women who are finding their way in our community.
     
    Your story is a perfect example of how giving together truly does come full circle for everyone involved! 
     
    And speaking of “involved,” this should be the new key word for 2007 in the Washington area! There are so many ways to get involved with The Women’s Foundation—from Giving Circles to the upcoming Leadership Awards—and experience what Claudia so eloquently termed “the joy of philanthropy.”  
     
    So join us! There’s space for everyone to make a difference here at The Women’s Foundation, and as Claudia said, “You can be a philanthropist, too!” 

    Many thanks!

    Posted on by Mosely

    anne-cropped-for-web.bmp  Happy New Year!

     

    I was bowled over and truly touched by all of the extremely kind and celebratory messages you sent to me about the Washingtonian of the Year Award. 

     

    I am humbled to have been selected among such an impressive circle of leaders. Women like Zainab Salbi and Jatrice Martel Gater inspire me every day, as well as good guys like Chris Smith who have redefined community development in neighborhoods like Anacostia.  


    Washington is an incredible community–brimming with generosity, smarts, innovation and passion.  Kudos to Ellie Merrill and her team at The Washingtonian for their annual spotlight on this aspect of the region, which is too rarely highlighted.

      

    The success and impact of Washington Area Women’s Foundation is a wonderful reflection and multiplier of all that is great about this region.  Every woman and man—along with the girls, boys and classrooms who have made a gift, volunteered, conducted a pro-bono training, shared their ideas or opened a door—is directly responsible for this recognition.

    As I shared with the staff and board of The Women’s Foundation, who all personify commitment, compassion and excellence, May every woman and girl in the Washington region feel the support and warmth that I have been humbled to receive from each of you.

    Think big and bold for the New Year!

    With appreciation, Anne

    Let’s pop women’s philanthropy…..

    Posted on by Mosely

    There’s a growing movement of women who have given a million dollars to help women and girls. And hey, with women starting business and graduating from colleges and universities at record levels, isn’t it time? One of our own, Julie Jensen, will be honored next week at the National Capitol Philanthropy Day for her giving way above and beyond any call of duty—and for her passion for investing in women and youth. Julie is leading a new generation of women philanthropists.

    For years, she has quietly and consistently helped to build key community institutions like the Latin American Youth Center. She gives her time, money, brains and heart.img_5516.jpg In the picture from left to right is Marjorie Sims, Stacey D. Stewart, Anne Mosle, Julie Jensen and Ruth Goins. She answered our call to serve as an Honorary Chair of Stepping Stones, our initiative designed to build the financial independence of low-income women who are heading families in our community. She stepped up with a leadership gift of a million dollars and has spoken across the country with other women donors, non-profit leaders and women clients. Julie, a widow, knows how hard it is to raise two sons alone—even when you have resources. She is one of the many women saying “I care. I want to give and get involved.”

    Read more about her next Friday when she receives her award. In the meantime, I want to do my bit to pop women’s philanthropy. As you know, we have a challenge gift in play – with less than $10,000 to raise to meet our goal of $50,000. I will match any pledges made via this blog up to $1,000. Just let me know who you are and why you care! Pop!

    Where’s the Money?

    Posted on by Mosely

    Yesterday, I attended a forum which focused on the future of wealth and giving in the Washington, DC area. Paul Schervish, one of the premiere academics on philanthropy led the conversation about the enormous transfer of wealth that will occur in the Washington region, how non-profits can tap into it, and what it could mean for our community. It was a fascinating conversation.

    Here are a couple of the highlights that stuck with me:

    • Through 2055, an estimated $2.39 trillion will change hands in the Washington DC region as assets are passed from one generation to the next.
    • Almost 1/5 of this wealth transfer, $460 billion, is anticipated to be given to charitable and other non-profit organizations.
    • There are currently 198,571 households in the Washington DC Area — with $1 million or greater net worth.
    • These top 10% possess 68% of the total wealth in the region.
    • 10,568 households are living here with $10 million or more of greater net worth. Less than 1% of these households own 20.1% of the total wealth in the Washington region.

    These are just a few facts to get you thinking big about what’s possible. Washington is a generous community and we are a complicated community with extreme resources and need. We have worked hard to create a vibrant regional economy, but we have a long way to go to ensure that prosperity touches all families and neighborhoods.

    • In the past 10 years, the number of people living in poverty in the District of Columbia increased 32%. To put a human face on it – 70% of families living in poverty are women-headed families.

    We have an incredible opportunity to think boldly about new ways to combating tough issues like deteriorating schools, not enough quality early education for kids, and growing violence.

    Engaging the families who have earned or inherited this new, seismic wealth is one of the most exciting opportunities for the non-profit sector to seize.

    Washington Area Women’s Foundation and our network of donors exist to bridge the worlds of resource and need. Join us for a briefing this week to learn about some outstanding organizations producing results. To register go to www.thewomensfoundation.org/

    What are your thoughts?

    Shake up and Wake up

    Posted on by Mosely

    We are in need of a complete shake-up and wake-up in terms of what we expect from our leaders and what we will accept. The recent news of Representative Foley is sickening and the response on Capitol Hill is beyond maddening. This is the guy that was in charge of setting the policy agenda for protecting all of our children.

    Shining a red-hot light on such predatory behavior wherever it happens is the first step to accountability. And holding powerful people’s feet to the fire is key.

    Highlighting leaders and organizations that are actually working to protect the rights and safety of our girls and boys is part of the solution. To buoy your belief in human nature, here are just a few examples of what I would call real leadership:

    Elizabeth Jones – who broke the cycle of poverty, graduated from the police academy and is now a police officer in Washington, DC. She has just celebrated the graduation of her daughter from college.

    Veronica Nolan – who works 24/7 at the Urban Alliance Foundation to provide critical support and mentoring to young mothers raising their kids and staying in school to complete their nursing degree.

    Gustavo Torres – and his entire team at CASA of MD that are not afraid to speak out and provide job and worker rights trainings for hundreds of Latinas and Latinos.

    Barbara Fox Mason – who built the Child and Family Network Centers from scratch to ensure that our most vulnerable children have access to early education opportunities – even when there is no funding support.

    These are the leaders who are the backbone of our community, and quite frankly our country. Wouldn’t it be great to turn the table upside down and see leaders like Elizabeth, Veronica, Gustavo and Barbara set the agenda.

    Hello

    Posted on by Mosely

    Hello. I am Anne Mosle and I am the President of Washington Area Women’s Foundation and mom of Elliot and Jasper. I am passionate about the local community of the Washington Metropolitan Area, the power and potential of women and girls, learning from and supporting grassroots leaders, building philanthropy and my husband, Jim.

    The blogshere is new territory for me, personally, as well as for the Washington Area Women’s Foundation, or The Women’s Foundation for short. But after reading inspiring and provocative postings from sites like the Global Fund for Women and Blogher – the time was right.

    Just in case you don’t know us too well – here’s a mini cheat sheet.

    1. We are all about the power of collective giving and action. As the African proverb states, if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others.

    2. Our focus is to build a wave of local giving to meet the most critical needs of women and girls. Yes, it is a good thing – better, it is a smart thing. You have probably heard global leaders like Kofi Anan say invest in women if you want to build a strong country or Laura Bush exclaim educate a girl, build a nation. From the lips of Kofi Ana to Laura Bush, we can agree on something! Supporting women makes sense and produces results.

    3. We are not faceless sit-behind-the-desk people. We are comprised of thousands women (and good guys!) with a mindset to give and resources to share.

    4. We expand the pool of resources available to non-profits working together to improve the lives of women and girls.

    5. Our board and staff team are dedicated, smart, and plugged into what’s happening in our local community. The good, the bad and what we can solve by working together.

    Donna Callejon, Board Chair of The Women’s Foundation will join me in starting the conversation.