Author: WAWF

Giving circle reminds me that "we are they"…

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There is something about being with a group of women and sharing the collective spirit of a common purpose that turns delight into magic and conversation into revelation.

On Sunday, I had the pleasure of attending a recruitment event of the African American Women’s Giving Circle. Though a little warm outside, the heat was no match for the cool conversation and comfort of good company.

Held at the home of Claudia Thorne, one of the circle’s co-chairs, the meeting reminded me more of a neighborhood cookout than a recruitment event!  The pot-luck table was spread with all manner of sumptuous foods from catfish and chicken to lasagna and Thai noodles – a temptation to even the most disciplined of “weight watchers.”

More than 20 women gathered together on the screened porch – old friends, new friends, and Grantee Partners– a.k.a., friends in the making.

Out on the lawn, a brother and sister duo from the Cultural Academy for Excellence (CAFÉ) Positive Vibrations Youth Orchestra regaled us all with their steel pans.

If that had been all there was to the day, it would still have been a perfect way to spend an afternoon!

But again, there is something about being with a group of women and sharing in the spirit of a common purpose that turns delight into magic and conversation into revelation.

This was my revelation.

We are all challenged about how to make adjustments to our spending and saving habits to insulate the best we can from the effects of the economy.  And often, one of the first ways we do that is by pulling back on our philanthropic giving.  Because for most of us, giving is a “luxury,” something we do when we are in a place of abundance.

As a donor myself, I have to admit that I have been tempted to “rethink” my giving in order to feel more “secure” in otherwise uncertain times.

But yesterday, as I sat and listened to the stories of appreciation and gratitude, from the Grantee Partners attending the event, the voices and visions of so many of our Grantee Partners and the communities they serve, echoed in my head.

The grants made to the organizations in our community working on behalf of women and girls are anything but luxuries.

The work being done by these organizations, and so many like them, often on already shoe-string budgets, are the heart and life blood of our communities.

They cannot be separated from us or our priorities, even when resources are tight.

Sandy Jibrell, one of the founding members of the AAWGC and member of The Women’s Foundation’s board of directors, spoke about her motivation for participating in the giving circle for what is now her fourth year.  And while I know that I will not capture the eloquence and passion with which she spoke, the message is still an important one:

We are one community. When a woman is able to care for her family and see her children succeed, we all succeed. When that woman stumbles, and those children slip through the cracks, we all lose. Because we are they.

From the time he was on the campaign trail, President Obama talked about not being able to separate what was happening on Wall Street from what was happening on Main Street.  And maybe we all agreed in spirit, but perhaps Main Street and Wall Street were just too far away to feel the real weight of that sentiment.

As we sat on that porch in Cheverly, Maryland, we felt the inextricable tie to Prince George’s County (where CAFÉ is located), to Anacostia (where Ascensions, another AAWGC Grantee Partner, is located), to NE Washington, D.C. and all of the other places that have been touched by grants from the AAWGC.

The ties that bind us to these organizations and these communities are not defined by a proposal or a grant period.  And ultimately, their impact is not about a set of metrics or a report.

It is about how all of us will either rise together or fall together.  Because we are they.

Their survival is our survival. Their challenges are our challenges. Their successes are our successes.

And in times of economic crisis, it is more important than ever to make sure that these organizations have the critical support they need to continue doing what they do.

So when people ask me if I am sure that this is a good time to be recruiting for giving circles, or soliciting donors, my response is, absolutely!

Now, more than ever. And I say that not as a member of The Women’s Foundation staff, but as a donor and someone who knows more than ever that we are they.

So I thank this group of dynamic women for the wonderful food, the good company, and the very important revelation.

Nicole Cozier is The Women’s Foundation’s Philanthropic Education Officer.

Planning for sustainability, not just survival.

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In the current challenging economy….that seems to be the way we start and end practically every conversation these days, doesn’t it?

But this is in fact our reality today – we really can’t get away from it.  That said, the good news is that the only thing that is constant is change.  So we will emerge from this economic crisis, as we have emerged from every one that has come before.

In the meantime, the key questions for most nonprofits are:

  1. How do we weather the current storm?
  2. How do we position ourselves to be able to continue to do the important work we do once the economy turns around?

The first is a question of survival; the second, a question of sustainability.

So why make a distinction?  Let’s take a minute to contemplate the definitions.

SURVIVAL: the act or process of continuing to exist in the present despite being from an earlier time; continuing longer than, or beyond the existence of, another person, thing, or event.
SUSTAINABILITY: the ability of a program or organization to continue and endure indefinitely.

Certainly when given the choice, all of us would prefer to be sustainable rather than to just survive.

Yet, I understand that in some circumstances, whether talking about an organization or an individual, survival is the most immediate and pressing priority.  But how often is survival a necessary position because there hasn’t been an (effective) sustainability plan in place?  Is survival a necessary first step to reaching sustainability, or does sustainability occur on a totally different track?

What do you think?

The question we have been working to address at The Women’s Foundation is: How does one plan for sustainability?

Financial security is often the most common focus of sustainability planning and activities for many organizations – particularly in a time of economic difficulty.  But it is just one of several components of organizational sustainability.  The reality is that financial sustainability is only relevant and truly sustainable if the vision, impact and leadership of the organization are all sound as well.

On March 11th, The Women’s Foundation hosted a workshop facilitated by Heather Peeler, the Managing Director with Community Wealth Ventures, who has more than 10 years of experience in the nonprofit sector and management consulting.

Heather’s presentation took the seven key hallmarks of sustainability we identified in the The Women’s Foundation’s most recent Open Door Capacity Fund RFP, presented each hallmark in greater depth, and stimulated a great discussion among workshop participants about how these hallmarks are relevant to their organizational sustainability.

Moreover, Heather shared sustainability planning resources and provided helpful tips on selecting and working with consultants.

The information was so well received by workshop attendees, we want to make it available to all of our community partners though this blog.  We encourage you to take a moment to do the organizational self-assessment that is included in the materials.  You might surprise yourself.

Organizational Sustainability Self Assessment
Sustainability Workshop Presentation Slides

But regardless of which resource you use, have the discussions about what strategies your organization is using to weather the storm. Is your strategy focused on survival or sustainability?

And why.

Remember, change is constant.  So , where will you be when saying “in the current economy” no longer conjures up worry and anxiety, but instead visions of opportunity and possibility.

Nicole Cozier is The Women’s Foundation’s Philanthropic Education Officer.

Announcing the 2009 Leadership Awardees!

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What do you get when you combine 58 volunteers, 66 nominations, 54 phone calls, 33 site visits, 20 presentations and hours of deliberation and due diligence?

You get the 2009 Leadership Awardees, of course!

Someone really wise once said, if you want to know how something began, look at how it ended.  As I reflect on that statement, and my experience with the Leadership Awards, I am still undecided about whether or not I agree.

As I was recruiting volunteers for the Leadership Awards this year, I blogged about my experience at the Leadership Awards Reception in March 2008.  The reception, that year’s “ending,” did indeed tell me a lot about the Leadership Awards Program – the inspiration, the passion, the dedication, the diligence of these organizations working so hard on behalf of women and girls.

That said, even as I stood in awe of those eight recipients, there was no way of knowing what an amazing journey it would be to the selection of the 2009 Leadership Awardees!

Among the recipients, we have representation from all over the Washington metropolitan area, including Northern Virginia, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and Washington, DC.  All are doing innovative, effective work on behalf of women and girls in our region in the area of safety and health.

We have organizations working with youth, and organizations working with the elderly. 

We have organizations providing basic needs of shelter to victims of domestic violence, and those helping survivors of domestic violence get a second chance in life by find new and sustainable careers.

We have an organization providing activities and infrastructure to girls during the after-school hours when they are most vulnerable, and an organization providing transitional housing for female ex-offenders.

So, who are these 10 exciting, inspiring organizations, you ask.  Click here to see the press release announcing the recipients!

As I sit in anticipation of what my second Leadership Awards reception experience will be like, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the tremendous job done by our outstanding volunteers this year in making this extremely difficult selection.

Because the reality is, while we can only give 10 awards this year, there are many wonderful organizations doing really important work in our community on behalf of women and girls.

So, please join me in congratulating our stellar slate of 2009 Leadership Awardees. 

And stay tuned for our second annual online vote to help your favorite awardee receive an additional $5,000!

Nicole Cozier is The Women’s Foundation’s Philanthropic Education Officer.

Giving circles now recruiting those who want to answer the call to service, together.

Posted on by WAWF

On Monday, I listened to the President’s first press conference.  I could see that the weight of his responsibilities rest heavy upon him. The enormity of the responsibility that he bears for moving the country through these challenges times is certainly not enviable.

His words that “inaction can turn this crisis into a catastrophe” hung heavy in the air.

But despite the weightiness of the message, I was heartened by his continual reinforcement that we are all in this together.  That the power of our collective efforts knows no bounds.

While very few of us can say that we have been untouched by the challenging economy, the reality is that we are not all affected in the same way. 

Women and girls continue to be the hardest hit in times of economic crisis, so while for some, the realities of this economy are a rude awakening – for others it is catastrophic.

Maintaining our perspective and continuing to believe in our power to make a difference is paramount.

More than ever, The Women’s Foundation’s belief in The Power of Giving Together holds true as an opportunity and a call to action.

For more than six years, The Women’s Foundation’s giving circles have allowed women to pool and leverage their resources to make change.  The outcome is that the whole truly is greater than the sum of its parts!  And the beauty of this model is that it enables a relatively small contribution to make a big difference.

We are now in the process of welcoming new members to both of The Women’s Foundation’s giving circles: the African American Women’s Giving Circle and the Rainmakers Giving Circle.  These circles continue to be dedicated to the power of collective giving and the empowerment of making the decision together about how to grant out their funds.

The Rainmakers Giving Circle will be hosting a reception for interested members on February 17, 2009 to learn more.  Please contact me if you’d like to join us and learn more about The Power of Giving Together and how you can make your investment in our community go further.

Now more than ever, we need people to come together to invest in our community and in the area’s women and girls.  We have our call to action from our President and from our community.

Please join us in working toward the solution.

Nicole Cozier is The Women’s Foundation’s philanthropic education officer.

For a first-time voter, this election signals call to action.

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As my alarm went off at 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday, I stirred sleepily and wondered what in the world I was thinking setting the alarm so early!  Then I remembered what day it was.  It was Election Day for my very first Presidential election as a U.S. citizen! 

As I approached my polling site, I saw the line stretched down through the parking lot, around the corner, and down the street.  Rather than being annoyed at the time I would have to wait in line, it only fueled my excitement!  I was amazed that all of these people, regardless of political affiliation, were not only moved to vote and exercise their right to be heard, but they were committed to waking up early and standing in line to do so!

I was reminded by a quote from writer/activist Arundhati Roy who said, “Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.”

I truly could not have asked for a better or more memorable experience as a first time voter.

And as I waited in anticipation as the day rolled on into evening, and I gathered with my friends to watch as the poll results started coming in, I was once again awestruck at the level of participation that this election generated. Young and old, African American, Caucasian, Latino, Asian, men, women.

As I sat and watched the news the day after the election, I was moved to tears yet again to see how many people all over the world had been tuned into what was going on in our election.  The magnitude of the outcome of this election on the global stage just continued to echo the significance of it here within our own borders. The promise of a level of achievement that was previously unimaginable by so many boys and girls in our country. The recognition of dreams realized by so many older Americans who never thought they would live long enough to see such an event come to pass. The sense of community as total strangers hi-fived and hugged each other in the streets like long-lost friends. And the sense of hope reflected in the eyes and words of men and women all over the world.

As daylight turned to dusk on November 5th, some of the excitement gave way to the acknowledgement of the enormity of the task that lay before this historical President-elect. Through the realization that the weight of the world truly was on President-Elect Obama’s shoulders, I was reminded of something very important, that the President is meant to be a leader, not an island unto himself.

And that just as the weight of the world was on his shoulders, it is on the shoulders of every single resident of this country.

The symbol of hope that is reflected in the image of the first African American President of the United States, a man whose first job as a community organizer only paid him $10,000 per year, a man who was raised by a single mother who relied on food stamps to feed her family – this is also a symbol of the power of the individual spirit, and a symbol of the power of the people.

The power of youth, the power of unity beyond race, and beyond class.

We have no more excuses.  We have made history.

It is incumbent on all of us to ensure that this is not just a page or a paragraph in the history books of the future, but the beginning of a whole new chapter of how we did things differently.

Just think, what would Sisyphus be able to do if he had a whole community of people helping him to roll that boulder up that hill?

As of November 6th, we all have a new call to action. 

Look around you. Look around your community.  What can you do to make a difference?

This is a legacy that we are all leaving!

How we contribute to it in our own lives every single day from now onward in what is ultimately going to make the difference in how others reflect on this achievement in the years ahead.

How can we ensure that the women and families in our own backyards living in poverty or on the brink of can see not only the new possibilities for a future for their children in 20 years, but right here, right now, today?

As of November 5th, I believe that everything has changed. The stakes are higher. 

We can’t turn a blind eye or bury our heads in the sand.  We can’t think in terms of “me” or “my” but as “us.”  None of us can prosper if any of us fails.

Because our children are watching and the world is watching.  They are watching to see what we are all going to do with this moment and the possibility that has been handed to us.

What are you going to do?

Nicole Cozier is philanthropic education officer at The Women’s Foundation. 

Leadership Awards Program is looking for a few good nonprofits, and volunteers. Join us!

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It seems like only yesterday I was attending my very first event at The Women’s Foundation: The Leadership Awards reception.

The Leadership Awards Program is a signature program of The Women’s Foundation that identifies and recognizes local – but largely undiscovered – nonprofits demonstrating innovation and measurable success in the service of women and girls.

The event started out as so many others, with snacks and drinks, friendly chit chatting, and meeting new friends and old.  It was lovely, but also very reminiscent of a number of other receptions I had attended before.

That was about to change.

As the program began and the awards committee co-chairs began to introduce the recipient organizations, I could feel the whole tenor of the room change. I was immediately enthralled with the work of these organizations and the individuals working within them.  All of these incredible organizations were doing work right here in my own back yard! 

More amazingly, I had never heard of most of them! I realized then that though I had lived in the area of the last 10 years, I did not really know my own community.

By the end of the awards presentations, this ordinary reception had become an extraordinarily inspirational event – and not just for me. As I looked around the room, I could see that many other attendees had been as amazed and inspired as I was.   (See event photos!)

Today, I am part of the great process that brought these wonderful organizations to the attention of so many others that evening back in March 2008.  I am working with at least 45 volunteers eager to get to work on what will no doubt be a challenging, but engaging selection process.

As was the case last year, the Leadership Awards are focused on organizations working to improve the health and safety of women and girls.

I can’t wait to see what hidden gems we uncover!

But we all know that we can’t do this alone. To uncover gems like these, we need the involvement of many people.

We have officially opened nominations for organizations to be considered for the 2008 Leadership Awards.

Additionally, I encourage all of you to get involved in identifying innovative and emerging organizations – many of them operating below the radar – working to improve the health and safety of Washington-area women and girls.  Visit TheWomensFoundation.org to learn more about how YOU can help the Leadership Awards committee by either joining a regional team or nominating an area nonprofit.

We will continue to welcome new members to the committee through October 24, 2008.

If you are interested in joining, please complete and return the volunteer commitment form and be prepared to attend the kick-off meeting on Tuesday October 28th from 6-9 p.m.

Or, to nominate an organization for a Leadership Award, click here.

Nicole Cozier is The Women’s Foundation’s philanthropic education officer.

Where is the real power in The Power of Giving Together?

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Last week, seeing the story of the African American Women’s Giving Circle gave me such a professional high.  Nothing I had been involved in to date had been deemed so newsworthy as to grace the front page of The Washington Post!  So I was thrilled to be connected to this. 

As I read the story, I was enthralled with the description of the circle gathering place, the spirit of sisterhood shared by the participants, the commitment to community, and the excitement of nurturing their own philanthropic spirits.

I was thrilled with the tone and appreciation of the article, but couldn’t help but find myself wishing that all 20 of the amazing women in the circle could have shared the spotlight.  I know that a newspaper has limited real estate and that not everyone could be pictured or quoted, but knowing all of the dynamic and wonderful women who make up this group, I really wished that we could somehow reflect that collective spirit more clearly.

Then I glanced at The Women’s Foundation logo with our tagline, The Power of Giving Together.  And it made me wonder: Where is the power in “giving together”?

In the first few months that I was at The Women’s Foundation, I saw very clearly the power of the multiplier factor in giving together.  In a flash, a single contribution of $1,000 could be turned into $1 million! 

That is pretty darned powerful!

But as I reflect on the African American Women’s Giving Circle and the Rainmakers Giving Circle, and indeed all giving circles, I am struck by something else. A deeper, more subtle power…the qualitative power of the collective.

In North American, there is a lot of focus on individualism.  It seems that our entire culture is built on it. So I did a little research on the subject of individualism and found this:  "Individualism stands for a society in which the ties between individuals are loose: everyone is expected to look after himself or herself and his or her immediate family only."*

Individualistic cultures like the United States (highest score = 1st rank) and France (10th rank) emphasize mostly their individual goals. People from individualistic cultures tend to think of themselves as individuals and as "I," distinctive from other people and emphasize their success/achievements in job or private wealth and aiming up to reach more and/or a better job position.

Now clearly this is not the sum total of the North American experience or values. But the basic elements are undeniable. Looking specifically in the world of philanthropy, some of the oldest and most established foundations derived from the wealth of an individual or of a single family.  When we traditionally look at donors, we tend to look at the individual.

From this perspective alone, I can understand why the draw is to identify with a single person or a few people. But a giving circle is really the antithesis to that.  It is about the collective, not the individual.

That is what makes giving circles so powerful and unique. And in fact, we can generalize that even more to say that The Women’s Foundation is really the antithesis to that with our overarching emphasis on collective giving and our inherent belief in The Power of Giving Together, whether through the giving circles, the 1K Club or Washington 100.

I think that most of us can recognize that power from a fiscal perspective, but perhaps not as much from a cultural and philosophical perspective.

Looking at the definition from the same source on the collective, or collectivism, I found this.  Collectivism "stands for a society in which people from birth onwards are integrated into strong cohesive groups, which throughout people’s lifetime continue to protect them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty."*

Collectivistic cultures have a great emphasis on groups and think more in terms of "we".

The sociologist in me is fascinated by this juxtaposition of the social pull in our culture to the individual and the increasing popularity of giving circles that exists only as a collective. But more importantly, the humanist in me is really heartened that we are redefining philanthropy in such an amazing way. There is no question that the sense of individualism is a critical part of what has made North America what it is today.

But, to me, there is always room for the “we,” and if we are to move forward, truly move forward in a way that supports the “global village” that we are creating, we are going to need to find the balance between the individual and the collective.

But for today, I am thrilled to work with women who put the “we” back in philanthropy.

Nicole Cozier is Philanthropic Education Officer at The Women’s Foundation.

Source: "Cultures and Organizations – Intercultural Cooperation and its importance for survival" Hofstede, Geert (1994)

I dare you to become a philanthropist…anyone can!

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The recorded history of philanthropy can be traced back to the 1600’s. People have been finding ways to give of their time, talents and treasures for as long as we can remember.

So, what is the enigma called philanthropy, really?

Philanthropy is the act of donating money, goods, time, or effort to support a charitable cause, usually over an extended period of time toward a specific goal, or to achieve a specific aim.

In its most fundamental sense, philanthropy may encompass any altruistic activity intended to promote public good or improve the human quality of life. Such a simple and attainable concept really. Yet, somehow the definition of philanthropy has been increasingly narrowed and the term “philanthropist” has been a title reserved for the wealthy.

The truth is that philanthropy is not only a privilege for the Gateses, Buffets, Fords and Carnegies.  Anyone can be a philanthropist!

At The Women’s Foundation, we encourage people of all ages and incomes to think about how you can be a philanthropist right where you are today.  How can you harness your own philanthropic spirit to improve the human quality of life?

As you watch TV or read the paper, you are bombarded by reports of people facing difficult circumstances all over the country, and the world. But how often have you stopped to think about the people right in your own backyard that really need the assistance and support provided by our area nonprofits?

So, I ask you again…a little differently…how can you, through your own philanthropy, become a better steward of your community?

One great way is through The Women’s Foundation’s giving circles! Giving circles are a wonderful way to meet wonderful people, get involved, and transform a small contribution into funding with a big impact!

As we speak, the Rainmakers are poised and ready to make a total of $45,000 in grants to organizations in Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia that support programs to empower and encourage the healthy development of young women and girls.  (Proposals are due on April 28th.)

But the Rainmakers circle is already out of the gate you say?  How astute you are!  But you can be thinking about your participation for the next cycle to begin in 2009.

For the more eager among you, you are not without options!

The African American Women’s Giving Circle is in the process of recruiting new members right now!  To find out more, come to a gathering on April 30th.  If you interested in attending or becoming a member, contact me.

We are continuing to welcome new members to the 1K Club and the Washington 100.  And, let’s not forget, the Leadership Awards Program is looking for volunteers for the next award cycle!  If you are interested, please contact me.

So whether it is with one of these wonderful groups of women (and men), or with another organization that has been near and dear to your heart, take the leap!

Unleash the philanthropist within you.

I dare you!

Downward trend in funding for women and minorities should raise red flags.

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Getting the Ball Rolling
Thirty years ago, Women & Philanthropy was born out of the desire and outrage of a small cadre of women (and a couple of male allies).  Troubled by the lack of representation of women in positions of leadership in the philanthropic field (a report from the Council on Foundations reported that only 18 percent of foundation trustees and 28 percent of foundation professional staff were women), and the dearth of program funding supporting programs for women, one motivated woman held an impromptu lunch to figure out what could be done.

The lunch was standing room only!

In 1977, when the organization was founded, funding to women and girls was a scant 0.5 percent.  Yes, you are reading that correctly: half of a percent of total foundation giving!

Can you imaging half of a percent for 52 percent of the population!

The new organization set out to address the lack of female representation in the sector, the appalling lack of funding, and the general education of, and communication with, foundations about issues and problems affecting women.

Eight years later (in 1985), the Women’s Funding Network (WFN) was formed as an umbrella organization, bringing together the various women’s funds fueling the burgeoning "women’s funding movement," which was really gaining momentum.

Its mission: "to ensure that women’s funds are recognized as the ‘investment of choice’ for people who value the full participation of women and girls as key to strong, equitable, and sustainable communities and societies."

Women’s funds had been in existence for many years.  The majority of the funds at the time were rooted in the women’s and civil rights movements in the 70s; however, there were a small number with histories stretching back to the late 1800s and early 1900s!

These funds were the result of women’s recognition and desire to be in greater command of financial resources, and in turn to be able to use these resources to support work that served and transformed the lives of women and girls.

In 1985, there were roughly 35 women’s funds in some stage of their development.

While Women & Philanthropy and the Women’s Funding Network employed very different strategic approaches, both organizations worked tirelessly over the subsequent years toward the same ultimate goal: to increase resources to women and girls.

Where are we now?
I think that clearly both groups can claim success on many levels.

Within the field of philanthropy, women now comprise more than 74 percent of program officers, 54 percent of CEOs and 35 percent of trustees.

Today, the Women’s Funding Network celebrates over 125 women’s funds worldwide!  And, collectively, women’s and girls funds have raised over $400 million!

Surely with such achievements under our belts in the women’s funding movement, we can claim victory!

Can’t we?

While it is true that there are many people and institutions that deserve a great deal of appreciation and recognition for the tremendous work they have done in securing resources for women and girls, the unfortunate reality is that we still have miles to go before we’re done.

Show Us the Money!
In the Foundation Center’s 2008 Foundation Giving Trends publication, released last month, the Foundation Center actually reports a decline in giving to women and girls – from 6.4 in 2005 to 5.7 in 2006. 

Yes, it can be said that the movement from the 0.5 percent of 1977 to where we are today mark steps in the right direction, but even at its peak of 7.3 percent (in 2003), I think that we can all agree that the funding levels remain woefully inadequate! 

Further, this downward trend specifically should raise pink–if not red–flags for all of us.

But this is not just a gender issue – the Giving Trends document also notes a decline in funding to “ethnic or racial minorities” as a whole from 8.2 percent in 2005 to 7.4 percent in 2006, with a decline seen for most groups with the exception of Native Americans/American Indians, where there was a 0.2 percent increase.

In Search of Answers
So what is going on?  How is it that we can have more and more women in the sector, and more women in control of directing large financial resources, yet not only have we not reached a level of parity in our funding, but we are actually seeing a decline in this support?

Are our data collection methods flawed?

Perhaps.  Even the best data collection has some margin of error.

The data reported in the 2008 Giving Trends document explores national trends from 2006/2005 – the limitations of data collection mean that there will always be a lag time between data collection, analysis and reporting.  Also, The Foundation Center uses a sampling base which includes grants of $10,000 or more from the largest 1000-ish foundations in the U.S. that report to them, so there is definitely room, for missed funding dollars considering the size of many foundations, including most women’s funds, and the size of many of the grants given to women and girls.

Nevertheless, these numbers are the best we have to-date and they are consistently collected, so while there may ultimately be some funding that may be slipping through the cracks, it is unlikely to drastically change this picture, or the prevailing trends.

Further, it raises concerns about the average size of grants to women and girls, and the scale at which most women’s funds operate compared to the more “mainstream/traditional” foundations.

Maybe grantmakers and donors are investing more in “universal funding,” and not specifically targeting women and girls.

This is also a possibility.

There has long been a debate about the value of “mainstreaming” gender on many levels, including grantmaking.
Unfortunately, increasing evidence has shown that these “generic” or “universal” funding dollars do not ”trickle down” to meet the needs of women and girls.

Are foundations just “over it”?

A continued roadblock for funding to women and girls is the “special interest” stigma.  It becomes a double edged sword.  By segmenting funding and programs for women and girls for particular attention, we may be reinforcing this concept of women and girls as a “special interest,” and therefore optional group, rather than the integral parts of society we are.

We also know that some of society’s most chronic problems – poverty, health care, violence – hit women the hardest. One need only look to our Stepping Stones program to see this in our own region. 

Moreover, as Kofi Annan so eloquently reminds us:  "When women are fully involved, the benefits can be seen immediately; families are healthier; they are better fed; their income, savings and reinvestment go up. And what is true of families is true of communities, and eventually, of whole countries."

So what does this declining investment in women and girls say about our commitment to our communities?

The real answer m
ay lie somewhere in and around all of these hypotheses. Though we may not be able to connect all of the dots to get us from A to Z, what is clear is that these numbers continue to reinforce the significance of the work that we, and other women’s funds, are doing. And support the ongoing argument for a continued and, in fact, increased investment in women and girls, and the continuation of a dialogue around gender.

We have made progress, and we must celebrate those milestones.

However, we can not rest on our laurels.

There is still a long way to go, and those achievements that we have already made must be protected so we don’t lose the precious ground we have gained.

But the next time someone tells you that we don’t need to be talking about women and girls anymore because we’ve “been there, done that,” I hope you remember my little blog, and can set the record straight.

It is in all of our best interests to ensure the continued investment in women and girls.

Let’s keep that needle moving!

My journey to The Women's Foundation…like a moth to a flame.

Posted on by WAWF

I have never been especially impressed by the heroics of people who are convinced they are about to change the world.   I am more awed by those who struggle to make one small difference after another. -Ellen Goodman

This is my very first blog ever, and I can’t think of a better entré into this wild world of blogging than to reach out to all of you from my new position at Washington Area Women’s Foundation.

As the new philanthropic education officer, I will have the pleasure of working with The Women’s Foundation’s giving circles – the African American Women’s Giving Circle and the Rainmakers – working on the Leadership Awards, crafting and implementing the Philanthropy 101 work around donor education, and in general finding more ways to strengthen and expand this great body of work.

Though I may be new on staff, it feels as though I have been part of The Women’s Foundation for many years.  About 5 years ago, I had applied for a position at The Women’s Foundation.  However, when I got the call to come in to interview, I had literally just gotten off the phone accepting another position! 

However, as luck would have it, Anne Mosle – then president of The Women’s Foundation – was on the board of directors for Women & Philanthropy, the organization where I just accepted a position!  And, as the chair of the committee for our centerpiece program, the LEAD Award, for three years, the connection was solidified.

As I watched The Women’s Foundation grow over the subsequent years through our common connections, and developed relationships with the staff, I was increasingly intrigued and impressed with the work and talent that lay within.  I knew that it was just a matter of time and opportunity before I found my way there.

Fortune smiled on me this year, and here I am.

So who am I, and where do I come from? I was born in Barbados, raised in Canada and the West Indies, and transplanted to the United States after completing my undergraduate degree. I am a serious goof, a realistic optimist, a laid-back work horse, and an analytical doer! I am someone who has realized that this work is full of contradictions and complexities, so it is better to stop resisting them – for therein lie the many opportunities for change!

From the time I was in university, I was drawn to the women’s movement.  Perhaps it was my roommate’s enthusiasm on the first day of class in my freshman year; she had just come from her first Introduction to women’s studies class and could not stop talking about it. The next semester, I signed up for that very same class and I have been hooked ever since!

From then on, everything I did from volunteering to my professional pathways was driven by my desire to work on behalf of women and girls.

After completing my graduate degrees, I relocated to Washington, D.C., where I accepted my first post-graduate job with a burgeoning patient-led advocacy organization – the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance.  I can say that this was some of the most difficult and most rewarding work I have ever done. But losing friends and colleagues to this disease took its toll. And I knew that I needed to step back and embrace some bigger picture issues for a while.

Enter Women & Philanthropy.  In my five years working for the organization, I have had some incredible learning experiences both externally, and internally, including working on the organization’s transition from a stand-alone organization to becoming a project of the Council on Foundations.  I also had the opportunity to join the board of directors of Funders for Lesbian and Gay Issues.  The organization had just made the bold move to incorporate gender, racial and economic justice to its mission, and it was a great match on many levels.

So here I am at The Women’s Foundation, and while the term “baggage” generally has a negative connotation, I feel like my set of professional luggage is well packed and I am looking forward to using its contents productively and successfully here at The Women’s Foundation.

Like so much of my professional career, I feel as though this was a path that was drawn for me without me even realizing it.  Like a moth to a flame.

I am just thrilled to be here, to be part of this great team, working under the leadership of Phyllis and Marjorie, and to be able to directly support the dedicated women and organizations doing phenomenal work on the ground to change the lives of women and girls, and indeed everyone!

There is such energy, passion and drive here.  For the first time in quite some time, Monday mornings aren’t quite so difficult to manage!

I am looking forward to the many opportunities we will have to work together.  In the meantime, don’t be shy! I can be reached at ncozier@wawf.org or 202.347.7737 ext. 203.

There is in every true woman’s heart a spark of heavenly fire, which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity; but which kindles up, and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity.  -Washington Irving