Leadership Awards

Announcing the 2009 Leadership Awardees!

Posted on by WAWF

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.

The Women's Foundation and Catalogue for Philanthropy leverage collective wisdom.

Posted on by Lisa Kays

This afternoon, I had the pleasure of attending the 2008 Catalogue for Philanthropy awards ceremony, where we got a chance to hear from a number of past awardees about what recognition in the Catalogue has meant for them.

The wisdom of the Catalogue is based on the same wisdom that governs grantmaking at The Women’s Foundation.  The Catalogue brings together a diverse committee of volunteers–all experts in philanthropy at some level–to vet and evaluate potential candidates for the Catalogue, so that once in hand, philanthropists know that every nonprofit featured is doing excellent work and having an impact.

Similarly, The Women’s Foundation uses the power of collective wisdom in its grantmaking, placing the responsibility for decisions about funding in the hands of community members–whether through the Leadership Awards, grantmaking committee or a giving circle–and asking them to pool not only their resources, but their experience, perspective and wisdom to choose the most effective organizations in which to invest.

So it was no surprise to me today when I saw so many of our former Leadership Awardees and other Grantee Partners featured in this year’s Catalogue, or being honored as those who had best leveraged their appearance in the past. 

Among them, Fair Fund and A Wider Circle–2007 Leadership Awardees of The Women’s Foundation–are featured in this year’s Catalogue.

The Washington Middle School for Girls, a Grantee Partner of The Women’s Foundation and former Catalogue charity, was featured via film.

In addition, Ascensions Community Services and Friends of Guest House were honored for having taken full advantage of being featured in the 2007 Catalogue by leveraging various marketing, media and outreach strategies to increase their fundraising and build important partnerships throughout the community.

Looking through the Catalogue of the 2008 honorees and those of the past, there is a great deal more overlap between The Women’s Foundation’s Grantee Partner list and the Catalogue‘s selected nonprofits than I can list here.

All, I think, testimony to the value and power of investing in mechanisms that vet and evaluate the organizations working in our community through the common wisdom and involvement of our community.

In tough economic times like we’re facing now, when the needs are greater than ever before and resources are decreasing, there has never been a more important time not only to give to our community, but to invest wisely in it.

As Sidney Harman said during his remarks today, now is the time to give even more, not less, than we ever have before.   

Lisa Kays is Director of Communications at The Women’s Foundation and was a reviewer for the 2008 Catalogue for Philanthropy.

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

Posted on by WAWF

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.

Join in helping make the Washington metro area healthier for women.

Posted on by Sharon Levin

Last week was National Women’s Health Week.  It seems like an appropriate time to talk about the very real health needs that exist in the Washington metropolitan area and the wonderful work our Grantee Partners do to address them.  Also, at the end of this blog I’ve included a link to a new resource that you can use to advocate on behalf of women’s health.

Despite the presence of some of the nation’s best hospitals, our region still lags behind the rest of the United States in several critical areas of women’s health. For example, women in Washington, D.C. have the worst life expectancy of any state in the U.S. – and Maryland (ranked 40 out of 51) and Virginia (ranked 31 out of 51) don’t fare much better.

D.C. also has the worst AIDS rate for women, and again Maryland (ranked 50 out of 51) and Virginia (ranked 32 out of 51) are also at the bottom of the list.

The District also has one of the highest rates of people living in a medically underserved area; Maryland has one of the worst maternal mortality rates in the country; and Virginia has one of the highest rates of bad blood pressure.

Here are just a few examples of our Grantee Partner’s projects that address a wide range of health issues for women and girls:

Children’s National Medical Center: Girls Teen Life Clubs
Teen Life Clubs is Children’s year-long health education, empowerment program for 11-14 year old adolescents, who live in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Separate clubs exist for girls and boys.

Friends of Guest House
Friends of Guest House was founded to provide a temporary house for women charged with or convicted of a criminal offense who are in the need of basic human services to facilitate their new start in life and adjustments to the community at large. These services include individual & group counseling and medical services.

Mary’s Center for Maternal and Child Care
Established in 1988 with funding from the District of Columbia Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs(OLA) and the Department of Health (DOH), Mary’s Center addressed the demand for bilingual services to pregnant women and their infants in predominantly Latino areas of Ward One. Today, it serves multicultural populations throughout the metro Washington, D.C. region, serving individuals and families who have limited or no access to health-related services.

Women Empowered Against Violence
WEAVE works closely with adult and teen survivors of relationship violence and abuse, providing an innovative range of legal, counseling, economic and educational services that leads survivors to utilize their inner and community resources, achieve safety for themselves and their children and live empowered lives.

And, of course, all of our Leadership Award-Winning Grantee Partners this year focus on health and safety as well.
Ascensions Community Services
A Wider Circle
DC Abortion Fund
Divine Images Network
Fair Fund
Nueva Vida
Pregnancy Aid Centers
The Women’s Collective

If you would like to get more involved in advocating on behalf of women’s health, the National Women’s Law Center has just launched Reform Matters: Making Real Progress for Women and Health Care. This is a new project aimed at encouraging women to be active and vocal advocates in the fight for progressive health care reform and giving them the tools to do so

I dare you to become a philanthropist…anyone can!

Posted on by WAWF

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!

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

FAIR Fund: This award validates chances for girls to lead safer, healthier, happier lives.

Posted on by Andrea Powell

The following is the speech Andrea Powell, FAIR Fund‘s executive director and co-founder, gave at the 2007 Leadership Awards celebration last night.  FAIR Fund was a 2007 Leadership Awardee, and winner of The Women’s Foundation’s first online vote.

First, let me begin by thanking Washington Area Women’s Foundation for their tremendous efforts to not only support the work that we here at FAIR Fund do, but also in building such a strong and stable bridge between women philanthropists and women’s and girl’s programs here in the District of Columbia. 

And, I would like to thank a few close FAIR Fund supporters: Caroline Ramsay Merriam, Katy Love and Sarah Stewart.  And, as I stand here this evening representing FAIR Fund’s seven staff and 16 board members, and the 1,500 D.C. teen girls and boys we serve, I would like to thank Amelia Korangy, our Development and Outreach Officer, who has worked hard to help us get here this evening.

What does the Washington Area Women’s Foundation Leadership Award mean to FAIR Fund?

Of course, the $15,000 certainly assists us in the immediate future and we sincerely needed and benefit from it.

But, there is so much more to this award.  For FAIR Fund, this award is in part validation for our mission in creating chances for D.C. girls to lead safer, healthier, and happier lives.

Furthermore, this award opens the door for FAIR Fund to become a stronger and more recognized member of the vibrant women and girl’s movement here in Washington, D.C.

Teachers have reported to FAIR Fund staff that they know teen girls in their classes who are being prostituted and exploited right now, and they are not sure what to do.

That they know girls who trade sex in exchange for food or shoes.

Approximately 30 girls aged 12 to 18 are identified as victims of commercial sexual exploitation, often via prostitution, in D.C. each month.  But, from what we have seen as members of the D.C. Anti Trafficking Task Force and from what we have heard from so many teen girls who participate in our program, this number is only small fraction of the number of girls out there who need our help. Their teachers and families also need our help in understanding these girls and getting them the help they need.

I want to share with you the story of one young girl assisted through FAIR Fund’s primer program for girls in D.C called Tell Your Friends.

Ellie is 15 years old and I first met her while teaching a small group of D.C. youth about protecting themselves from human trafficking.  Ellie herself was recently turned out of her house by her father, who abused her and her mother. She was in and out of school and one night joined me in learning about human trafficking at a teen workshop.

At first, I am pretty sure Ellie didn’t want to be there and certainly didn’t like me.  But, what I think captured her attention was an activity where we ask the girls and boys to draw what they think prostitution looks like here in D.C. All she drew were a pair of eyes looking down and a pair of green glittery shoes.  This 15-year-old girl told me that the eyes were looking down because a “prostitute” was not allowed to look her pimp in the eyes.  So, it is safer for “girls like here” to just look down all the time.

We were able to help Ellie get connected to a counselor and into a safe space and we continued to educate her about not only how she can protect herself but even tell her girlfriends about the truth about teen prostitution and human trafficking.

Moving forward, FAIR Fund has three main goals this year with our work to promote the safety of women and girls here in D.C.

  • First, we have met with over 600 youth, mainly girls, in the D.C. schools and we recognize that the problem of teen victimization via commercial sex is truly pervasive and there is a need for FAIR Fund to take on professional counselors to assist these teens as soon as they reach out to us.
  • Second, we aim to create safe spaces for support and education that will be accessible for D.C. teens to share their experiences and protect themselves from human trafficking.
  • And, third, we are working right now with the Superintendent’s office to incorporate our youth anti-trafficking curriculum into the D.C. schools’ continuing education series for teachers. Together with these teachers, the D.C. Public School officials, the youth we have educated in the schools, and the young women university students who volunteer with FAIR Fund here in D.C., we can assist these girls and prevent future exploitation.  We will keep the network informed about the April launch of our video to educate teens about human trafficking and teen prostitution here in D.C.

Thank you, Washington Area Women’s Foundation, for truly opening the door and giving FAIR Fund a new chance to connect to your amazing and dedicated network of women’s rights leaders across Washington, D.C.

Andrea Powell is the executive director and co-founder of FAIR Fund, a 2007 Leadership Awardee of The Women’s Foundation.

Interested in learning more about how you can get involved in supporting groups like FAIR Fund, and others, who make sure that girls and women are looking up to a bright future in the Washington metropolitan region?  There’s a place for everyone at The Women’s Foundation.  Find yours today.

Congratulations to FAIR Fund, winner of the online vote!

Posted on by Lisa Kays

From February 1-15, 2008, 1,187 people cast their vote for one of eight outstanding local nonprofits–the 2007 Leadership Awardees–working to improve the health and safety of our region’s women and girls.

More than 400 of those votes went to FAIR Fund, the winner of this year’s online vote!

FAIR Fund contributes to social change in our community–and around the world–by engaging youth, especially young women, in civil society in the areas of anti-human trafficking, domestic violence and sexual assault prevention, and through youth training programs.

Each month in Washington, D.C., up to 30 adolescent girls are identified as victims of commercial sexual exploitation. FAIR Fund’s programs work to change this reality by providing young people with an authentic opportunity to express their own realities, get help navigating the resources available to them and gain a better understanding of what exploitation is and how they can avoid or exit an exploitative situation.

FAIR Fund is making its impact on our community by:

  • Working with 350 local D.C. teens, mainly girls, to provide them with a preventative educational program where teens learn to protect themselves from human trafficking through arts and empowerment;
  • Training over 600 community members–teachers, law enforcement, social workers, health practitioners and legal professionals–to identify and assist youth who are at risk or have experienced commercial sexual exploitation; and,
  • Training more than 100 university students to become the next generation of anti-trafficking leaders in their community.

Andrea Powell, Fair Fund’s executive director, has more to say about how sex trafficking is impacting young people in Washington, D.C. and how you can help. Check out her thoughts here.

The Women’s Foundation congratulates FAIR Fund for being this year’s online vote winner, and for contributing daily to social change on behalf of women and girls.

The Women’s Foundation also congratulates the seven other Leadership Awardees who participated in this year’s online vote.

Each of these organizations has already been recognized by The Women’s Foundation with a Leadership Award of $10,000 to recognize and encourage their effective, innovative efforts on behalf of women and girls.  The Women’s Foundation congratulates each of you!

To learn more about how you can support FAIR Fund’s efforts to reduce adolescents risk toward human trafficking and exploitation or to learn more about the issues, visit their Web site or call 202.265.1505 and ask for Andrea Powell or Amelia Korangy.

To learn more about participating in the next Leadership Awards Committee, contact Carolee Summers-Sparks at csummers@wawf.org.

Fair Fund: Don't look the other way as girls are exploited in D.C.

Posted on by Andrea Powell

I recently returned from a trip to former Yugoslavia, where my organization, FAIR Fund–a Grantee Partner of The Women’s Foundation–leads a program designed to help sexually exploited, homeless, and trafficked girls find safety and meet basic needs like housing or legal documentation.

These 20 girls, and more than 200 like them in Serbia, Kosovo, and Bosnia, have mainly been living on the streets. At ages as young as 11, many of these girls have been sold into a life of prostitution and are often forced to use drugs by dangerous pimps. These are not hidden girls and often the pimps are well known by local law enforcement.  I have seen people just walk right past these children and look the other way.  They are begging for food, they are standing dirty on street corners, they are being kept in abandoned buildings that are just blocks away from major centers of business and neighborhoods.

I have many times asked myself and others, including governmental representatives, one question that I have yet to find the answer:  How can you walk past these girls? If you know they are there, why won’t you reach your hand out?

In a country where leading MSNBC reporters will casually use phrases like “pimp out,” or where top selling rap artists name their songs P.I.M.P., we are also turning our backs on some of the most vulnerable youth of today’s society. 

So, I can’t judge without also acknowledging that right here in Washington, D.C., we are also walking right past girls and boys who are in desperate need of assistance.  In D.C. alone, law enforcement identify sometimes as many as 26 girls monthly who have been exploited through commercial sexual exploitation. 

Many of these girls, just like their young counterparts across the world in places like Serbia and Kosovo, are being controlled and abused by pimps.  Here in D.C., someone looking to purchase sex from a child need to look no further than Craigslist and the ads are right there on their erotica section. Or, drive through the downtown area of Washington, D.C. late at night and you will see those girls.

Here are three simple things you can do to help right here in D.C.:

  1. Don’t look the other way.  If you see a young person who looks like they may need help, you can call the Washington D.C. Police Department and speak to the Youth Division or call 911.
  2. Be conscious of language.  If you hear someone casually using the word pimp, take five minutes to explain to them that pimps are not cool, that they are abusive and controlling people who exploit those more vulnerable–often girls as young as 11.
  3. Get involved.  Volunteer with youth groups to mentor or speak with youth at risk of exploitation.  Many of the girls we work with from places as far away as Bosnia to right here in D.C. really just need someone to listen to them and sometimes explain to them how to keep themselves safe.

Andrea Powell is the executive director and co-founder of FAIR Fund, a 2007 Leadership Awardee of The Women’s Foundation.

Show some love (and $5,000) to a local nonprofit…vote today!

Posted on by Lisa Kays

It’s Valentine’s Day! 

And what better way to show a local nonprofit that you care than to vote for them online, and help one outstanding nonprofit doing work on behalf of women and girls take home $5,000 to support their work.

There are eight innovative, effective nonprofits up for the award and the last day to vote is tomorrow.

Come on, show some love!  Vote today!