Philanthropy

Insights From BIPOC Women in Philanthropy

Posted on by Sarah Weatherby

From leading major foundations and corporate giving programs to working on the front lines of social service organizations and community-based groups, Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) women in philanthropy are making an invaluable impact. Yet, BIPOC women in philanthropy often shoulder a huge burden at the cost of their own well-being.

How intentional are foundations in supporting women and BIPOC women in philanthropy? Internal foundation staff strategies, external grantmaking, and community building are strengthened by putting well-being first. Our Program Officer, Chika Onwuvuche, joined a candid discussion with BIPOC women in philanthropy on how to start, elevate, and broaden support for roles and voices for women of color in philanthropic work. The conversation was led by Sha-Kim Wilson, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Tides Foundation. It was hosted by Catchafire—an organization facilitating connections between grantmakers and corporations seeking to equip nonprofits with capacity-building resources and professionals who want to donate their time and talent through virtual volunteering with nonprofits who need their skills.

Other guest speakers included:

  • Amanda Andere, CEO, Funders Together to End Homelessness
  • Aiyana Marcus, Senior Program Manager, Charlottesville Area Community Foundation

Watch the discussion here.

What does wellness look like?

BIPOC women in philanthropy have long been underrepresented and overlooked. As the sector strives to become more diverse and inclusive, it is critical to recognize the importance of creating wellness for BIPOC women in philanthropy. BIPOC women in philanthropy are on the frontlines of complex and challenging community issues that require a consistent pull on their physical and emotional well-being. Just like their leadership requires their active presence, their rest is just as important and requires active support. For these women, wellness involves creating a safe space for dialogue, collaboration, and advocacy. This means having access to resources and support to help them achieve their goals. It also involves having equitable representation in leadership and decision-making roles.

Holistic wellness looks different for everyone. It’s essential to define what it means to you—and to make space for it in your daily life. Developing a culture of well-being is also a generational issue; often, philanthropic leaders feel guilty for taking rest and taking time to put themselves first. Many are accustomed to doing everything at once and running on fumes.

For Chika, wellness means:

Chika: It’s about institutions creating conditions for wellness and us listening internally to our bodies. It’s about modeling wellness to folks around me so we can create a cultural shift around rest. How do you create a space where others can talk? It shouldn’t be rest to fill someone else’s cup; it’s because I need to breathe, eat, and do things that are a necessity in life for me to engage in joy. Model and create those spaces for those around you to be vulnerable and share in that space. What are things I’m doing to contribute? I need to listen to what my body and soul need. Find what wellness is for you.

What can philanthropy do to create a culture shift around well-being?

The importance of investing in BIPOC women in philanthropy is undeniable. The mental and physical well-being of BIPOC women in philanthropy is closely connected to the success of nonprofits and their communities.

What should philanthropy be doing differently for the next generation? What does a sector shift toward wellness look like?

Chika: We know that young people are not prioritized in decision-making happening around their lives. Girls have higher rates of anxiety, depression, or almost anything; you name it. We’re so advanced technologically, yet we can’t resolve wellness. There’s a lot philanthropy can and should be doing to fund young people to make decisions for their health.

There shouldn’t be a fight for trying to center young people in places like healing circles where they can talk about their feelings. There’s a lot of talk around resources for young people, a social worker here or there, but that is rooted in capitalism. There’s medical insurance people have to navigate. They have to go through the welfare system/parents/guardians, creating many barriers to even access that. There aren’t enough of us, Black women, in that space to provide coverage.

We need a larger community-centered approach in problem-solving: how do we fund and uplift more healing circles and spaces for young people to gather? How do we ensure mental health and wellness are included in the curriculum so young people can learn about their bodies? We know these things exist, but we have to fund them. Having conversations is a great first step. There are resources out there, but we have to put that into the hands of young people well-equipped to address wellness.

There needs to be a cultural shift in how we think about work. As adults, we have ideas on what it takes to be a successful person; young people are showing me that version of success doesn’t align with them.

Chika believes shifting the narrative of work starts with:

  • Instituting four-day workweeks
  • Generous time off so people can focus on their personal lives
  • Increasing paid and maternity leave

With the use of social media and technology, young people are pivoting. Social media is one of the ways Black girls congregate—so how do we engage people in a less harmful way to be able to communicate and engage with folks from all over in how they practice wellness? 

In addition to a cultural shift, what can philanthropic organizations include in their wellness policies to take care of their teams?

Chika: Extended time off. I believe in the ability to step away. What does it look like to support folks across the spectrum to do what they like? We have these confines of time, but the energy I’m giving this week is not the same as the energy I’m giving next week. How can we respond to our bodies?

One key part of a culture and policy shift is the importance of modeling. The more individuals and organizations develop a culture of well-being, the more it will be normalized in the sector as a whole:

Chika: We need to see it be modeled from leadership. If your leader can model the well-being practices that you want to see, you’re more likely to engage in the same type of behavior. I was lucky to work in a place where each month, we’d get additional leave time. These are internal policies that can be changed more easily. Be liberal with the way you give that time off. 

About The Speakers

Amanda Andere, CEO, Funders Together to End Homelessness

Amanda has spent over 15 years working in the nonprofit & public sector as a leader committed to racial and housing justice. She served as CEO of Wider Opportunities for Women, a national advocacy org. She’s a board member of the United Philanthropy Forum and Equity in the Center and also serves on the Leadership Council for the DC Partnership to End Homelessness. As a former Co-Chair of A Way Home America, Amanda is a co-conspirator in their work to end youth and young adult homelessness.

Aiyana Marcus, Senior Program Manager for the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation

Aiyana manages the development, implementation, and evaluation of grant programs along with other resource deployment strategies that support an ecosystem of trust-based, equitable philanthropy. She is also a community-focused artist with 20 years of experience promoting the authentic storytelling of Black lives, including writing, directing, and producing four of her original plays. Most recently, She Echoes on the Vine premiered at the Jefferson School African American Heritage Center in 2021.

Chika Onwuvuche, Program Officer, Washington Area Women’s Foundation

Born and raised in Washington, DC, Chika is committed to ensuring area residents are afforded equitable resources and services to live self-determined productive lives. She is a champion of youth-led initiatives that empower for systems change and manages the foundation’s youth and safety grant portfolios with support for advocacy efforts of collaborative grantee partners. Chika has a bachelor’s in poli-sci and social work from UW-Madison & an MS in social work from UPenn.

Sha-Kim Wilson, Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships, Tides Foundation

With over 20 years of experience as a sales executive, Sha-Kim has built her career being a client advocate and trusted advisor for midsize to large organizations across the globe. She is the founder of Helen’s Hands, a nonprofit organization that advocates for Alzheimer’s caregivers. Sha-Kim received her undergraduate degree from Florida International University, MBA from University of Phoenix, and is currently pursuing her PhD in Organizational Leadership.

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A Discussion About Modern Grantmaking for the Leaders of Tomorrow 

Posted on by Sarah Weatherby

The Women’s Foundation practices modern grantmaking by exploring innovative ways to support nonprofits and those it serves year-round. We turn to our communities through listening tours and strategic planning discussions to learn how to meet community needs best.

As part of our strategic vision, we created the Rock Star Fund—our participatory grantmaking program—that places youth as decision-makers and provides young women and gender-expansive youth of color ages 12-24, living in D.C., with $2,000 to advance their own community project idea.

The Rock Star Fund is part of a two-year leadership program—in collaboration with the D.C. Girls Coalition and the community-generated Blue Print for Action—and is making a difference for the next generation of youth leaders. 

Last month, we were thrilled to have one of our program officers, Chika Onwuvuche, join a conversation with Guenevere Crum, Director of Community Engagement at Catchafire, to discuss the Rock Star Fund.

Watch the discussion here.

Catchafire is an organization that partners with grantmakers to connect nonprofits with pro-bono professionals that provide full-service, on-demand solutions. When foundations work with Catchafire, they invest in modern grantmaking; their innovative technology and capacity help directly drive community impact. Nonprofits save time and money by leveraging the support of skilled volunteers from across the globe.

During the webinar, attendees learned more about Chika, the Rock Star Fund, and critical narratives around modern grantmaking. The conversation also opened the floor for improved collaboration and communication between grantmakers and grantees. 

Chika’s Role

Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Chika is committed to ensuring area residents are afforded equitable resources and services to live self-determined productive lives. She is a champion of youth-led initiatives that empower systems change and manages our foundation’s youth and safety grant portfolios with support for advocacy efforts of collaborative grantee partners.

During the discussion, Chika spoke about our modern grantmaking approach to supporting women and girls of color—in which we aim to create a space to engage with and support youth. In addition to youth work, Chika also focuses on safety by providing resources and grants to nonprofits that support survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence and give culturally specific help.

Listening to Our Community

Before the pandemic, we held a series of listening sessions with stakeholders and youth to learn about the community’s critical issues, challenges, and needs. In return, we received recommendations on what young people wanted to see in D.C.

“We offered a space where young people, who are often overlooked, were able to engage in conversations around what they wanted to see in their community. Having these conversations over two years materialized into this great body of work,” said Chika.

The work resulted in creating the Blue Print for Action and the Young Women’s Advisory Council, with recommendations on how different agencies should center young women and girls of color. These programs emerged in a variety of ways:

  • Mentorship opportunities
  • Culturally responsive mental health resources
  • A safe space to come together

“The first step is listening to them. They know what they need. Make the spaces that you are engaging with them accessible. We, as adults, create parameters and expectations on how young people should show up and have conversations with us. Creating accessibility is really important. I think we have an idea of how the world is going to go and is supposed to go, but they’re the future—they’re going to be the ones deciding this. Give them the space to be able to do so, give them a space for them to show up authentically. They need a space to be authentic and allow them, partner with them, and lead them on what those spaces could look like,” Chika added.

Next Generation Leadership

The Women’s Foundation partners with the D.C. Girls Coalition, a youth-led group with young women who curate events and discuss critical issues in the community. The Coalition is tasked with selecting the recipients of the Rock Star Fund and $2,000 microgrant for learning opportunities and community projects. “They are the changemakers!” Chika says. “We have a lot of power within foundations, and it’s so amazing to see them take it in their hands.”

For many, the D.C. Girls Coalition is their first experience in philanthropy, and they develop insights on what should and shouldn’t be funded. Award recipients and their projects address various community needs, from advocating for youth eligibility for homeless shelters and arts and culture initiatives to health care and recreation.

The community needs are diverse and are represented by the projects of the Rock Star Fund. Some projects that have received funding include:

  • A literary magazine using the funding to catapult its work to the next level
  • Mentorship programs
  • Confidence building through equine care and riding experiences
  • A hair care line with the goal of healthier beauty products in stores

As part of her role, Chika works with the awarded Rock Stars as they implement their projects, helping them address any barriers they encounter, providing feedback, and supporting their entrepreneurial work. The cohorts also have a series of networking events, allowing for peer learning and creating a community of women and girls of color doing incredible work. By providing these resources, these microgrants are helping close the gender gap in D.C. and giving more women and girls a chance to succeed in their chosen fields.

With the help of these current grantmaking initiatives, D.C. women and girls can access resources and support networks that can help them reach their goals. These grants are helping to create a more equitable and inclusive society, all while supporting the entrepreneurship and vision of the next generation.

Get involved and learn more about our Young Women Initiative here.

Census 2020: Let’s Ensure a Complete Count!

Posted on by Claudia Williams

The U.S. Census counts every resident in the United States every ten years, but its goal is much more than just a head count. Census data plays a crucial role in the apportionment of congress and the allocation of federal resources across the country.  Businesses also use it to drive key decisions, like where to ship products or where to build new stores. Philanthropy and non-profit organizations rely on Census data to inform their objectives and initiatives. At The Women’s Foundation, we use it frequently to understand how women and girls are faring in our region, and to inform our goals, strategy, grantmaking, and evaluation. (Click here to check out some of the reports and fact sheets we have prepared using data from the Census and the American Community Survey).

An undercount of the population will have far-reaching implications for communities living at the margins. Because of a combination of factors, including structural discrimination, inequitable policies, distrust in the government, and access barriers, census counts disproportionately overlook people of color, people with lower-incomes, children, people with mental and physical disabilities, transient and recently rehoused populations, and non-English speakers.  (Explore this map to see where the hardest-to-count census tracts are in the Washington region.)

This time around, a fraught political climate and a growing digital divide—the 2020 census will be the first to allow residents to respond online—are boosting the odds against an accurate count. It is still unclear whether the census will include the controversial citizenship question the Trump administration proposed to add, but several advocacy organizations have pointed out that the mere proposal of including this question has already deterred many communities from responding.

We believe disaggregated, accurate, accessible, and current data are essential to identifying gaps, understanding which populations experiencing vulnerability need special interventions, and designing and adapting programs and policies that can sustain positive change. To support an accurate census count in our region, the Women’s Foundation joined a group of local funders leveraging resources to make sure everyone counts and everyone is counted.

Along with WRAG, Metropolitan Council of Governments, and 13 other foundations, we are organizing a daylong forum on June 6, 2019, for our Grantee Partners and non-profit organizations in our community to identify and discuss strategies to reach-out to hard-to-count communities. If you are interested in learning more about opportunities to help with outreach, you want everyone in your community to get counted, and you would like to meet members of your jurisdiction’s complete count committees, make sure you register for “Interventions that Work: 2020 Census and Hard-to-Reach Communities” before May 30.

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Claudia Williams is Program Officer at Washington Area Women’s Foundation where she contributes to crafting and executing program strategy and manages the Young Women’s Initiative of Washington, DC. 

At the Intersection of Race, Gender, and Philanthropy: Engaging Women of Color in Philanthropy

Posted on by Claudia Williams

Women have a long history of volunteering their time, talent, and treasure to support worthy causes and solve some of the great challenges our communities face.

Like never before, women of different backgrounds have rising economic, financial, social, and political power thanks to their increased participation in the workforce, educational attainment, and leadership roles. With direct influence over how wealth is spent, the face of philanthropy is changing with women from many cultures and communities of color—Black, Asian, Latina, American Indian, Pacific Islanders, and more—actively participating in giving and volunteering.

As a women’s foundation, centering women as the donors and recipients of funds, we recognize the critical importance of engaging and leveraging the philanthropic potential of all women in our region, and understanding how giving connects them to each other and to the causes they support.

A new study from the Women’s Philanthropy Institute, Women Give 2019: Gender and Giving across Communities of Color, is the first to explore philanthropy at the intersection of race and gender. The report finds that gender differences are consistent across racial groups—women are more likely to give than men are—but, unlike gender, a donor’s race does not have a significant effect on the amount given to charity. When we take into consideration factors like gender, wealth, income, and education, race does not significantly influence giving.

The report challenges common perceptions about who our society sees as philanthropists, and explores the ways in which race influences how organizations engage donors from diverse backgrounds. For example, the report reveals that fundraisers are less likely to approach philanthropists of color. Women Give 2019 highlight studies that show African Americans would donate more if organizations asked them more often, and that Latinos are highly interested in charitable giving, but organizations are less likely to engage with them as often or with the same relationship depth as White donors.

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In addition to highlighting findings from quantitative data, the authors of the report conducted six in-depth interviews with women of color philanthropists. In sharing their stories, it is clear that for these women, gender and racial identities shape and guide their philanthropic work. These stories also surface some of the different pathways women take to establish their philanthropy, the unique perspectives and experiences they bring to giving, and highlights the importance of doing more to mentor and engage women of color in philanthropic endeavors.

The biggest challenge facing our community is not a lack of strategies to address the needs of women and girls who are vulnerable to experiencing economic insecurity, but a lack of resources. Women Give 2019 suggests untapped opportunities to increase and catalyze these resources.

Creating a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive culture in philanthropy is also about creating space and opportunities for communities of color, and in particular, women of color, to participate as donors.

Claudia Williams is Program Officer at Washington Area Women’s Foundation where she contributes to crafting and executing program strategy and manages the Young Women’s Initiative of Washington, DC. 

How To Maximize Your End-of-Year Giving: Donor Advised Funds

Posted on by Linda Paulson

29% of all giving to non-profits happens in December.  Why?  Because savvy donors give before the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve to make sure that they can deduct their gift in the current tax year.  This is very important for donors who itemize their taxes.  In order to take deductions when you prepare your 2016 taxes in the coming months, you must give by December 31st.

No one knows for sure what changes to tax policy will happen in 2016.  Many donors, anticipating the President-elect’s tax proposals are choosing to give more in 2016, for the certainty of the deduction at the level they’ll get it this year versus the uncertainty of next year.  If you have not yet, you should consult your financial advisors on what these changes could mean for you, and if it may be wise for you to accelerate your giving this year.

A Donor Advised Fund (DAF) is a great way to give and get your tax deduction this year, and choose what non-profit you will contribute to in the future.  It’s a smart solution if you decide to accelerate your giving now, and want to give over many years to come.  You can potentially realize additional tax benefits if you donate appreciated securities (which should be done now, so that the stock transfer can complete before the end of the year).

At The Women’s Foundation, we provide a DAF that offers you all the tax benefits of other DAFs and the opportunity for you to show your commitment to women and girls in the region.  Through our Philanthropic Services, we can consult with you on the organizations that create the greatest impact in our community and that align with your giving priorities.

If you are interested in opening a DAF, do not hesitate to call me at 202-347-7737 or email me at lpaulson@wawf.org .  We require a minimum opening gift of $50,000.

How to give before the end of the year:

  • Stock

Many donors choose to give appreciated stocks for the tax benefits. Stocks owned for a year or more are eligible for tax deductions for the full current value of the donated securities, not the lesser amount paid for them. In addition, they are not subject to the capital gains tax like they would be if the securities were sold and proceeds were donated as cash.

Stock gifts must be initiated by your broker in sufficient time to clear before the close of business on December 30th.  To you decide to give a gift of stock to The Women’s Foundation, your broker will need the following:

Account Custodian:  Capital One*

Account number: JZ1046633

DTC number:  0443

Contact person at Capital One:  Anoput Phimmasone 202-603-6094 or anoput.phimmasone@capitaleone.com

*Please note that this account is for direct gifts and NOT to open a DAF.  For information to open a DAF please contact me directly.

  • Check

Please be sure your check is dated and your envelope is postmarked on or before December 31.

Kindly send checks to:

Washington Area Women’s Foundation

1331 H Street NW, Suite 1000

Washington DC,  20005

  • Online

Give online before at thewomensfoundation.org/give.  Donations made by 11:59 p.m. ET on December 31, 2016 will count in the 2016 tax year.

 We appreciate all you do to help all women and girls achieve economic security in our community.  We wish you and yours a great holiday season and a happy new year!

Jennifer Lockwood-Shabat’s 2015 Leadership Luncheon Remarks

Posted on by Jennifer Lockwood-Shabat

On October 15, The Women’s Foundation President and CEO, Jennifer Lockwood- Shabat, gave the following remarks at the 2015 Leadership Luncheon.

Good afternoon. Wow – what an amazing crowd! I’m Jennifer Lockwood-Shabat, and I’m thrilled to welcome you to today’s luncheon.

At each of your plates sits a small blue or orange envelope marked Wait to Open. The suspense has been tough, I know! But inside that envelope sits your fate for the next few minutes: either that of a woman thriving, or that of a woman struggling.

So now I’d like you to open your envelopes.

If you have a blue envelope, you are living the life of a woman who is thriving. You likely graduated from high school, college and maybe even grad school. You are employed and earn a comfortable salary. You can afford high-quality child care, a home of your own, and you set aside money each month for savings. If you opened your envelope to learn that you are thriving, I’d like you to stay seated.

If you have an orange envelope, then you are living the life of a woman struggling to get by. It’s likely that you graduated from high school, but college wasn’t an option. You are employed at a local chain restaurant, making $21,000 per year – minimum wage – barely enough to cover your bills, let alone child care for your toddler. Each week, you cobble together coverage through friends, family, and neighbors, wondering if your daughter is learning what she needs to be prepared for kindergarten. Each month, you make tough choices about which bills you will pay – whether it’s your daughter’s asthma medication or the heating bill – because you can’t cover both of them in full.

Thriving Struggling Cards

If you’ve found yourself with an orange envelope, please stand.

Take note. Look around. 1 of every 4 individuals in this room is now standing.

1 in 4.

These are people you know. They are your neighbors, colleagues, and friends.

The women and men standing are representative of the 476,000 women and girls in this region who are struggling to get by.

But why? It doesn’t have to be this way.

●    What if – right now – we doubled down on our investments to build economic security in this region?

●    What if for every door that felt closed off to a woman, we helped open 2 more doors of opportunity?

●    What if, instead of making assumptions, we took the time to listen – really listen – to what women need,
so we can tailor solutions that will truly help them get ahead?

If we were to do this, then you could all take a seat. And as you take your seat at the table, know that, in doing so, you’re creating new seats at the table. This is what a model community looks like—a place where we all have comfortable seats at the table, and ample opportunities to thrive.

It’s not so far out of reach.

Last year, I stood on this stage and shared my own personal journey. Having come from a place of struggle, I am now thriving. And so this work is very personal for me. My mom and daughters are here with me again today, and although I argued a little bit with my oldest daughter Katia about whether she should really miss a day of school, she said to me, “Mom, I want to see what you do. It’s really important to me.” And there you have it. That’s the difference. Because my trajectory changed, her trajectory has changed, and she sees other possibilities.

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But that’s not the case for far too many women and girls in our community. When mired in the challenges of poverty, especially when it’s the only life you’ve ever know, it’s hard to lift your head up and see a brighter future for yourself and your family.

When we talk about female poverty in our region, 1 in 4, we must explicitly talk about the disproportionate impact this has on women and girls of color.

16 percent of Black women and 14 percent of Latinas live in poverty compared with 6 percent of white women.

And when we look at families led by single women, the disparities for women of color are truly staggering.

What’s happening with women and girls of color in our community is so deeply connected and intertwined with what is happening to men and boys of color. My Brother’s Keeper has ignited an unprecedented investment in boys and young men of color, an investment and conversation that is long overdue. I applaud our trifecta of leadership—the Mayor, the Chief of Police, and the Chancellor—for these efforts.

I think we can all agree that this isn’t about one gender or another. This isn’t about pitting girls against boys. This is about investing in the future of our community, investing in our children.

What we need now, more than ever is bold action.

So today, I am challenging our community to join The Women’s Foundation and boldly invest a collective $100 million over the next five years in our region’s women and families, many of whom are women of color.

Join The Women’s Foundation in committing to moving the 476,000 women and girls currently facing economic hardship to a place of consistent economic stability. Our region’s families deserve nothing less.

To aid in these efforts, in the coming months we will be unveiling a donor advised fund model that will transform how we collectively invest in this work. Because we can achieve this, and when we do, we will transform our community. We will transform lives.

To better appreciate the life-altering nature of our work, I want you to consider the story of Okema.

Three years ago, Okema stood on this stage and shared her personal journey. In her mid-20s she found herself unemployed, trying to raise her daughter single-handedly. She enrolled SOME’s Center for Employment Training where she graduated and ultimately earned a job working for SOME. Today, 8 years later, Okema is now the Lead Employment Retention Specialist at SOME. That means she is the person responsible for ensuring that recent graduates have the support they need to stay in their jobs for the long-term. And she has the real life experience to share. I recently ran into Okema, and she shared with me that she now wants to become a life coach. Imagine that – talk about paying it forward?

It’s success stories like Okema’s that make this work both critical and rewarding. We can’t be intimidated or daunted by the staggering statistics. We have to focus on what’s possible and the positive signs of progress that we are seeing every day.

Last year, our grantmaking reached nearly 7,000 women, and as a result:

●    Women collectively saved close to a quarter of a million dollars.

●    More than 400 women increased their collective incomes by $1.5 million through new jobs or advancing to higher paying jobs.

These are impressive results, but we know much more needs to be done. Over the next five years, we are committed to increasing our investments in this community from $1 million to $5 million.

But those investments can only be successful if the women they support aren’t hindered by other barriers—like access to child care or transportation.

DC is poised to become one of the most generous places in the country for low-income workers seeking paid family and medical leave. Regardless of where you stand on how we pay for this benefit, there is no ignoring that the time has come to have this important conversation.

This is just one of the many reasons why The Women’s Foundation is also committing to coordinating our work with those community partners and policymakers who are positioned to remove barriers and enact tangible policies that improve the lives of women and girls.

You are each here today because you know one very simple truth: when women are strong, our community is strong. And yet, just a stone’s throw away—whether it’s Langley Park, Bailey’s Crossroads, or Anacostia—there are roughly 30,000 single moms who are struggling to make ends meet, and their children know nothing else but what it feels like to scrape by.

So yes, bold visions are needed, but bold actions are overdue. Today, I’ve laid out for you our commitments, but I want to know what will each of you do to change the uncomfortable reality for so many women and girls?

You are The Women’s Foundation. We are The Women’s Foundation. Together we will invest in our greatest innovators, entrepreneurs, educators, and changemakers.

Together, we can change the FUTURE.

We don’t need to look any further – WE have the power to make this happen.

And NOW is the time.

Thank you.

Resource – Issue Brief on Girls’ Economic Security in the Washington Region.

Posted on by Jessica Zetzman

In April 2015, Washington Area Women’s Foundation released our issue brief on the economic security of girls in the Washington region.

Women and girls are powerful social change agents in their families and communities. However, their power and potential can be helped or hindered early in life. Many girls in our region face significant obstacles that not only affect their well-being today, but their educational success, earning potential and economic security in the future. By investing in girls’ lives, we ensure that they grow up and enter adulthood on the best possible footing, empowered to have a positive impact in their communities.

This issue brief highlights key issues and demographic trends in the Washington region, and dives specifically into issues of poverty and opportunity that affect girls’ capacity to attain economic security in adulthood. Our objective is to better understand girls’ experiences and circumstances and to work together with the community to identify strategies that reduce barriers, increase opportunities and increase the number of girls who are able to live economically secure lives both today and for generations to come. Read the entire issue brief, here.Girls Issue Brief Cover

 

Two-Generation Grant Investments Aim to Break the Cycle of Poverty

Posted on by Lauren Stillwell

In December 2014, The Women’s Foundation announced new grant investments of $630,000 to 20 organizations across the region. In a series of blog posts, we’ve shared more about the strategies behind those investments, including community college innovations we are supporting and early childhood investments to improve quality and access for low-income families in the region. Today, we’ll discuss how we’re taking a two-generation approach to our work, and what that looks like for our Grantee Partners.

The Women’s Foundation’s grant investments are made through Stepping Stones, an initiative designed to increase the economic security of women and girls living under 200 percent of the federal poverty level (currently $39,580 for a family of three). We accomplish this goal by investing in three core issue areas that research has shown to have the greatest influence on the economic security of low-income women and their families: asset building, early care and education and workforce development.

Our most recent grants spread investments across the region—in Washington, DC; Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in Maryland; the city of Alexandria; and Arlington and Fairfax counties in Virginia. In total, these investments are projected to reach over 3,500 women and girls, potentially increasing their assets and incomes by $2.9 million over the next year.

Several of these investments take a two-generation approach to breaking the cycle of poverty.

Two-generation strategies respond to the needs of children and their parents together, to influence short- and long-term economic security simultaneously. This strategy is a natural extension of Stepping Stones’ track record serving female-headed households, which has had tremendous results to date (increasing the income and assets of women and their families by more than $45 million since 2005). However, we know that in order to truly break the cycle of poverty in the Washington region, we must take a lifespan approach to our work. For us, this work began when we expanded our target population to all women under 200 percent of the federal poverty level, and continued last year with the launch of a specific strategy to invest in the long-term economic security of girls. We accomplish this by investing specifically in middle school aged girls and their mothers or female caregivers.

Last year, our inaugural investments were planning grants that allowed organizations the dedicated space, time and resources to explore two-generation strategies that could serve middle school aged girls and their mothers or female caregivers. This year, we’re pleased to invest in a partnership between the YWCA of the National Capital Area and College Success Foundation – DC (CSF-DC). Following their planning grants, this year the YWCA and CSF-DC will engage families through a new partnership with Cesar Chavez Public Charter School’s Bruce Prep Campus in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of the District’s Ward 1. The YWCA is one of a few organizations experienced with serving both girls and women, and brings a gender lens to their work. Through this new partnership, the YWCA will primarily provide supports for the adult women in each family, while CSF-DC will draw upon their expertise serving youth beginning in middle school, as evidenced by their flagship Higher Education Readiness Opportunity (HERO) program. This partnership model builds upon each organization’s strengths, and allows each to more holistically serve families. The Women’s Foundation’s 2015 investment supports additional planning and the launch of the program pilot in summer 2015. With additional resources, these partners plan to bring the program to more women and girls in the 2015-2016 school year.

The Women’s Foundation believes there is great potential for the two-generation strategy across our work, beyond our investments in girls. (For example, the two-generation work we’re supporting at Northern Virginia Community College.) We were selected to be part of the Ascend Network at the Aspen Institute, a national network of leaders pioneering two-generation programs and policies. Through this collective work, we aim to build connections between national and local innovation, and spur additional two-generation work building the economic security of women and girls in our region.

Foundation Investments Push Early Learning in the Washington Region Forward

Posted on by Lauren Stillwell

The Women’s Foundation’s recently announced investments of $630,000 in economic security efforts across the region included seven grants (totaling $325,000) for organizations working to increase the quality and capacity of, and access to, early care and education. These grants are made through the Early Care and Education Funders Collaborative, a collective funding effort led by The Women’s Foundation that brings corporate funders and foundations together to invest in systems-level change in the region’s early care and education. You can learn more about the Collaborative and its partners here.

These investments seek to:

  1. Improve the quality of early care and education for low-income children ages zero to five;
  2. Expand access to affordable early care and education options;
  3. Support professional development for early care and education professionals;
  4. Encourage and strengthen partnerships among stakeholders that support positive changes in the early care and education system.

This year, our early care and education grants continue to support increased advocacy work, an effort that began last year. These investments include Voices for Virginia’s Children, working across Northern Virginia; Prince George’s Child Resource Center, mobilizing in Prince George’s County, Maryland; AppleTree Institute, and a partnership of DC Appleseed and the DC Fiscal Policy Institute, focused on the District of Columbia.

The partnership between DC Appleseed and the DC Fiscal Policy Institute is particularly exciting. Together, they are responding to an identified need within DC’s early childhood community: lack of consistent and complete data that captures the cost of quality programs. They will also examine the impending costs facing providers as they adapt to a changing Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS), proposed changes in licensing and regulations, the costs of professional development and increased compensation for teachers and the costs of serving children with developmental delays and/or special health care needs. The findings of the study will form the platform for an advocacy agenda, steeped in research data to help advocates rally around a common agenda.

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The Women’s Foundation is proud to be one of many investing in early care and education (with more investors recently, as evidence by the White House Summit on Early Learning). Research shows that young children (ages 0 to 5) need a strong social, emotional and intellectual foundation to succeed in school. Children who enter kindergarten without this foundation for learning are more likely to face significant academic challenges than peers who come prepared. Quality early care and education can successfully close this “preparation gap,” while facilitating the economic security and long-term financial success of low-income families; supporting parents in the workforce; and preparing future workers to meet the needs of the regional business community and become active, contributing members of society.

We look forward to supporting our Grantee Partners as we push these goals forward in our region!

Here’s a full list of this year’s early care and education grants.

2015 Grant Investments in Early Care and Education

  • AppleTree Institute for Education Innovation
    To support AppleTree Institute’s increased communications and advocacy efforts in Washington, DC, aimed at defining quality early education in terms of child outcomes that result in school readiness.
  •  CentroNia
    To support the CentroNía Institute in piloting and testing the Unpacking CLASS Tool Kit, an instructional guide that helps early childhood teachers and center directors improve teacher-child quality interaction in the classroom.
  • DC Appleseed
    To partner with the DC Fiscal Policy Institute to design and produce a study of the District’s child care costs.
  • The Literacy Lab
    To support the Metro DC Reading Corps Pre-K Program, which embeds literacy tutors in DC and Alexandria’s highest-need early childhood classrooms to provide children with daily literacy interventions that prepare them for kindergarten and future educational success.
  • National Black Child Development Institute
    To support the T.E.A.C.H. Early Childhood DC program, which will invest in the professional development and improved quality of teachers serving children from birth through age five in the District of Columbia.
  • Prince George’s Child Resource Center
    To support Joining Voices, an advocacy project in Prince George’s County that empowers parents and child care providers to articulate the importance of quality child care for family stability, school readiness and economic growth.
  • Voices for Virginia’s Children
    To promote public policies and investments that ensure all children in Northern Virginia, particularly those who are disadvantaged, enter kindergarten ready to succeed.

Pay It Forward

Posted on by WAWF

One of my favorite books is “Pay It Forward” by Catherine Ryan Hyde which was then made into a movie starring Haley Joel Osment, Helen Hunt and Kevin Spacey. Unfortunately, as is so often the case, the movie did not do the book justice.  But, what can you do…Hollywood!

The storyline is that the thirteen year old protagonist, Trevor McKinney, is given an assignment by his social studies teacher to devise and put into action a plan that will change the world for the better. His plan — called “Pay It Forward” — is based on the networking of good deeds. He does a significant favor for three people, and then asks each recipient of a favor to do an equally significant favor for three others rather than paying the favor back to the person that did it for them. This notion of “paying it forward” has become a well-known meme but it begs a question about the notions of “paying back” and “paying forward” that have really interesting implications for philanthropy.

Looking at patterns of giving, we see that some of the highest philanthropic giving goes to churches, alma maters, etc. People feel very connected to places that have helped shape their lives in some way and are thus compelled to support them when they have the means. This kind of giving, while important and meaningful, really is about “giving back.”

Now, think about how the concept of “paying it forward” plays out in philanthropy.

There is a point in the story where Trevor believes that his experiment is a failure because it doesn’t catch on the way he had hoped. But in the book, as in life, we see that while paying back can offer more immediate results (we have that more direct connect between the benefactor and the beneficiary), paying it forward takes much more time and much more faith that our act of kindness — or in the case of philanthropy and generosity — yields what we hope it will: someone whose life has changed in a way that compels and allows them to do the same for others.

This pay it forward model of philanthropy is really what the work of The Women’s Foundation is about. But it takes a leap of faith, which is hard to do.  We already know that our churches and schools have helped us – we experience first-hand the impact on our own lives that these institutions have had. But how comfortable are we in making an investment in something that is often very much outside of our own experience, and/or will take time to yield dividends? Like the stock market, social change and pay it forward philanthropy is about the long-game. But also like the stock market, for those who are patient and willing to take some measure of “risk” by believing in the potential of something they have not yet seen come to pass or experienced, there is the opportunity to see incredible returns. It is clear that when you invest in the power and potential of people, the impact can be profound.

If you have any doubt about the power of “paying it forward,” just read Catherine Hyde Ryan’s book. And next time you think about your philanthropy, ask yourself – are you paying back, or can you be bold enough to also pay it forward?