The Women’s Fund

Objectives

History, Grants, and Endowment

Created in 2004, the Women’s Fund at the Community Foundation seeks to make a significant difference in the lives of individual women and the work of organizaitons in our community. There have always been local women who were philanthropists. They brought food to the needy, nursed the sick, and contributed funds to those causes close to home. Groups like the Ladies Benevolent Society provided a safe place to live for elderly women, which has evolved into McGraw House. Working together, women founded the Children’s Home, a refuge for youngsters in need, and helped create such institutions as the Reconstruction Home, Women’s Opportunity Center, The Cancer Resource Center, and many others.

We are making a difference by providing grants to non-profits in our community. See the downloadable document for a listing of our grants.

The Community Foundation’s Women’s Fund aims to continue this important tradition through the establishment of the Women’s Fund Endowment launched on March 25th, 2008 at the Women’s Fund Luncheon. Its goal is to establish an initial $200,000 endowment to generate annual grants to local organizations that will assist women improve their economic, educational, health and social opportunities. Objectives of the endowment include partnering with 200 “Founders” who will give a one time gift of at least $1,000. Beginning in 2010 this fund will generate nearly $10,000 annually for grants to local organizations to help women improve their lives. The fund aims to provide individuals an opportunity to honor or memorialize someone who shares or has shared this mission.

Please join us in building this lasting legacy in our community, and more importantly, in making sure that women have the opportunities they deserve to improve the quality of their lives. Make a gift to the Women’s Fund Endowment.