The Women’s Fund
Our mission is to improve, through purposeful philanthropy, the status and quality of life for all women.
Objectives
- Promote educational, economic, social, and political equality for women
- Enable women to achieve economic self-sufficiency
- Ensure that women have the necessary resources for healthcare
- Honor local women who have made our community a better place in which to live
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 organizations 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.
The Community Foundation’s Women’s Fund aims to continue this important tradition through the establishment of the Women’s Fund Endowment. The Women’s Fund Endowment is at 85% of our first goal and growing toward its first milestone of $200,000 with special incentives. Donors can make at gift by Clicking Here and designating the program as, Other, Women’s Fund Endowment.
Donor Recognition
- Donors giving $1,000 and above will receive the special permanent recognition of Women’s Fund Endowment Founder until the Fund reaches $200,000 at which time the recognition of Founder will be retired and cease to be available to subsequent donors.
- You will be recognized as a member of the Beverly Baker Society for each year in which you give at least $1,000 in that year.
- Donors making an annual gift of $500-$999 will be recognized as a Patron of the Women’s Fund.
- Donors making an annual gift of under $500 will be recognized as a Supporter of the Women’s Fund.
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.
The endowment generates grants such as these 2013 awards
- Community Foundation’s Women’s Fund celebrates the power of women in philanthropy with 11 grantees awarded over $19,000 of grants to achieve powerful results for women in Tompkins County.
- OAR for empowerment workshops
- Advocacy Center for new washer and dryer at their shelter
- Catholic Charities for immigrant services
- Tompkins Learning Partners for math workshops
- Southside Community Center for two girl empowerment programs
- Natural Leaders Initiative for peer internships
- Women’s Opportunity Center to assist women in job training
- Ithaca Free Clinic for its women’s health services
- Finger Lakes Independence Center for an Asian women’s brochure
- Cancer Resource Center for wigs and beauty products for cancer survivors
- Tompkins Community Action for linen and house wares for its new supportive living residence for women
Downloads
- Women’s Fund Information Grantees, award recipients, advisory committee members, and volunteers
- Women’s Fund Endowment Gift Form Become a founder of the Women’s Fund Endowment AND a member of its Beverly Baker Society
- Women’s Fund Grant Patrons Form Supporting the Fund’s ability to make grants to improve our community
