Following the resignation of Director Jeannie Infante Sager, The Women’s Philanthropy Institute (WPI) has announced a new Interim Director.
Jacqueline Ackerman has been named to the role of Interim Director. Ackerman has been associated with WPI since 2012 and has held roles as Assistant and Associate Director of Research at WPI. Most recently, she served as Associate Director for WPI.
‘Jaquie has been instrumental to the growth and evolution of WPI for close to a decade,” said outgoing director Jeannie Infante Sager. “[She has] led our research agenda, managed research reports and roll outs, served as primary author on many of our reports, and supervised grants and sponsorships. Her commitment to our mission and her enthusiasm for our work are evident, and I have no doubt that they will continue to make significant contributions women’s philanthropy.”
Sager will be assuming the role of Vice-President of Development at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis in Indiana.
“I am so grateful for Jeannie’s mentorship and leadership over the past four years,” said Ackerman. “I’m looking forward to moving WPI forward as Interim Director and continuing to build on our 20-year history of excellence in growing women’s philanthropy.”
To read more about WPI, visit the website at the link below:
https://scholarworks.iupui.edu/collections/3837ae90-f99e-4a78-bc22-8992cc67aec9
Self-Congratulations; Or, The Empire Strikes Back
In our last issue, we ran a couple of pieces on the continued attacks on efforts to promote social justice through affirmative action, DEI, and other related programs. One of the pieces reported on a lawsuit brought by a teacher against the State of Oregon by a teacher who felt discriminated against because he was not eligible for a rebate of $192 on his teaching license. The rebates were implemented in 2019 to increase the ratio of Hispanic teachers in a state where the number of Hispanic students outnumber Hispanic teachers by 3:1.
The case was taken up by the Pacific Legal Foundation. In our article, we quoted Joshua P. Thompson is the director of equality and opportunity litigation as follows:
Joshua P. Thompson is the director of equality and opportunity litigation at the Pacific Legal Foundation, a conservative public interest law firm representing many of the plaintiffs, including Lynn.
“We are firing on all cylinders now,” Thompson gloated. “We haven’t scratched the surface,” he said.
I am pleased to report that PW received an email written by a staff member of the Pacific Legal Foundation. Apparently, they took exception to the use of the word “gloated”.
The email stated:
“…While you might say gloat, we would say speaking proudly.”
PW exists to help promote diversity, equality, and inclusion. We are proud to note that we got under someone’s skin.
The Pacific Legal Foundation is donor supported, and has or had ties to the Koch Brothers according to this story:
“…Among the PLF’s major donors are entities controlled by right-wing billionaire Charles Koch, CEO of Koch Industries. A Popular Information review of tax filings from 2019 and 2020, the latest available, found that the Charles Koch Foundation and the Charles Koch Institute donated $2,331,550 to PLF in those two years…”
https://popular.info/p/billionaire-backed-legal-group-sues
One: Project Kesher Receives $1.5 Million Grant to Support Women and Girls in Ukraine
Project Kesher is a nonprofit organization that has been rebuilding Jewish life, promoting the status of women and advancing civil society globally since 1989. It was recently awarded a grant totaling $US 1.5 million ny a national group of Jewish women philanthropists.
The funding will allow Project Kesher to expand the critical support it provides to women and girls in Ukraine as the country endures its third year of war after being invaded by Russia.
Project Kesher will direct the funds to an array of initiatives that deliver outsized benefits both to individual women and girls as well as families and communities throughout Ukraine.
The funds will be directed towards women who own and operate small businesses, gendered humanitarian care, health and safety information for women in wartime Ukraine, and to expand and sustain the ability of the country’s nonprofit sector to meet the needs of women and girls.
Project Kesher has been active in Ukraine for 35 years and has created a mission-driven organization that is specifically structured to provide humanitarian support through aid, small business grants, scholarships and education. This on-the-ground presence has been vital for navigating bureaucratic challenges and maintaining partnerships with local leaders and organizations.
“With Ukrainian men serving at the front line, women have been holding the fabric of the country together amidst the fear and danger that accompanies war,” said Karyn Grossman Gershon, CEO of Project Kesher. “We feel so fortunate to be able to provide them with additional, vital help thanks to this very generous grant, for which we are deeply grateful.”
For more information, please visit www.projectkesher.org.
Two: New 2×4 foundation Will Provide Services for Women Nationwide
Founded by Nikki Silver and Emily Won, 2×4 foundation will support grassroots nonprofits providing essential services that elevate the lives of all women and girls in the country. Wendy Prager will serve as Executive Director.
With a focus on health, safety, and education, 2×4 foundation will create a community of supporters and nonprofits that will elevate the lives of all women and girls nationwide – regardless of race, religion, or political affiliation to allow women to receive proper care and safety, while advancing proprietorship through advocacy, research, and support.
The 2×4 foundation mission includes research-driven grantmaking, funding essential services. The focus is on non-partisan/non-policy U.S. nonprofits, thereby tapping into an extensive volunteer network, making investments across all women’s issues, and having a direct, measurable impact on local communities. 2×4 foundation conducts dedicated research to identify these organizations, appraise their needs, and provide appropriate funding to amplify their voices and expand their reach.
At its launch. 2×4 foundation is currently working with these partners:
- Women Rising: (NJ) provides direct and immediate help to victims of domestic violence.
- Helping Women Period: (MI) is dedicated to supplying menstrual products to homeless and low-income people.
- Plan A Health: (MS) operates mobile clinics for free healthcare services directly to the Mississippi Delta region.
- The IF Project: (WA) provides services to help reduce incarceration and recidivism.
- DIY Girls: (CA) is committed to sparking girls’ interest and future success in STEM-related fields.
To visit the website to learn more, follow this link:
Three: Women’s Funding Network Announces New Board Members/Officers
The Women’s Funding Network (WFN) is the world’s largest network of foundations investing in gender justice. WFN recently announced the appointments of three new members to its board of directors: Kerry Gardner, Lori Robinson, and Verónica Colón Rosario.
The newly appointed members hail from diverse personal and professional backgrounds and are all proven leaders in philanthropy, gender equity, and justice advocacy.
WFN has also elected its 2024-2026 officers: Rashmi Yadav Marya, Board Chair; Ada Williams Prince, Board Vice Chair; Michelle Zych, Board Treasurer; and Adriana Loson-Ceballos, PhD, Board Secretary.
These latest powerhouse appointments help position WFN for a year of growth on their mission to advance the liberty of all people, all across the world.
“As an organization dedicated to advancing the liberation of marginalized genders, people who are facing galling attacks right now, we know that we must accelerate our fight in 2024,” says WFN President & CEO, Elizabeth Barajas-Román, who was recently named one of Inside Philanthropy’s 50 most powerful women in U.S. philanthropy. “We’re thrilled to grow our leadership coalition with three more exceptional leaders and our new officers. Our global alliance will be made even stronger with their ideas, voices, and leadership.”
Read on to learn more about WFN’s impressive new board members and officers.
New to joining the Board:
Kerry Gardner, AM
Kerry Gardner is a documentary filmmaker with a deep background in the arts, philanthropy, and nonprofit leadership. She’s based in Melbourne, Australia,
Lori Robinson
Lori is the Founder and Executive Director of VidaAfrolatina, a participatory international women’s fund that mobilizes resources and connects them with Black and Afro-descendant women-led organizations in Latin America that address sexual violence.
Verónica Colón Rosario
Verónica is Executive Director of the Fundación de Mujeres in Puerto Rico.
Newly elected to leadership roles on the Board:
Rashmi Yadav Marya, Board Chair
Rashmi Yadav Marya is a board leader and diversity, equity, and inclusion advisor working with local and national organizations that focus on gender equity and education.
Ada Williams Prince, Board Vice Chair
Ada Williams Prince is a creative leader at the cutting edge of global and domestic philanthropy.
Michelle Zych, Board Treasurer
Michelle Zych joined The Sherwood Foundation in January 2021 as the Director of Community Initiatives. In this role, she supports the foundation’s mission to promote equity through social justice initiatives enhancing the quality of life in Nebraska.
Adriana Loson-Ceballos, PhD, Board Secretary
Dr. Adriana Loson-Ceballos is a seasoned evaluation, research, and fundraising consultant. She is also a co-founder of Colmena-Consulting.
To visit the website, see:
https://www.womensfundingnetwork.org
Four: Col. Jennifer Pritzker’s TAWANI Foundation Commits $300K to Whitman-Walker Institute
The AWANI Foundation announced a $300,000 grant to support Whitman-Walker Institute’s research and coalition-building efforts to advance equal healthcare access for LGBTQ+ Americans.
“Research on access to healthcare and policy decisions are vitally important for the LGBTQ+ community,“ said Colonel (IL) Jennifer N. Pritzker, IL ARNG (Retired), founder of the TAWANI Foundation. “We are proud to contribute to an organization that believes everyone should be treated fairly, especially with their medical needs. The work that Whitman-Walker Institute is doing to advocate and empower equality and inclusion is needed.”
Whitman-Walker Institute is a D.C.-based organization that combines cutting-edge research, policy, and education to advance health equity nationwide, especially for LGBTQI+ people, people living with HIV, and other underserved communities. In addition to its expertise in rigorous research and health policy analysis, deep relationships with state and federal policymakers, and longstanding collaborations with key partner organizations across multiple social movements, the Institute benefits from a close affiliation with Whitman-Walker Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center with more than 50 years of service to diverse patients across the D.C. area and beyond, including thousands of transgender people.
Through its TransForming Health: The Transgender Health Innovation Project, the Institute will deepen its work to combat disinformation with scientific and medical expertise, advance evidence-based policy to address discrimination and other social determinants of health for transgender people, and serve as an authoritative source of knowledge about transgender health for decisionmakers, advocates, the media, and healthcare organizations nationwide.
“I’m grateful for the TAWANI Foundation’s strong support for Whitman-Walker’s TransForming Health Project, which combines cutting-edge research and policy to elevate the expertise of medical professionals and secure access to high-quality care and coverage for transgender people of all ages across the country,” said Executive Director of Whitman-Walker Institute, Kellan Baker, PhD, MPH, MA. “Transgender communities – and the clinicians who provide essential healthcare – are increasingly under attack, making these investments more critical now than ever before.”
To learn more about the TAWANI Foundation grants, visit www.tawanifoundation.org/our-grants. The TAWANI Foundation is a private foundation that accepts applications by invitation only. There is no open application period.
About TAWANI Foundation
Founded in 2002 by notable philanthropist and entrepreneur Colonel (IL) Jennifer N. Pritzker, IL ARNG (Retired), TAWANI Enterprises’ philanthropic organization, the TAWANI Foundation is a 501(c)(3) that provides support in the areas of arts and culture, historical preservation, health and wellness, LGBTQ+ and human rights, education, and environmental initiatives. TAWANI Foundation’s vision is to make a sustained and measurable difference for organizations that focus on enriching knowledge, improving health and wellness, and promoting scientific understanding – all with a common goal of making a positive, long-term impact on individuals, communities, and the culture itself. To learn more, visit https://tawanifoundation.org.
Five: Global Fertility Rates Falling; Can Tech Help?
A recent study by the British medical journal Lancet indicates that over 97% of countries will face a fertility crisis by 2100. The expectation is that with the replacement level insufficient to sustain the population.
The study states that demographic data in the 5 years preceding 2021 demonstrate that the total fertility rate (TFR) in some countries has fallen below replacement levels—the minimum rate necessary for generational replacement of the population assuming no migration.
While the crisis will primarily affect high- and middle-income countries, low- and lower-middle-income economies are expected to produce over half of all live births. In the long run, this could entail a “demographically divided world” problem and severe economic challenges.
Sylvia Kang, CEO and co-founder of Mira, a hormonal health company, comments on the recent Lancet findings:
“Among many reasons for the decreasing fertility rate outlined by the Lancet Study, the high cost of fertility treatment methods is usually an overlooked one. Yet, this reason is a significant barrier to 6.7 million individuals on their way to having a child.
As the tendency grows among women to delay parenthood until their mid-thirties or forties, more and more couples are facing reproductive health problems when trying to conceive.”
Fertility treatment, including IVF can help. However, the IVF process is very expensive, often running $30,000 per round. Since many insurance plans in the US do not cover IVF, the procedure is out of reach for most families.
Fortunately, integrating new technologies like AI, robotics and hormone-tracking devices have shown promise in the attempt to broaden access to safe and effective fertility enhancement.
One such company is Mira. CEO and co-founder Sylvia Kang explains that her company has produced what is essentially a mini-hormone lab that can be used in the home. It allows users to monitor their own optimal hormone levels to help determine peak fertility.
Related:
The Political Will to Change Patriarchy: Where Women Sit Matters
The Significance of Philanthropic Collectives for Black Women
Feminist Giving is Better: WPI Research Reveals Why
Women and Girls Continue to be Underfunded by Philanthropy
