This batch of feminist funding news spans from state-based government funding for childcare workers (brilliant stuff!) to ten new additions we have made to the funders listed in our Gender Equality Funder Database. Enjoy!
1: Women’s Foundation of Colorado Makes Goal of 100% Gender Lens Investable Assets
“As the only community foundation in the state focused on gender, racial, and economic equity, it was time to unapologetically integrate all assets of our operation and programs around our goals to ensure the success of our strategic framework,” said Lauren Y. Casteel, president and CEO of The Women’s Foundation. “We are proud to align our money with our mission, and to use all of our available resources to maximize donor impact.”
As of March 31, 2022, The Foundation’s investable assets totaled $29,573,848. With the help of the investment managing services of Syntrinsic Investment Counsel, The Women’s Foundation of Colorado used a strategy that focused on workplace equity, access to capital for women, and products and services for women. It also prioritizes environmental, social, and governance (ESG) integration, shareholder advocacy, and diverse investment managers.
2: Women Donors Network (WDN) Announces Leena Barakat as Next President & Chief Executive Officer
Barakat has a background as Director of Strategic Partnerships at Tides, where she helped accelerate the organization’s assets from $189M to $1.5B. The WDN Board of Directors is confident that Barakat’s work will help expand and deepen their collective impact. More here.
3: Vice President Harris Announces New Commitments for Women’s Economic Empowerment in Latin America
This is one busy government when it comes to new initiatives for women. Vice President Kamala Harris recently announced new commitments from the “U.S. government, private sector companies and organizations to support women’s economic empowerment in northern Central America and the Western Hemisphere more broadly. Accion, CARE International, Cargill, Mastercard, Microsoft, and PepsiCo—companies and organizations who have responded to the Vice President’s Call to Action.” More here.
4: Justice for Migrant Women Founder and President Receives Prestigious Leadership Award
Mónica Ramírez, who we covered speaking at WFN’s conference here, received a James Beard Leadership Award. The James Beard Foundation Leadership Awards call attention to “the important and complex realms of sustainability, food justice, and public health.” More information here.
5: Santander Consumer USA Donates $410 K for DV and Human Trafficking Survivors
$250,000 in funding will go to New Friends New Life to support financial literacy and legal advocacy. $160,000 will go to Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support to provide matching funds to the savings of 30 families in transitional housing. More information here.
6: International Confederation of Midwives Doing Significant Work for Ukrainian Refugees
The International Confederation of Midwives recently conducted a survey to learn how their membership is responding to a Ukrainian refugees entering their countries, particularly women and children. They found associations in Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Poland and Romania have all developed tailored initiatives to support the most vulnerable victims of this war. For example, the Polish Midwives’ Association has been working a Polish Midwives’ Association to provide more than 700 emergency birth kits to pregnant women in the Ukraine. More information here.
7: Google to Pay $118 M to Settle Gender Discrimination Lawsuit, a Class Action Win for 15,500 Women
In a world where Johnny Depp is parading around as the victor and women are now more afraid than ever to tell their survivor stories, it’s heartening to know that some legal challenges for women are going in a better direction. Along with monetary relief, the women who sued Google for wage discrimination also mandated systemic change for the company — a process by which their hiring and paying practices will be analyzed and supervised by an independent third party. More information here.
8. Mayor Michelle Wu Announces $3,260 Grants for Family-based Child Care Providers
The City of Boston is providing Childcare Stabilization Grants for family-based child care providers in the form of a one-time flexible spending grant of $3,260 to be used for their businesses. A similar program has been enacted in Rhode Island, and these programs are a brilliant way to get funding to smart, responsible women in the community who are still suffering setbacks from COVID. More information here.
9. Women in Rhode Island are Standing Up to Gun Violence, and It’s Working
Sometimes we do our donating with our feet and our voices. This past month, the largely women-led anti-gun violence activists in Rhode Island have done a fantastic job of rallying support and getting landmark legislation passed. As a result, we now have three new gun safety laws nearly on the books in Rhode Island, all but for a very likely signature from our Governor. Congratulations for a job well done! More information from Moms Demand Action here.
10: Ten New Listings in the Philanthropy Women Funder Database
Here are some of the latest funders added to our database:
- Doria Feminist Fund
- Gillespie Foundation
- Emily H. Tremaine Foundation
- Mona Foundation
- SoGal Foundation
- STEAM Sports Foundation
- Trane Technologies
- Reconstruction Women’s Fund
- Blaustein Philanthropic Group
- Old Dart Foundation
