The Impact of our Grants

We support innovative and effective nonprofits with the smartest strategies for change.

"The Women's Foundation is willing to help us develop the potential that's there in very low-income and rural communities—with women who often don't have a voice and are left out of the political process. It seems like the Foundation is willing to...I was going to say, 'willing to take a chance,' but my guess is that the Foundation doesn't really see it as taking a chance. They see it as an opportunity."

—Nancy Berlin
Executive Director
The California Partnership
Los Angeles, CA

When we invest in a grassroots organization, more attention is drawn to them, as are larger funders and public entities. We’ve done it many times, and now the Foundation has outstanding credibility and stature, which is loaded into each grant we award.

We make grants to effective and innovative nonprofits. Why? Because money is a form of power, and without at least some, it’s very difficult to get anything done. For 30 years, we’ve been giving small-to-medium grants to organizations that we know have the potential for electric and lasting change. Historically, we have been early in on important issues like human trafficking and domestic violence.

We identify passionate, strong leaders who have clear focus. We have a rigorous application and proposal review process, the better to winnow the women who are ready to benefit from our powerful cocktail of access, knowledge and money. We know to whom and when to award. No single donor could undertake what we do. So when you write one check to the Foundation, you own a basket of high-yield approaches on an array of the most pressing women’s issues.

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