Women's Fund

The Power of Women’s Philanthropy

The statistics are sobering.

• In 2001, 12.8 million American women (compared to 8.4 million men) were living with incomes below the Federal poverty level. Women aged 18 – 24 were most likely to be poor, many of them single mothers. But poverty levels were also significant among single women of all ages, and especially for single or widowed women aged 65 and older.
• Contributing to these statistics: In 2001, women earned only 76 cents for every dollar that men earned – this in spite of the fact that there are almost as many women in the workplace as there are men (47% to 53%), and that in some sectors of the labor force women outnumber men.

In every state and county, women are still the primary caretakers of children and home. Their work is uncompensated. They often try to do it while holding down a job outside the home, as well – and earning less money than a man would make for comparable work. These economic constraints make women especially vulnerable to a host of challenges and difficulties that simply aren’t part of the male universe.
 

Too much work. Too little time and income – too little hope. It all adds up to a lack of opportunity for many women and girls to thrive, to succeed, to make a better life for themselves and their families.

But there’s a movement stirring in America.

Across the country, women are discovering that they have the power to lift other women towards a brighter future. The power to give girls the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the world.
 

And they’re discovering that that power doesn’t rest in the hands of just one person. It’s the result of many woman joining hands, joining forces, to put their collective power to good use. To make a difference.
 

That’s the power of women’s philanthropy.

And it’s the premise behind the establishment of the Women’s Fund of the Community Foundation for South Central New York.

The Women’s Fund is dedicated to addressing the special issues and problems facing women and girls in our region – Broome, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware and Tioga counties. Its mission and strategies are three-fold:

• To educate women about opportunities to respond to community needs through charitable giving
• To encourage women to participate as donors, and to build a permanent endowment
• To engage women in the grant review and decision process

In short, the Women’s Fund of the Community Foundation for South Central New York is building a corps of empowered donors, aware of the needs of women and girls in our communities and dedicated to addressing them. And because the Women’s Fund is an endowed fund, it will continue to grow over time, making grants in the region for generations.
 

Here’s what some of your fellow women in the community have said about the Women’s Fund:

“It is needed in the Southern Tier – we need to support women and girls less fortunate than ourselves.” Dr. Linda Biemer
 

“I think it is important to encourage women to do more charitable giving; I also think it is good to focus our attention on the issues that affect other women in our communities.” Lauryn P. Gouldin
 

“I am interested in the Women’s Fund because I work with adolescent females; I also feel it is time I start ‘giving back’ more to my community.” Patricia Gazda-Grace
 

“I’d like to see women empowered as donors. I hope it will emphasize grants that benefit and empower women and girls.” Anne D. Taft
 

“I believe in helping women of all ages be all that they can be!” Cherry Foster

In its first five years, thanks to the generosity of those in our area, the Women’s Fund has grown to more than $219,000. But the effort to grow the Fund through additional contributions from new donors must continue if the Fund is to fulfill its potential. The current fundraising target for the Fund: To increase the Fund's assets by an additional $500,000 by 2011.
 

There are many opportunities for donors to take an active role in the Women’s Fund. Donor/volunteers are needed on committees for organizational planning, fundraising, review of grant proposals, education and special events. The Women’s Fund is very much a “donor-involved” effort, and we invite you to be active in it to whatever degree you’re comfortable with. But if you’d rather just make a contribution and not be actively involved, that’s all right too.
 

Interested? If you want more information about the Women’s Fund, or if you’d like someone to speak to your organization or group about the Women’s Fund, click on “Contact Us” on the lower-left of this page or call us at the number below.
 

For a printable form that you can use to make a donation and view a checklist of the many ways you can be involved, click here.

For the most recent news about the Women’s Fund, click here.

Members of the Women’s Fund Leadership Committee:

Jackie Visser, Chair

Dr. Linda Biemer

Lisanne Bobby

Betty Casey

Terry Gefell

Prudy Georgia

Dr. Teri Goodall-Komar

Catherine Maliwacki

Anne Reyen

Kate Sickora

Faith Sigler

Sue Stephens

Maureen Wilson

Jane L. Zuckerman

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed people can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Margaret Mead