24 hours and less than $2,337 to go! That’s where we stand with our $50,000 challenge grant where every gift made before the end of the day tomorrow will be matched by a donor to The Women’s Foundation.

We like to remind people that when they make a gift to The Women’s Foundation, it goes farther. That’s because we don’t just make grants, we work closely with some of the region’s best non profits, providing them with one-on-one trainings and access to critically important evaluation tools. Just a few weeks ago we began matching grantee partners with women who want to volunteer and lend their considerable skills to worthy organizations!

So…if a single gift to The Women’s Foundation goes farther…imagine what it can do when it’s doubled in value! Imagine the community you want to live in, where women and girls have access to the tools they need to reach their full potential. Click here and help us invest another $100,000 in stronger communities.

Ruth Swanson

Yesterday, I had my second visit to the THEARC (The Town Hall Education Arts & Recreation Campus), which is the new home of the Washington Middle School for Girls (WMSG) one of our Grantee Partners.

Anne Mosle, our fearless leader, and Barb Strom Thompson, who Co-Chairs the Rainmakers’ Giving Circle, also participated in the visit to meet with some of the WMSG students. Visiting with the WMSG students was pure pleasure. They are bright, articulate, engaged, and very honest. Most of them come from difficult family circumstances, but you would never know it by their spirit for learning and the goals that they have set for themselves. Yet, when looking at the neighbor that surrounds THEARC, you’re reminded that the girls are very much “at-risk.”

During the visit, a group of girls treated us to an a cappella rendition of their current favorite song they called “I Don’t Want to be a Murderer.” The passion with which the girls sang the song was the same passion that any young girl in any part of our region would sing a popular song. But, why where they singing a song about murder? Well to my surprise, the name of the song really is Unfaithful and it is a song about a conflicted young woman. I’m still not thrilled about the song’s message, however I am so glad that that WMSG allows the young girls to sing ‘their’ songs with passion while providing a creative learning space.

I wish that I had time to visit WMSG and THEARC everyday. It is a perfect reflection of what happens when vision, philanthropy, and political will sync up. I’m looking forward to THEARC 2.0 emerge in our region.

There’s a growing movement of women who have given a million dollars to help women and girls. And hey, with women starting business and graduating from colleges and universities at record levels, isn’t it time? One of our own, Julie Jensen, will be honored next week at the National Capitol Philanthropy Day for her giving way above and beyond any call of duty—and for her passion for investing in women and youth. Julie is leading a new generation of women philanthropists.

For years, she has quietly and consistently helped to build key community institutions like the Latin American Youth Center. She gives her time, money, brains and heart. In the picture from left to right is Marjorie Sims, Stacey D. Stewart, Anne Mosle, Julie Jensen and Ruth Goins. She answered our call to serve as an Honorary Chair of Stepping Stones, our initiative designed to build the financial independence of low-income women who are heading families in our community. She stepped up with a leadership gift of a million dollars and has spoken across the country with other women donors, non-profit leaders and women clients. Julie, a widow, knows how hard it is to raise two sons alone—even when you have resources. She is one of the many women saying “I care. I want to give and get involved.”

Read more about her next Friday when she receives her award. In the meantime, I want to do my bit to pop women’s philanthropy. As you know, we have a challenge gift in play – with less than $10,000 to raise to meet our goal of $50,000. I will match any pledges made via this blog up to $1,000. Just let me know who you are and why you care! Pop!

David Broder’s recent column in the Washington Post made me flash back to the final days of the 103^rd Congress. I was working for the Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues and there was a strong interest in demonstrating that the 22 women elected to Congress during 1992 or “Year of the Women” had made an important difference in the types of bills that were introduced and passed. The Women’s Caucus did some analysis and learned that there were an unprecedented number of bills – introduced as well as passed by the 103^rd Congress – focused on issues important to women and families.

That analysis, done 12 years ago by the Women’s Caucus, was an important illustration that not only do women in office make a difference, but the number of women in office makes an even bigger difference. We can thank Pat Schroeder and Olympia Snowe, who were the Women’s Caucus Co-Chairs then, for that first-ever documentation.

The Women’s Foundation reported similar findings in our 2003 report – A Portrait of Women & Girls in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The report also includes an ambitious set of recommendations for investing in women and girls in our region. One recommendation, in particular, urges that there be stronger investments in women’s leadership at all levels.

With the general elections three weeks away, transition teams are being assembled across the Washington region and a quiet debate among women’s advocates is happening. Some are questioning whether it is still important for us to put together a slate of women who are qualified to serve in cabinet positions and on local boards and commissions. It is puzzling after all these years of us knowing that the number of women makes a critical difference that questions are being raised.

Should we develop a slate of only women prospects? Yes! Advocates for women should identify and promote well-qualified women for key appointed offices. Not all will make it, but no newly elected or re-elected mayor, county executive, state office holder, or member of congress should be able to say that a qualified woman wasn’t identified for every key post.

Friends, I am pleased to say that one week after the Leadership Luncheon we are rapidly approaching utilizing the full $50,000 match provided by our angel, Charlotte Perret. Thank you to those who have given – gifts have ranged from $10 to $5,000. Special kudos to Women’s Foundation Board member Laurie Emrich, who has added another match to those contributions made by people who were her guests at the event.

WE LOVE OUR BOARD’S COMMITMENT!

We’ve got 13 days to get to the full $50,000. Let’s do it! Give Now.

Today the world heard that Yunus (as he is known in the international development world) has been honored with the Nobel prize. What Muhammad Yunus knows, and what has been the backbone of the work of Grameen and all of its emulators, is that it’s the WOMEN who start their businesses, pay back their loans at nearly flawless rates, and go on to improve not just their own lives…but those of many in their communities. Washington Area Women’s Foundation congratulates Yunus, and all the women who have taken advantage of Grameen’s programs.

Don’t forget about our $50K Leadership Challenge matching grant (We ARE NEARLY HALFWAY THERE!). Every dollar you give today has twice as much impact. Help us continue to demonstrate – here in our nation’s capital – that as a community we “get” what Yunus and others have known for years – that “when women thrive, everyone thrives.” Give now.

WOW. WOW. WOW. What a day we had yesterday! THANK YOU!

Over 200 people attended the morning briefing and 1200 packed the ballroom for the lunch. We are on a high at the Foundation and hope you all are too. Don’t lose the vibe: check out the full set of unedited pictures, provided by our awesome photographic partner, Michael Colella.

YOU ALL LOOK BEAUTIFUL. And in our typical combination of substance and style, how about Patty Stonesifer, Ann Fudge and Judy Woodruff???

We are well on our way to meeting the $50,000 challenge announced yesterday, with over $13,000 received “in the moment.” Please spread the word about the challenge – and enourage people to give through our new secure site.

Check in here for more updates.

Let me add my voice of welcome to Anne’s. I’m Donna Callejon and Chair the Board of Directors of the Washington Area Women’s Foundation. Whew, it’s been quite a couple of months for the team at the Foundation – Thanks to all of you who joined us at the annual Leadership Luncheon. Our team has been getting ready for this signature event, refining our metrics around Stepping Stones, bringing together donors, grantees and partners for a variety of convenings, and relaunching this website.

In my “day job” I work in the web philanthropy world, and so I am thrilled to be one of many faces and voices of The Women’s Foundation posting on this blog. To have the kind of vibrant community committed to investing in women and girls we need to be active – offline every day, and online every day. This is not your grandmother’s women’s foundation! Let me tell you about some of the women who make up The Women’s Foundation.

Lisa Ross, Senior Vice President at Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, was a founding member of The Women’s Foundation board. While her hair is less “big” than it was in the past (that’s a picture of her from a few years back on the right), her commitment hasn’t wavered. She’s a rock star in the strategy and communications world and she rocks. Nancy Navarro was one of our first Grantee Partners. She co-founded Centro Familia. Nancy is now a member of the Montgomery County Board of Education, serving the 180,000 kids in that district.

Marjorie Sims, currently Vice President of Programs and Operations at the Foundation, was a founding Board member….and then she left us for LA for a few years. And when she said she’d come back as a senior member of the team, we could NOT have been more over the moon. She is a star – a thinker, a doer, a leader.

Cathy Isaacson is a relative newcomer to The Women’s Foundation, but she has made her mark quickly. A lawyer who returned to Washington just a few years ago, Cathy jumped in, became part of our Development Committee, and joined the Board two years ago. Cathy is always asking the best questions, making the best connections, and living and breathing The Women’s Foundation – whether in Washington, or on the road.

Let’s talk about Linda Butler. She is the Leadership Luncheon video. Now this is what we are all about. Linda is a single mom who broke free of the bounds of a dysfunctional family, and from frustration and poverty, working with Grantee Partner Northern Virginia Family Service’s Training Futures program. Linda now is a shining example of what is possible. And that’s what we are all about.

Finally, let me highlight Charlotte Perret. Charlotte, the quiet philanthropist. She’s the one who provided an angel gift of $50,000 – and all donations made by people who attended the lunch (or their friends) in the next month, will generate 2 times their contribution…thanks to Charlotte. Matching Angel. That’s sweet.

Come back and visit, tell us your story, give us your feedback. We are open for business on this website and we are all about this – the POWER of Giving Together.

Yesterday, I attended a forum which focused on the future of wealth and giving in the Washington, DC area. Paul Schervish, one of the premiere academics on philanthropy led the conversation about the enormous transfer of wealth that will occur in the Washington region, how non-profits can tap into it, and what it could mean for our community. It was a fascinating conversation.

Here are a couple of the highlights that stuck with me:

• Through 2055, an estimated $2.39 trillion will change hands in the Washington DC region as assets are passed from one generation to the next.

• Almost 1/5 of this wealth transfer, $460 billion, is anticipated to be given to charitable and other non-profit organizations.

• There are currently 198,571 households in the Washington DC Area — with $1 million or greater net worth.

• These top 10% possess 68% of the total wealth in the region.

• 10,568 households are living here with $10 million or more of greater net worth. Less than 1% of these households own 20.1% of the total wealth in the Washington region.

These are just a few facts to get you thinking big about what’s possible. Washington is a generous community and we are a complicated community with extreme resources and need. We have worked hard to create a vibrant regional economy, but we have a long way to go to ensure that prosperity touches all families and neighborhoods.

• In the past 10 years, the number of people living in poverty in the District of Columbia increased 32%. To put a human face on it – 70% of families living in poverty are women-headed families.

We have an incredible opportunity to think boldly about new ways to combating tough issues like deteriorating schools, not enough quality early education for kids, and growing violence.

Engaging the families who have earned or inherited this new, seismic wealth is one of the most exciting opportunities for the non-profit sector to seize.

Washington Area Women’s Foundation and our network of donors exist to bridge the worlds of resource and need. Join us for a briefing this week to learn about some outstanding organizations producing results. To register go to www.thewomensfoundation.org/

What are your thoughts?

We are in need of a complete shake-up and wake-up in terms of what we expect from our leaders and what we will accept. The recent news of Representative Foley is sickening and the response on Capitol Hill is beyond maddening. This is the guy that was in charge of setting the policy agenda for protecting all of our children.

Shining a red-hot light on such predatory behavior wherever it happens is the first step to accountability. And holding powerful people’s feet to the fire is key.

Highlighting leaders and organizations that are actually working to protect the rights and safety of our girls and boys is part of the solution. To buoy your belief in human nature, here are just a few examples of what I would call real leadership:

Elizabeth Jones – who broke the cycle of poverty, graduated from the police academy and is now a police officer in Washington, DC. She has just celebrated the graduation of her daughter from college.

Veronica Nolan – who works 24/7 at the Urban Alliance Foundation to provide critical support and mentoring to young mothers raising their kids and staying in school to complete their nursing degree.

Gustavo Torres – and his entire team at CASA of MD that are not afraid to speak out and provide job and worker rights trainings for hundreds of Latinas and Latinos.

Barbara Fox Mason – who built the Child and Family Network Centers from scratch to ensure that our most vulnerable children have access to early education opportunities – even when there is no funding support.

These are the leaders who are the backbone of our community, and quite frankly our country. Wouldn’t it be great to turn the table upside down and see leaders like Elizabeth, Veronica, Gustavo and Barbara set the agenda.