Washington Area Women’s Foundation is one of the fastest growing women’s funds in the nation. Our innovative programs and grants offer unique opportunities for donors and non-profit organizations to make a critical difference in improving the economic women and girls. We make progress toward our mission by engaging women in philanthropy. We are increasing the number of women donors in our region and helping them to recognize and demonstrate the power of their economic status and commitment to community through:

• Giving Circles;
• Workshops, Forums and Conferences on timely philanthropic issues and trends; and
• Donor Briefings and Roundtable Discussions.

Providing Both Grants and Operational Resources to non-profit organizations serving women and girls. Since 1998, The Women’s Foundation has provided over $4.1 million in grants to over 100 leading community-based organizations through the following programs and support services:

• Leadership Awards;
• Stepping Stones Initiative;
• Giving Circles;
• Open Door Capacity Fund; and
• Technical Assistance and Referrals.

Serving as a Regional Voice for Women and Girls by conducting research about the status of women and girls, disseminating reports and recommendations, hosting regional forums and briefings, and media outreach such as:

• A Portrait of Women & Girls in the Washington Metropolitan Area: a rich source of data and policy recommendation for non-profit organizations, community leaders, and women
• Community Briefings are held twice a year to report about our work (click here for a summary of the October, 2009 Community Briefing); and
• Media Outreach and Ad Campaign.