Program areas at Washington Women's Foundation
Collective grant making: in 2022 the Foundation granted a total of $453,000 in collective grants which consisted of three major collective grants of $100,000 each, three finalist merit awards of $25,000 each, as well as an additional $5,000 in leadership and self-care grants to each of these grantees. In addition, grants were made in the increments of $1500 and $3000 as merit grants to applicants that did not become finalists but participated in the research and conversation stages of the grant application process. All grants were to regional nonprofit organizations. Each year 60-70 members invest more than 2,000 hours annually in the collective grant-making process, participating in a review procedure with the grantees while studying the justice and equity issues that the grantee organizations address. The full membership votes to select the final grant recipients.
An additional $102,000 in grants to support various initiatives, such as advocacy and women and girls were awarded in 2022.
In 2022 $510,000 in rest and repair awards were made in recognition of black women leaders working in Washington state's nonprofit sector.
Foundation members participate in a broad spectrum of learning opportunities, such as leadership forums, philanthropy skill-building workshops, issues discussions, and "hands-on" grant making through committee work. The Foundation has over 165 active committee members and 2,500 volunteer hours are invested each year in our programs.