In the January 2023 issue…

• Our Power for Change
• Save These Important Dates
  
• Rescheduled Grants In Action Site Visit: PSHH College Club
• Open House at New YMCA Youth Drop-In Center
  
• New Member Event Coming in February
• Thank You, Volunteers!
• Membership Corner: Survey Results Are In!

Despite a very challenging year, we are on track to surpass last year’s record-breaking $900,000 grants pool. We’re still auditing the numbers, so stay tuned. Through our collective action, I am confident we will have another amazing year as we combine our charitable dollars.

Looking back at 2022 and the past few years, all of us at the Women’s Fund celebrated those who were fortunate to give, that didn’t hold back in times of crisis but rather dug a little deeper with their philanthropy and were ready to respond to emerging needs.

For that, I am honored to step into the role of board chair, following in the footsteps of Lynn Karlson and the extraordinary women who have served the Women’s Fund in a leadership capacity since 2004. We owe a huge thank you to the 2021-2022 Board of Directors and other leaders for their dedication, service, and leadership over the past year. And the biggest thank you goes to YOU, our members, for your generosity.

I hope you will take some time to read and learn more about the amazing women that comprise the 2023-24 leadership team. I am thrilled to be working with such an exceptional group of women in the years ahead.

Thank you for allowing me to serve this amazing organization!

-      Jamie Dufek, Board Chair

Mark your calendars – the next few months will be busy! These important dates lead up to the selection of our new 2022-2023 grant recipients.

• Friday, March 3 - Ballot Information Package emailed to all 2022 Women's Fund members. It includes the information you should know as you prepare for your individual or group vote.
• Wednesday, March 8, 4:30 pm AND Thursday, March 9, 4:30 pm – Virtual Ballot Review Meeting, Part One and Part Two. The research committee will present half the agencies on the ballot in each meeting; plan to attend both to make sure you learn about all the candidates. Both sessions will include presentations and opportunities for Q&A. And the good news is that everyone can attend; we are not limited by space constraints.
• Thursday, March 9 - Ballots emailed via Survey Monkey to all eligible voters (Individual Members and voting Group Captains) with a link to cast electronic votes.
• March 9 to March 31 – Window for voting. Group Captains should start planning now to schedule their voting meetings with their groups to discuss the ballot and decide on how to cast their group votes. Individual members can attend Ballot Discussion Groups.
• Saturday, April 1, 6:00 PM - Deadline for electronic voting by eligible voters.
• Thursday, May 9, 4:45 pm – In-person Celebration of Grants at the Marjorie Luke Theater! Help celebrate our 2022-23 grantees who will join the 130+ local programs that have received more than $9.5 million in Women’s Fund grants since 2004.

Calling all new members and their Group Captains! Watch your email for an invitation to our New Member Event on February 22 at the Faulkner Gallery at the Santa Barbara Public Library, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. This is your chance to mix and mingle with other new members and Women's Fund leaders, and get answers to your questions about the Women’s Fund.

As we start the new year, we’d like to take a moment to recognize our newest volunteer committee members. They join the 100+ women who help keep the Women’s Fund running smoothly. By doing much of the work ourselves, we are able to contribute much more to the community. Want to get involved? Learn more here.

Here’s a summary of what we learned from your feedback:

• An amazing 95% of us would recommend membership to someone else
• We highly value how a small donation from one person is magnified into a large grants pool
• We gave the 2022 ballot an impressive 96% satisfaction rate
• We really appreciate our group meetings and individual member meetings, as well as the Women’s Fund’s annual brochure and Celebration of Grants event
• We are aware that volunteer opportunities exist within the Women’s Fund
• We voiced our views on the most critical community issues and needs; the top five include Mental Health, Family Support Services, Education, Housing Assistance, and Domestic Violence
• We made suggestions for nonprofit agencies to consider in the future – these were forwarded to the Research Committee
• We voiced our views on areas for future grant focus
• We confirmed that the frequency of communications is on target
• Many of us are not yet using social media in our interactions with the Women’s Fund – find us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube
• Many of us have become more involved in nonprofit causes as a result of being a Women’s Fund member

Read the full 2022 Membership Survey Report here.

© 2022 Women's Fund of Santa Barbara
A tax-exempt nonprofit organization | Tax ID 82-5169678

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