2020 is not likely to make it onto anyone’s “My Favorite Year” list. But 2020 will make it onto the Women’s Fund list of most generous years. During this extraordinarily disruptive year of extraordinary need, Women’s Fund members—you—showed extraordinary generosity.

This past year, some of you “rounded-up” your donation or even doubled your usual contribution. We received unexpected gifts of $5,000 and even $10,000. We were thrilled to welcome 95 women as members – about half the number we saw in 2019 – in a year when personal resources faced unusual demands.

While we’re still auditing our numbers, it looks as though we will have a grants pool of at least $700,000 to be distributed to deserving nonprofits this spring! That’s nearly three-quarters of a million dollars from us—from you—to help local women, children, and families as the community continues to cope with the effects of the pandemic and forge a path to recovery.

The Women’s Fund Research Committee is moving swiftly to finalize the 2020-21 candidates that you will vote on in March. Please mark your calendars with important dates that will lead to the announcement of our new grantees in early May – see the article with all that information.

We sincerely thank you all—long-time members and new friends—who made our 2020 membership year such a philanthropic success.

We will change more lives together! 
Lynn Karlson
2021 Board Chair