Happy new year! We are thrilled to announce that we will soon be celebrating the start of a new year - and our second decade - with the introduction of a new Women's Fund logo, website and electronic newsletter. We'll tell you more later this month.

In the meantime, we hope you'll SAVE-THE-DATE for a new Women's Fund event. On February 19, the Women's Fund will present an interactive education forum designed to help us all learn more about the importance of early childhood development.

Cradle to K: How well are children in south Santa Barbara County prepared for Kindergarten?

Thursday, February 19 - 4:00 pm
Faulkner Gallery at the Downtown Public Library

Panelists include:

• Adrianna Foss, Early Childhood Education Director, Orfalea Foundation
• Ty Vernon, Ph.D, Assistant Professor of Education Gevirtz School, UCSB and Director, Koegel Autism Center Assessment Clinic, UCSB
• Ben Romo, Executive Director, First 5 Santa Barbara County
• Michelle Graham, Executive Director, Children's Resource and Referral of Santa Barbara County

Moderator: Katrina Rogers, Ph.D., President, Fielding Graduate University

All Women's Fund members, friends and guests are welcome.

With the start of a new year, our attention turns to selecting the nonprofits that will receive Women's Fund grants from the combined donations of our members. Thanks to all our 2014 members - new and returning - for creating the grants pool. Our Presentation of Grants will take place on May 4.

Our diligent Research Committee is narrowing the potential grantees for our ballot, which will be sent to all 2014 members in March via email.

Here are some important dates for you to note on your calendar:

March 22 - Ballot worksheets and background information will be sent to all 2014 Women's Fund members via our electronic newsletter. This information will be useful for planning your individual or group vote. The actual ballot will be emailed separately on March 27 to eligible voters.

Between March 25 and March 27 - Group Captains will meet to discuss ballot choices, get tips on leading their group meetings and learn how to vote electronically. Next month captains will receive an electronic invitation to the March Captains' meeting. Captains may want to plan now to set up a meeting sometime between March 25 and the April 10 voting deadline so their group can decide on their group vote.

Between March 25 and March 27 - Individual Members will meet to discuss the ballot and learn how to vote electronically. If you are an Individual Member, look for your invitation the last week of February.

March 27 - Eligible voters (Individual Members and Group Captains) will receive an email from Survey Monkey that includes a link to cast their vote electronically.

April 10 - Deadline for electronic voting by eligible voters.

May 4 - SAVE-THE-DATE for our 11th annual Presentation of Grants reception, starting at 4 pm at the Montecito Country Club. This is the exciting event where we gather to celebrate our new 2014 grantees. These nonprofits will join the 64 other agencies who have received $4.7 million in Women's Fund grants since 2004.

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