Last month we announced that Women's Fund member Betty Elings Wells has committed $250,000 in a 2-for-1 match for every dollar the Women's Fund raises above $350,000 by December 1, 2010. As every dollar comes in, we get closer to reaching our threshold to trigger the match! We're excited to announce that as of June 1st, Women's Fund members and contributors have donated $306,000.

Just think... if we give more, we get to give more! Memberships, contributions - even donations to underwrite WF expenses (see below) - all count toward our goal. So tell a friend about the Women's Fund today - this may be just the motivation she needs to become a member!

As the Women's Fund has grown over the past seven years, I've found inspiration in more ways than I can name - the welcoming and enthusiastic participation of our partner, the Santa Barbara Foundation; the financial vote of confidence from the Orfalea Fund and other large donors and underwriters; and the talented women who come forward every year to lead us 

And now, one of our amazing members has brought new inspiration to us all - Betty Elings Wells is motivating us to make an even bigger impact - and inspiring me to believe even more in our organization! You learned about Betty and her incredibly generous challenge gift in last month's newsletter. We are so thrilled by her choice to invest her philanthropic funds in the Women's Fund. Betty now inspires us to grow our Fund further; to "pay it forward" by bringing in more donations and new members and thus giving more in grants. Betty trusts our research and balloting process, and loves where our past gifts have gone. Let's use this new inspiration to do what we do in a bigger way.

Carol Palladini, Founding Chair

Thanks to all our members who voted on the areas of community need that you'd like to see explored by the Women's Fund volunteer Research Committee this year. This is valuable input to help direct our research of nonprofit agency programs for consideration for our 2010-11 ballot. The 2010 community issues considered of highest priority by our members, based on the voting are:

• Housing & Hunger
• Early Childhood Development (e.g., children aged 0-5 and their families)
• Youth Engagement (e.g., K-12 arts/recreation, parental education, gang prevention)

Don't forget that underwriting donations count in our total to trigger Betty's 2-for-1 match! If you would like to help, please contact us at info@womensfundsb.org.

Here are some current underwriting opportunities:

• Invitations for September Site Visit -- $300
• Postage for Site Visit invitations -- $200
• Web hosting and newsletter -- $300
• Membership mailing (letters, reply cards) -- $242
• Membership mailing (envelopes) -- $438

A big thanks to Dale Kern for generously underwriting our membership mailing postage!