“It was a truly bittersweet moment last month when we said farewell to Aviva Stampfer as WaWF’s Grants and Programs Director. Aviva’s near-decade with the Foundation was transformational for the organization and for our approach to grantmaking. Here she shares her perspective on what those changes here at WaWF meant for her and for us. Thank you, Aviva, for everything!” shared Maria Kolby-Wolfe, President & CEO, WaWF
Reflections by Aviva Stampfer
When I interviewed for my role in 2017, the staff told me they were about to start strategic planning, and were building the plane while flying it. Joining the team meant I got to be part of that building too, and in some ways, it never stopped.
I have known Washington Women’s Foundation (WaWF) to be a place that leans into learning, constantly seeking improvements based on true listening. That commitment to growth is what made it possible for me to seek best practices in philanthropy, bring them to the organization, and adapt them to a collective giving environment. I am grateful for the unique opportunity to adapt my role from within, professionalizing and expanding our grant program to better serve both members and nonprofits.
From trust-based practices and participatory grantmaking to responsive grantee support, I built my own expertise in program design and relationship management while building the organization, listening and innovating along the way. Working to meet our statewide vision, most recently the program team developed a place-based grant, with development help alongside local partnerships and highlighting local brilliance. I credit WaWF leadership for a consistent willingness to try something new and to be responsive to community voices.
I believe deeply in collective action and in the past 9+ years have seen collective giving as one way philanthropy can leverage the power of the many for good. Our sector is a complicated one, and yet giving together means we address power imbalances directly and make space for our own biases to be challenged regularly.
I’m proud of how this community has shifted specifically in applying an equity lens to grantmaking. While leading our criteria shift to increasing equity and reducing disparities, we solicited honest feedback from both nonprofits and WaWF members. We facilitated real conversations about race and gender and turned all that learning into actionable funding commitments. Through the Rest & Repair awards, I saw a desire to center the knowledge of Black Women and take ownership of past harms. I know that commitment to equity is firm and will continue regardless of shifting political contexts.
I am incredibly grateful to the members who have leaned into deep learning, the nonprofits who have welcomed us as partners in their impactful work, and my colleagues on staff who I learn from every day. Thank you for finding new ways to stay true to our values.
My hope for the WaWF community is to hold onto that commitment to growth, the power of collective giving, and the commitment of funding equitably. I look forward to bringing all I’ve learned here into my next chapter, and hope to stay in touch!