Uncategorized

Introducing our 2026 Place-Based Grantee

April 23, 2026 by Aviva Stampfer

This is Washington Women’s Foundation’s (WaWF’s) first year centering our grantmaking on women and girls who are furthest from justice, and we’re thrilled to announce our very first grant under this new approach! Empowering Latina Leadership & Action (ELLA) ELLA is a Chicana/Latina-led social justice organization rooted in advocacy and leadership cultivation to increase Chicana/Latina representation as key decision-makers across all sectors. At the heart of […]

Moments with Maria Philanos Network Uncategorized Women in Leadership

WaWF Goes to Texas: Hearing from our sisters at the Philanos Conference

February 18, 2026 / September 14, 2026 by Maria Kolby-Wolfe

By Maria Kolby-Wolfe It’s hard to believe we’re already nearing the end of February. The first few weeks of the year have moved quickly at WaWF as we introduced our new flexible membership options, our new grantmaking process, and as we get ready for another year of collective grantmaking, learning, and connection. Last week, I had the chance to jump into […]

Grantees Grantmaking Uncategorized

Introducing our 2025 Women & Girls Grantees

December 8, 2025 by Jeri Lehto

At Washington Women’s Foundation (WaWF), one of our cherished values is to elevate and amplify the power of all who identify as women. Supported by the Women’s Funding Alliance’s Fund for Women, we offer the Women & Girls Grant to organizations focused on women and girls within the year’s chosen priorities. These grants aim to […]

Moments with Maria Uncategorized

Onward Together, United by Hope

June 12, 2025 by Jeri Lehto

On Friday, June 6 we held a Community Celebration in honor of our 15 2025 Grantees and our wider WaWF community. It was a joyous and hopeful night. Here is the text of the speech Maria Kolby-Wolfe our CEO and President gave that evening. Tonight, we gather in the presence of 15 extraordinary organizations—trailblazers who […]

Grantees Grantmaking Uncategorized

Introducing our 2025 Collective Grantees

March 25, 2025 by Jeri Lehto

By Aviva Stampfer, Grants & Programs Director In case you missed the announcement, WaWF made a big change this year, in response to the unique pressures on nonprofits in this time. We know the entire sector is under significant stress and decided that one way WaWF could meet this moment is by ending our grant […]

Grantmaking Letters from the President Moments with Maria Uncategorized

Meeting the Moment: Transforming the 2025 Collective Grants

March 18, 2025 by Jeri Lehto

An Announcement: For 29 years Washington Women’s Foundation (WaWF) has had a rhythm for its flagship grant program: A Letter of Intent (LOI) Phase, followed by a Learning/Proposal stage and a Site Visit/Conversation Stage, culminating in a vote by the membership for organizations that would receive our large Collective Grant Awards. Some aspects have been […]

Board of Directors Uncategorized

Hello From the Board!

July 16, 2024 by Jeri Lehto

Happy summer, WaWF members- Hello from Kris Kaminishi, current board chair, longtime member and all-around WaWF enthusiast! If you’ve participated in any of the grant committees in the past 16 years, I might have served alongside you. If you’ve attended any of the Let’s Talk Membership or New Member Orientation Sessions since early 2023, I likely met you […]

Introducing our 2024 Grantees

June 7, 2024 by Aviva Stampfer

Washington Women’s Foundation is proud to announce our 2024 Collective Grants, totaling $454,500 to 30 Washington organizations! We’re especially thrilled to announce the recipients of this year’s three unrestricted $100,000 Collective Grants and three $25,000 Merit Finalist Grant Awards. These amazing organizations work to increase equity in Washington State in our 2024 priorities: Increasing Access […]

OPEN CALL: Invitation to Board Service

May 23, 2024 by WA Women's Foundation

Are you looking for a new or deeper way to engage with the Foundation? Consider serving on the Washington Women’s Foundation Board of Directors! We have several openings on the board beginning January 1, 2025, for three-year terms (which may be renewed twice). The director recruitment process is an open call: We welcome all interested […]

2024 COLLECTIVE GRANTS UPDATE: BALLOT ORGANIZATIONS

May 10, 2024 by Aviva Stampfer

We’re delighted to share another update from the 2024 Collective Grants Committee! Since our last update, the committee has been conducting conversations with 15 organizations in our three priorities: Expanding Access to Arts in Schools, Mental Health & Housing, and Re-Entry Support. This is the third year of our re-imagined grants process, and we continue […]