Collective Grants
The Collective Grants are made on an annual basis. The application process begins with an online Letter of Inquiry (LOI), which opens in October of each year after our priorities have been announced at our Annual Meeting. Funding decisions are made and announced each June. Organizations selected for a WA Women’s Collective Grant Awards will be provided with a Letter of Understanding (LOU) that outlines the relationship between the foundation and the grantee.
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Collective Grants | This Year’s Priorities | Advocacy Grant | Women & Girls Grant | Minimum Eligibility Requirements | Grant Criteria | Letter of Inquiry | FAQs
THIS YEAR’S PRIORITIES
Our 2023 funding priorities in the thematic areas of Climate & Agricultural Justice, Education, and Healthcare:
Food Sovereignty & Security: Investing in communities’ access to culturally appropriate food via sustainable food systems, and food security created through ecologically sound production lines.
- We are interested in learning more about the relationship between people, power and food production, and the impact that relationship to the land has on climate and agricultural justice.
Early Childhood Education: Investing in both formal and informal education and opportunities for early learners from birth to age 8, which may include the development of literacy skills.
- We are interested in learning more about how a focus on our youngest community members during a period of fundamental development impacts their growth.
Reproductive Justice & Maternal Healthcare: Investing in the ability to maintain personal bodily autonomy, control reproductive choices, and access healthcare during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period.
- We are interested in learning more about the many ways reproductive matters impact our community, with a holistic approach to maternal health.
In 2023, the Collective, Advocacy, and Women & Girls grants will be awarded to organizations working within these priority areas.
ADVOCACY GRANT
We have come to understand that systemic transformation is only possible with a wider coalition of voices demanding change. For this reason, we offer a grant to organizations that work in advocacy within each of our year’s chosen priorities. Organizations may opt into consideration for our Advocacy Grant while applying for the Collective Grants on the LOI form.
Three to nine grants ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 will be made each year through the Advocacy Grant.
WOMEN & GIRLS GRANT
At WA Women’s Foundation, one of our cherished values is to elevate and amplify the power of all who identify as women. Supported by the WFA Fund for Women, we offer the Women & Girls Grant to organizations and programs focused on women and girls within the year’s chosen priorities. Organizations may opt into consideration for our Women & Girls Grant while applying for the Collective Grant on the LOI form.
Three grants of $15,000 will be made each year through the Women & Girls Grant.
MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Tax Exempt Status. Organization must currently qualify as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) or 7871 of the Internal Revenue Code or be fiscally sponsored by another tax-exempt organization.
Connection to Washington. Organization must operate programs or provide services within the state of Washington.
WA Women’s Foundation does not fund endowments, pass-through scholarships or out-of-state projects of Washington-based organizations.
GRANT CRITERIA
Our funding is unrestricted and our grants should be used wherever they are most needed except that we do not fund endowments, pass-through scholarships, or out-of-state projects of Washington-based organizations.
We are most interested in understanding community needs and how your organization is addressing those needs through the delivery of services to those directly impacted by inequity.
We seek to support and collectively invest in organizations that are reflective of and embedded in the communities they serve, draw on the strengths and assets of these communities, and are accountable to these communities in order to achieve the long-term goals of increasing equity and reducing disparities.
This year, we invite Letters of Inquiry from organizations that meet all the following criteria:
- Is focused on providing services to people affected by inequity due to race and/or gender identity;
- Is accountable to the people being served. “Accountable” can mean one or more of the following:
– Ensures that people being served are visibly leading;
– Develops leadership of the people being served;
– Engages the people being served in ongoing decision-making, planning and assessment; and/or
– Draws on the strengths, assets, and lived experience of the people being served. - Is addressing systemic racial and/or gender inequities in one of this year’s priority areas.
- Can demonstrate how they reduce disparities and/or achieve more equitable outcomes.
We encourage you to review the Frequently Asked Questions below as well as our definitions document before completing your Letter of Inquiry. For more information on the Letter of Inquiry, please click the button below.
Please contact Aviva Stampfer, Grants & Programs Director, at aviva@wawomensfdn.org if you have questions about eligibility criteria or the application process
Letter of Inquiry