creates and manages a permanent endowment fund to perpetuate grant-making explicitly for women and girls;
leads the way in funding and advocating for programs that support growth and economic self-sufficiency for women; and
models equitable partnerships that encourage diversity and inclusivity.
Who Is Eligible Organizations eligible for a Women’s Foundation Grant must:
Propose a project that fits within the mission and scope of our funding guidelines.
Be located in Monroe, Ontario, Wayne, Genesee, Orleans, Yates, and/or Livingston County, New York and serve women or girls within those counties.
Be a tax-exempt, not-for-profit organization under the Internal Revenue Code, section 501(c)(3). However, your organization may use another tax-exempt, not-for-profit agency as your fiscal agent. In this case your organization must still meet the requirements necessary to apply for tax-exempt status.
NOTE: The Women's Foundation does not make grants to individuals or endowments or for religious or political purposes, equipment or any capital expenses. The Women’s Foundation does not award scholarships to individuals or groups.
Our Funding Priorities
Based on the results of our 2004 research report, Improving Economic Self-Sufficiency, Current Status, Future Goals, and Intervention Strategies, we are specifically interested in funding programs which help support women’s progress towards economic self-sufficiency. You are encouraged to read our research report, which is availabe on this web site. You may a download a copy of the report here.
Our 2008 funding priorities are:
to promote sustained economic self-sufficiency of women.
to assist women and girls in moving toward achieving economic self-sufficiency.
The Women's Foundation defines economic self-sufficiency as the income working families need to meet basic necessities without public or private assistance, including realistic costs for housing, food, childcare, transportation, health/medical, and taxes. For a family consisting of one adult, one infant, and one pre-school child living in Monroe County in the year 2000, that figure is $36,396. This definition of self-sufficiency was developed by Wider Opportunities for Women.
Our goal is to fund programs assessed to have the highest likelihood of having a direct positive impact on the economic status of women. Applicants should show how their proposed program outcomes link to economic self-sufficiency for participants.
More About Our Funding
This year, via our Annual Grant-making Program, the WFGV
plans to grant approximately $65,000 and the WFGV Girls'
Grant-making Committee approximately $3,000. Our intention
is to award six to seven grants, with each grant being awarded
approximately $10,000. Applications directly focused on
our funding priorities will receive preference for funding.
Organizations may apply for continued funding on an annual
basis, provided they address our current funding priorities.
Application Process
The Foundation requires submission of an amended (shorter) form of the Rochester Area Common Application. Applications should be submitted without Section 3 (Logic Model), and with Section 4 (Rationale) limited to 4 pages. All other components of the Common Application are required.
The Rochester Area Common Application Form can be downloaded
here: common application form.
One electronic copy of the completed application (omitting
Section 3 and limiting Section 4 to 4 pages) is to be emailed
to the office of the Women’s Foundation (bhettig@womensfoundation.org)
by Friday, June 27, 2008. In addition, four (4) complete
paper copies of the proposal, including all the items outlined
in the Grant Proposal Check List below, must be sent to
the Women’s Foundation offices at 277 Alexander St. Suite
407, Rochester, New York 14607, postmarked no later than
Friday, June 27, 2008. Proposals received by June 30 will
be considered for funding beginning January 2009. A site
visit may be requested during the review process. The Grant-making
Committee prepares a funding recommendation that is reviewed
and approved by the Foundation Board of Directors. All applicants
will be notified of the outcome of our review process in
mid September 2008.
Grant Proposal Check List
Before you send us your application, check it to see that it includes these elements
Executive Summary
Information Sheet
Rationale (limited to 4 pages)
Budget Sheet
Financial Summary of Most Recent Fiscal Year
IRS Determination Letter
Board of Directors List
Audited Financial Statements
Annual Report For current (2008) grant holders - a copy of the 2008 six month evaluation
Grant-making Assistance
If you would like more information about our application requirements or our grant-making process, please call the Women's Foundation at 585-242-0940 between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM on weekdays, or e-mail the Foundation at info@womensfoundation.org
Project Follow-Up
The Women's Foundation may request a site visit and/or additional information at any time after the grant has been awarded. All grantees are expected to monitor their projects closely. At the end of your project, we require that a written report be submitted within 60 days. This report should assess outcomes vs. objectives and how outcomes link to economic self-sufficiency. All grantees will be assigned a liaison from the Women's Foundation who maintains direct contact with the agency to provide ongoing review of program accomplishments and outcomes.
Women's Foundation of Genesee Valley
277 Alexander St. Suite 407, Rochester, New York 14607
