I can definitely say that this organization has changed my life for the better! I cannot imagine where I would be right now if I had never had such great support!
Since 1994, the Women’s Fund has awarded more than $1.9 million in grants to innovative programs that improve women’s and girls’ physical and mental health, ensure their economic security, promote their safety, and enhance their lives. We are proud to have funded 224 projects in Northeast Wisconsin developed by 88 different Fox Valley agencies.
The Women’s Fund offers the following funding opportunities for nonprofit organizations serving women and girls in Outagamie, Calumet, Waupaca, Shawano and northern Winnebago counties:
The Women’s Fund’s Girl-Powered Giving program has $10,000 in funding available and is seeking proposals for new or existing programs that address mental and emotional wellness support.
Since 2012, The Women’s Fund has held a leadership development and grantmaking program for local high school girls, formerly known as the Girls’ Grantmaking Project. After taking a year off of programming due to the pandemic, the program has been re-imagined and high school girls are once again participating in this leadership development, philanthropy education and community service program, now called Girl-Powered Giving.
On February 28 and March 12, 10 female students took part in facilitated activities and discussion about issues impacting girls in our community. At the next meeting on April 13, the girls will be empowered to recommend $10,000 in grant funding for the program(s) they think will best meet the needs of girls in the Fox Valley around the priority issue they identified: mental and emotional wellness and support.
The young women identified a gap in support for high school girls to take the first step in getting help with mental and emotional wellness. They feel more support is needed to improve access and get assistance up front to build girls’ capacity to address issues that are holding them back before they reach the stage of a mental health crisis. This would be a safe “space” for girls to seek advice and ask for help outside of a therapeutic setting with people who would be supportive and are not as emotionally invested as a parent or close friend.
Apply Now: The deadline to apply for this funding is April 1
The 2022 Women’s Fund Project Grant cycle has concluded. Please check back for details about the 2023 process in the fall.
2022 Project Grant Materials
Project Grant Planning Checklist
Project Grant Guidelines 2022
Preliminary Grant Application Questions
Project Grant Application Questions
Virtual Grant Seeker Workshop Recording
Online Grants Portal – Portal registration is required prior to completion of a grant application. Please allow 1-3 business days for approval.
| Preliminary Applications Due | Wednesday, January 12, 2022 |
| Applicants notified if selected to submit full proposal | Week of January 24, 2022 |
| Full Proposals Due | Friday, March 4, 2022 |
| Applicants notified of funding decisions | Week of March 28, 2022 |
See instructions below on how to apply through the online grant portal.
NEW in 2021! The Need is Now Fund has been created in partnership with a donor advised fund within the Women’s Fund to meet urgent or immediate needs that have been intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Organizations are invited to submit grant requests for specific needs where a small dollar amount will have great impact – or can be leveraged with other funders for greater impact. This grant is not intended to fund general programming or operational expenses for your organization and funding is not available for individual needs, such as tuition assistance. Instead, the fund was designed to provide expedited funds to support unanticipated or increased need for materials, services, etc.
Requests will be limited to no more than $500 per application and two funded requests per calendar year. Applications are being accepted on an ongoing, rolling basis. Funding decisions and grant awards will typically occur within two weeks after an application has been submitted.
Eligibility:
Nonprofits in Outagamie, Calumet, Waupaca, Shawano and northern Winnebago counties are eligible to apply. Funding requests must benefit women and girls and fit into at least one of the Women’s Fund focus areas of safety, health and well-being; education; economic security; and leadership.
Application Instructions:
See instructions below on how to apply through the online grant portal.
Applications will be accepted through the online Grant Portal. As a supporting organization of the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, the Women’s Fund grant portal is shared with the Community Foundation. If you have previously applied for grant funding through the Community Foundation, you will use the same username and password to access the portal and complete a Women’s Fund grant application. If you have not used the Grant Portal, you will need to create an account.
To Register/Login:
To Apply:
Questions regarding the application process can be submitted via email to grants@womensfundfvr.org.
To make sure you are on the list to receive email updates about Women’s Fund grants programs, please contact us at (920) 702-7638 or grants@womensfundfvr.org.
The Women’s Fund cannot provide grant funding to individuals. Only nonprofits designated as 501(c)(3) organizations may apply.