Women’s Fund Luncheon
Women (and Allies) Who Support Other Women
Knowing that every win for a woman is a step forward for us all, our signature Women’s Fund Luncheon is the largest fundraiser event in the Fox Valley and an empowering voice for women and girls in our community. The Women’s Fund Luncheon highlights and fuels the work that we do, uplifting women and girls in our community to reach their limitless potential. With urgency and heartfelt storytelling, we spark hope, inspire action and nurture change.
The 26th annual Women’s Fund Luncheon will be onThursday, September 10, 2026!
We invite you to partner with us as a sponsor for our 26th annual Women’s Fund Luncheon on Wednesday, September 10, 2026, at the Fox Cities Exhibition Center. As our largest fundraiser of the year, this milestone event attracts 1,000 community members and changemakers dedicated to dismantling barriers, challenging the status quo, and stepping into their limitless potential. We offer a variety of sponsorship tiers designed to align with your organization’s goals, providing valuable brand visibility and community engagement benefits while directly supporting impactful local programs. Your partnership is an investment in the future of the Fox Valley, and we would welcome the opportunity to discuss how we can work together to make this our most successful luncheon yet.
Connect with our Development Manager Terri St. Lawrence for questions on supporting the Women’s Fund Luncheon.
2025 Keynote Speaker: Kathrine Switzer
Kathrine’s journey of resilience and empowerment perfectly aligns with our mission to empower women and girls in the Fox Valley.
Iconic athlete, sports and social advocate, author, and Emmy award-winning television commentator, Kathrine Switzer was the first woman to officially enter and run the Boston Marathon. She has been honored widely for her achievements, including being inducted into the USA National Women’s Hall of Fame, for creating positive social change. The ramifications of her work are both joyful and profound, changing forever the face of sports, health and opportunities for women around the world.
Kathrine Switzer is relentless in her efforts to empower millions of women beyond the finish line, now through the recently created non-profit, “261 Fearless, Inc.” She ran the Boston Marathon again in 2017, 50 years after she first challenged the rules and ran the prestigious event. In doing so, Kathrine broke yet another barrier in a lifetime of breaking barriers, and simultaneously celebrated 50 years of women s athletics and social achievement.
Sports history changed in 1967 when she officially registered and finished that famous race. It was still a men’s only event in those days and Switzer’s entry created a worldwide uproar when the race director attacked her mid-stride and tried to tear off her bib numbers and remove her from the event, because she was a woman. The photo of this incident flashed around the globe and became one of Time-Life A100 Photos that Changed the World.
A huge thanks to our Inspire Speaker Sponsor, Dr. Vogel with Mosaic Family Health
“I am passionate about all individuals having equal access to opportunities in our community that allow them to thrive. Being involved in the Women’s Fund allows me to put that passion into action.”
Lora Zimmer, Former Women’s Fund Board Member