Social Change

You have probably heard the saying, “Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.” Social change is about making sure there is a quality lake from which to fish.

The Women’s Fund is committed to creating social change that results in a better community for everyone by investing specifically in the needs and talents of women and girls in the Fox Valley region.

Empowering Women in Our Community

Social change is most recognizable when one or more of the following can be observed:

• Shifts in definition or reframing of issues: The issue is defined differently in the community or larger society.
• Shifts in individual or community behavior: People are behaving differently in the community or larger community.
• Shifts in critical mass or engagement: People in the community or larger society are more engaged.
• Shifts in institutions/policy: Organizational, local, regional, or state policies or practices have changed.
• Maintaining current position/holding the line: Earlier progress on issues has been maintained, despite opposition.

By funding programs that address the underlying causes of deeply rooted societal problems, we can make a difference in the lives of women and girls now, and for the generations of women and girls who follow.