Women's Fund

The Women's Fund

Our Mission

To improve through purposeful philanthropy the status and quality of life for all women

Our Objectives

  • Promote educational, economic, social, and political equality for women
  • Enable women to achieve economic self-sufficiency
  • Insure that women have the necessary resources for healthcare
  • Honor local women who have made our community a better place in which to live

Our History

Created in 2004, the Women's Fund at the Community Foundation seeks to make a significant difference in the lives of individual women and the work of organizaitons in our community.  There have always been local women who were philanthropists.  They brought food to the needy, nursed the sick, and contributed funds to those causes close to home.  Groups like the Ladies Benevolent Society provided a safe place to live for elderly women, which has evolved into the McGraw House. Working together women founded the Children's Home, a refuge for youngsters in need, and helped create such institutions as the Reconstruction Home, Women's Opportunity Center, The Cancer Resource Center, and many others. 

Grants

We are making a difference by providing grants to non-profits in our community.  See the table below for a listing of our grants. 

The Women's Fund Endowment

The Community Foundation's Women's Fund aims to continue this important tradition through the establishment of the Women's Fund Endowment launched on March 25th, 2008 at the Women's Fund Luncheon.

It's goal is to establish an initial $200,000 endowment to generate annual grants to local organizations that will assist women improve their economic, educational, health and social opportunities. 

      Endowment Objectives:

  • Partner with 200 "Founders" who will give a one time gift of at least $1,000 (see list of "Founders" below)
  • Beginning in 2010 this fund will generate nearly $10,000 annually for grants to local organizations to help women improve their lives
  • Provide individuals an opporunity to honor or memorialize someone who shares or has shared this mission.

    

Please join us in building this lasting legacy in our community, and more importantly, in making sure women have the opportunities they deserve to improve the quality of their lives. 

Make a Gift to the Women's Fund Endowment

Would you like to be added to our invite list for the next Women's Fund Annual Luncheon that takes place in March of each year?  E-mail your name, address and phone number to us by clicking here. Write "add name to WF luncheon invite list" in subject line. 

Women's Fund Grantees

Laura Holmberg Award

Every March at the Women's Fund Annual Luncheon, the Women's Fund presents grants to non-profit agencies which are working hard to improve the lives of women in Tompkins County.  Women's Fund Grant Recipints include:

2009

Alternatives Venture Fund

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance

Foodnet Meals on Wheels

Technology for Nutrition Outreach Workers

TC3 Foundation

Bus passes

The Women's Opportunity Center

Bus passes

2008

Catholic Charities of Tompkins/Tioga - Immigrant Services Program

Bus passes for women who need to get to work in the early weeks of a new job

Ithaca College Gerontology Institute

Sponsorship for Fall, 2008 conference on the long-term care workforce crisis, especially the need for well traained health care workers

Planned Parenthood of the Southern Finger Lakes

Mid-life health services for women who are either uninsured or underinsured and are not receiving fundamental care essential to good health

The Women's Opportunity Center

For their rural mobile outreach program

2007

Foodnet Meals on Wheels

for promotion of nutrition programs

The Women’s Opportunity Center

for training to learn marketable skills

Community Good Neighbor Fund of Newfield for basic needs such as security deposits

Catholic Charities Samaritan Center

for basic needs such as utility shut off prevention

2006

Catholic Charities Samaritan Center

for basic needs such as work transportation

2005

TC3 Daycare, 2005

daycare for children so that mothers can get an education

The Laura Holmberg Award was established to honor women who, while excelling in their professions, have also had a significant impact on the community through their volunteer activities. The award is presented at the Annual Women's Fund Luncheon in March.   Recipients include:

2009    Rebecca Elgie

2008    Betsy Darlington

           

2007    Sara Pines

2006    Joan Ormondroyd

2005    Rachel Siegel

 

Women's Fund Grant Patrons

Women's Fund Endowment Founders

Women's Fund Grant Patrons have pledged multi-year commitments to support the grant-making priorities of the Women’s Fund. The generosity of these community leaders enables the Women’s Fund to grow at the same time that immediate needs are addressed with Annual Grants wholly supported by the following individuals:

Anonymous

Beverly Baker

Eugenia Barnaba

in honor of Beverly Baker

Blumkin, Finlay & Bixler, LLP

Elizabeth Bixler & Betsy East
Charlotte Bruce

Mary G. Call

Barbara DeWall

in memory of Lois DeWall

Carl F. Gortzig

Jean L. Gortzig

Linda & Michael Hoffman

Anna Holmberg
Holmberg, Galbraith,Van Houten & Miller
Patti Jacobson

Joanne James

Karen Macier

Nina K. Miller

in memory of Rose Kaplan

Risa Mish

in honor of Kate Potteiger

Susanne Morgan

Stacey Murphy

Paula J. Peter

Judith Pratt

Helen M. Saunders

Schlather, Geldenhuys, Stumbar & Salk

in memory of Laura Holmberg

Lynnette M. Scofield

in honor of Beverly Baker

Diane Shafer

Sally True of True, Walsh & Shubert, LLP

At the 2008 Annual Women's Fund Luncheon, the Women's Fund Endowment Campaign was launched.  The Community Foundation's Women's Fund Endowment Founders have each given $1,000 or more to the Women's Fund Endowment. 

 

Suzanne Aigen

in honor or Beverly Baker

Anonymous

Beverly Baker

Charlotte Bruce

Barbara H. Caldwell

Mary Call

in honor of Mary Gentry Call, Laura Call Andolina, Barbara Call Bourassa, Carolyne

Call Zachman, Linda Rapp Call, Erica Call and Callie Andolina

Priscilla Crispell

Mary Pat Dolan

Joanne Florino

          in honor of Beverly Baker

Maria Cristina Garcia

Carl Gortzig

in honor of Jean L. Gortzig

Jean Livingstone Gortzig

in honor of Margaret J. Thomas

Mary M. Grainger

          in honor of Aileen Grainger, Maura Grainger

          and Erin Grainger

John and Robin Moss Hinchcliff

in memory of Hope Moss and in honor of Rebecca Abraham, Abigail Hinchcliff, Emily Hinchcliff and Katharine Hinchcliff

The Holmberg Family

in memory of Laura Holmberg

Martha Hsu

Barbara Hulbert

          in memory of Cara M. Tarantine and

          Jo A. Tarantine

Joanne James

in honor of Florence Emery

Carol Kammen

David J. Kuckuk

in honor of Sheila Danko and Jane Wiley Kuckuk and in memory of Veronica Danko, Janette Mount Wiley and Marion Cameron Kuckuk

Karen Macier

Susanne Morgan

Susan Murphy

Helen Saunders

Carol Scheele

Caitlin Schryver

Lynnette Scofield

Diane Shafer

Rachel Siegel

Robert Sprole II

in memory of Lila P. Sprole

Carol Travis

The True Family

in honor of Nan True

Thomas C. Weiler

          in memory of Celia K. Weiler

Jeanne and Gene Yarussi