GRANTS
The mission of the Women's Fund of Greater Omaha is to benefit women and girls through an endowment bringing additional resources to major issues impacting their lives. The Women's Fund makes grants to assist programs that encourage the economic, educational, physical, emotional, social and personal growth of women and girls in the Greater Omaha Area.
2008 FUNDING PRIORITIES
The Board of Directors of the Women's Fund has identified specific programmatic priorities for its 2008 community grants. Applications outside these interest areas will not be considered. Community agencies are invited to apply for Women's Fund of Greater Omaha grants for programs benefiting women ages 18 and up in the following interest areas:
- Leadership development
- STD awareness and education
- Economic self-sufficiency
- Domestic violence
Continuation grants
The Women's Fund will consider requests for continuation grants for projects recently or currently supported through the Women's Fund. In doing so, it will give preferential consideration to projects that have been responsibly managed, demonstrated successful outcomes, and complied with Women's Fund grant reporting requirements.
In making its funding decisions, the Women's Fund also gives priority to:
- Applicant organizations for which women are the primary decision makers.
- Projects that address the needs of low-income and underserved women,
and women of color. - Programs that are collaborative in nature and that draw upon the collective
strength of the partners. - Programs that include cost-sharing by the applicant and/or third parties.
"The Women's Fund board has chosen to narrow its priorities this year to address specific needs in the community affecting women, as identified by our research conducted over the past two years," said Sara Woods, grants committee chair.
Special Grants
Special Grants are awarded on behalf of groups that are affiliated with the Women’s Fund, or to honor individuals through a charitable contribution made in their name. These grants currently fall into two categories:
o WomanSpirit Grants are given to recognize the contributions of outstanding women role models and mentors who have been honored with a prestigious WomanSpirit Award. A gift is given to a designated charity in the name of each recipient every year. Currently, seven grants are awarded annually by honorees:
- Margre Durham (memorial)
- Marian Ivers
- Dianne Seeman Lozier
- Gail Walling Yanney
- Mimi Waldbaum (memorial)
- Mary Heng-Braun
- Barbara Weitz
o The Little Women's Fund was started in 1994 with the objective of introducing the concept and practice of philanthropy to girls at an early age in order to inspire them to take action for social change and to form the habit of giving back to the community. Young members are eligible to participate in Little Women through a donation to the fund. The group then votes annually to award a grant to a program that is designed specifically to benefit girls.