Grant Opportunities

Countywide Assessment Leads to New Grant Focus

In 2011 the CFMC sponsored the research report The Lives of Women & Girls in Monterey County. In it you will find data on local women and girls that highlights some of their greatest challenges and most pressing needs. This report, in addition to trends in the field, helped inform the emphases of our grant program.

 

The Women’s Fund Impact Committee developed grant priorities and guidelines to direct the Fund’s grants program from 2011-2014. The Committee reviewed past investments, analyzed the high-priority needs facing women and girls in Monterey County and considered where philanthropic investment could best make a difference.

 

Based on this assessment, Women’s Fund grants will focus on two interconnected goals: to advance the economic prosperity of women and to invest in the future and power of girls.  A minimum of $75,000 from the Women’s Fund will be awarded annually to support direct services and advocacy efforts that will bring about real change in the lives of women and girls in these two broad impact areas.

 

In 2011 Women's Fund grants focused on Economic Prosperity for Women. For 2012 the Women's Fund will be focusing its grantmaking investments on implementing the Girls' Health in Girls' Hands action plan to support the future of girls. Specific impact areas for improving health education and support for girls have been identified and organizations will be invited to work as a collaborative to achieve specific results over the next three years.   

Poverty is a persistent problem for many women and girls in Monterey County who are trapped in low-paying jobs without the means to support themselves and their families.   To break this cycle of poverty, women need access to education, life skills, and support to become economically self-sufficient. We believe that economic prosperity for women is key to the health and vitality of our entire community. Economic prosperity grants over the next four years will focus on:
 

 

 Young women and girls in Monterey County are the symbol of promise for the future of our community. While there are bright examples of girls making positive strides on many fronts, substantial challenges exist that threaten the well-being and health of local girls. Education is a priority, yet alarming numbers of young women are not graduating from high school and rates of college attendance are decreasing. Girls tell us they want more investment in health education, substance abuse prevention, mental health counseling and career guidance. We’re committed to investing in the future of girls and believe that, to be successful, girls should be leading the solutions we fund. The focus of these grants over the next four years will be: