On Oct. 18, The Women’s Giving Alliance (WGA), an initiative of The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, hosted its annual meeting at which more than 220 members gathered at UNF’s University Center.
The meeting coincided with a 39% growth in membership to 470 women. This tremendous growth means more funding for women and girls in Northeast Florida.
“WGA is not only about pooling our dollars to have a strategic influence on our community, it’s also about pooling our ideas, relationships and other resources from our diverse members to magnify our impact,” said Sheila Collier, president of WGA. “Our membership continues to grow every year — and we are nearly 500 strong now — because women who want to make a difference in our community recognize and embrace the power of strategic, collective giving.”
During the meeting, WGA announced a new grant cycle focused on serving the fundamental needs of women and girls in Northeast Florida.
In December, local nonprofit organizations serving women and girls will be able to apply for one-year grants for up to $50,000 to meet the basic needs, such as food, shelter, childcare, health and safety, of women in girls living in the six-county area of Northeast Florida.
Since 2002, WGA has awarded more than $8.9 million through 180 grants to more than 70 organizations in Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau, Putnam and St. Johns counties.
During the meeting, WGA hosted several guest speakers who addressed the importance and impact of strategic giving.
Isaiah Oliver, the president of The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, spoke about the importance of supporting women and girls as the father of three daughters.
"Strategic philanthropy is all about how we leverage our time, treasure, talent, testimony and ties to make our community a better place," said Oliver, president of The Community Foundation. "I congratulate the Women's Giving Alliance for using all of these forms of capital to grow support for women and girls in our region."
Ellen Wiss, past WGA president and current president and co-founder of READ USA, and David Garfunkel, president of LIFT JAX, led a discussion about how strategic philanthropy can manifest in unique ways to maximize community impact. Specifically, the duo addressed the origins of LIFT JAX, which began with WGA members seeking to target specific community needs.
“This organization stands as a remarkable example of an all-sector collective impact effort,” said Collier. “By conducting the necessary research and deeply evaluating what it revealed, LIFT JAX was able to identify specific needs in our community and initiate a movement of support. To see the impact this organization and others are having over time is a testament to the power of strategic, collective giving.”
WGA leadership also outlined several initiatives aimed at growing and supporting its membership and a new strategic focus that will launch in 2025.
WGA grants are generated from members’ yearly contributions ($1,500 a year or $750 for the first year if they are 40 and under), a portion of WGA’s endowment fund and individual gifts.
Women interested in joining the Women’s Giving Alliance and maximizing the impact of their philanthropy can go to wganefl.org/membership.
