Womens Legacy Fund – Fall 2017 News

Dear WLF Contributors, Prima Donors and Friends…

Sarah Owen,
President & CEO,
Southwest Florida Community Foundation

There is no doubt that Hurricane Irma has impacted everyone’s schedules but you will be pleased to know that the work of the Women’s Legacy Fund is moving ahead.

Normally we would award the latest grant recipient with their check at our October luncheon, but the storm impacted our new grantee and many of our contributors and attendees.

We want to be sensitive to this unique situation while still supporting this year’s grant focus area voted on at our spring luncheon: STEM programs or vocational training for women & girls.

Prior to the storm, the WLF grants committee was hard at work reviewing grant applications and holding a Compassionate Shark Tank.

We are pleased to announce that out of a vibrant pool of applicants, I Will Mentorship Foundation and their Visible Females program was selected to receive a $27,464.49 grant. Read more about the program below in this e-newsletter.

Although we will not be meeting as a group in October this year due to the storm, the grants committee will be visiting I Will Mentorship to present them with their check and see the program firsthand.  The I Will Mentorship team expects full programming to be up and running by the end of the month, so the funding is coming at a much needed juncture.

Additionally, the grants committee will review the results of last year’s grant recipient for the selected cause area of “mentorship.” The recipient, Florida Gulf Coast University’s GEMS – Girls in Engineering, Math and Science program for STEM education, will provide the outcomes report for this multi-generational mentoring program at the Spring Contributors Luncheon on Friday, April 13. Save the date!

Our spring luncheon will go on as planned, so be sure to contribute or renew your contribution as you don’t want to miss this chance to be part of the conversation as we learn together about the most pressing needs facing women and girls in SWFL.

In Gratitude,

Contribute now for this year’s grant to have a voice in the choice

Contributions for the 2018 cause area and grant selection open now through March 1

In keeping with the WLF calendar, contributions to the WLF are encouraged from the grant award made in the fall through the Spring Contributors Luncheon which is April 13, 2018. Please be sure to contribute now so we can include you on our invitation list for the spring luncheon where we discuss the research on current needs of women and girls in the region. It’s $250 where half will go into the WLF endowment to grow and last forever, and half will be granted this next year as part of the 2018-19 WLF grant cycle. Young women under 25 are welcomed to give at a reduced $100.

You will want to be sure to have a “voice in the choice” and be part of this very special women’s collective philanthropy program in our region.

and join other local women in giving together for the greatest impact

For more information on the Women’s Legacy Fund, or to become a Prima Donor, click here.

And the 2017-18 WLF Grantee is….

I Will Mentorship Foundation

Visible Female – Girls Excelling in Math and Science (GEMS) project

The WLF grants committee has selected Visible Female, a program focused on girls in math and science. Similar to last year’s grant, the project creates a STEM mentorship pipeline of high school and middle school girls presented by I Will Mentorship Foundation. Also called “GEMS,” for girls excelling in math and science, the program provides 9 months of academic support, mentoring and professional development for students from groups traditionally underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The program is designed to make a lasting impact on girls’ lives and leadership potential, inspiring them to dream big and focus on the next steps toward realizing their potential as entrepreneurs or leaders in their careers.

The end goal is to increase the interest and confidence of young girls by introducing new racial/cultural/social perspectives, activities and opportunities that develop their intellectual, interpersonal and pre-professional skills for successful journey toward STEM degrees and careers.

CLICK HERE to view the video presented by I Will Mentorship at the WLF Compassionate Shark Tank.

Next fall, the WLF Fall event will feature this program and, as a group, will take a closer look at the program and their outcomes.

Karen Benson

Rusty Brown

Bonnie Olson

Renee Porter-Medley

Christina Harris Schwinn

Nina Paight

Jane deLisser

Tina Parker

Louise Senneff