Community Foundation of Western North Carolina

Women for Women Grant Guidelines 2010

Overview: Women for Women (WFW) is a community of women which invests in women and girls to transform their lives and to create a more just and equitable society. WFW believes and evidence demonstrates that when women thrive, their families and communities thrive. WFW works to create opportunities for women and girls of Western North Carolina through grantmaking, advocacy and advancing women's philanthropy. Since January 2005, we have given more than a million dollars through high impact grants in our region.

Focus Area: The 2010 Women for Women Grant Program promote s economic self-sufficiency for economically disadvantaged women in Western North Carolina . Such projects might include but are not limited to: job training, employment, green jobs, literacy, education, child care, financial literacy and overcoming barriers to financial independence. Programs must demonstrate impact on economic self sufficiency.

Grant Objectives: Women for Women will invest in programs that:

  • Demonstrate sustainable and measurable social change for women through services that promote economic self-sufficiency and financial independence
  • Address causes or prevention of poverty rather than symptoms
  • Assist women in overcoming barriers to economic independence
  • Make a long-term difference in the lives of women and girls
  • Advocate for social change for women at various levels of society - communities, institutions, systems and policies  
  • Demonstrate collaborative and/or cooperative partnerships with other organizations and groups that yield greater impact than either organization could achieve alone
  • Demonstrate commitment to organizational learning and capacity building

Grants: 2010 Women for Women will make grants totaling $15,000 to $100,000, which may be used over one or two years.

Women for Women will accept proposals for:

•  operating expenses for existing programs (1 year grants only; $50,000 limit)
•  program expansions
•  new programs
•  advocacy

Every effort will be made to distribute these funds throughout the 18 counties of Western North Carolina region.

Eligibility

Nonprofit organizations that are tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code and public agencies are eligible to apply for these grants.

Organizations must be located in or serving one or more of these WNC counties: Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson , Jackson , Macon , Madison , McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania or Yancey.

Funding Restrictions

Women for Women does not offer grants for:

•  capital support
•  scholarships or funding to individuals
•  endowment
•  sectarian purposes
•  veterans' affairs
•  deficit funding
•  private schools and clubs

Statewide or national programs will not be considered unless funding is sought for a portion of the program that directly benefits WNC, and local people are involved. Organizations may not submit more than one Women for Women grant application at a time.

Deadline to Apply

Applications are due Friday, January 22, 2010 by 5:00 pm. Final funding decisions will be made in May for projects that begin after June 1, 2010.

How to Apply

Recent Women for Women Grants