ABOUT BOSTON WOMEN'S FUND
MISSION.
Boston Women’s Fund uplifts, advocates for, and invests in women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals who are leading grassroots organizations and systems change. Together we strive toward racial, economic, social, and gender justice.
VISION.
We envision a world where power, opportunity, and access exist for those persistently marginalized, regardless of gender identity or gender expression.
VALUES.
WE BELIEVE:
Philanthropy has a unique role and responsibility and is at its best when working together with
communities to create a more just and equitable world.
In the power of organizing and movement building.
Our work is sustained through creativity, joy, and an abundance mindset.
In the power of transformative relationships. Individuals shape relationships, relationships shape communities, and communities shape society.
That when we disrupt harmful practices we move toward systems change and a more just world.
Experts come from within their communities and when we invest in women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals, we uplift families and communities.
In the value of continuous learning, evaluation and growth in both individuals and organizations.
PRINCIPLES.
TO EMBODY OUR BELIEFS:
01
We take an informed, responsive, participatory, and transparent approach to philanthropy.
02
We act boldly and take risks working to create space for transformative practices.
03
We use an intersectional lens that prioritizes racial, gender, social, and economic justice.
04
We ensure women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals are at the core of every decision.
05
We promote grassroots systems change and support power from the ground up.
06
We advocate for processes and programs that shift power to those affected by the issues.
07
We invest in efforts that create belonging and inclusivity and lead toward healing at the individual, community, and societal levels.
08
We are committed to shared leadership, accountability, equity, and cultural diversity in all decisions, operations, and practices.
OUR HISTORY.
The Boston Women’s Fund (BWF) was founded in 1984 by a group of progressive women who sought to support marginalized women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals in achieving racial, economic, social, and gender justice. BWF was the first women’s foundation in Massachusetts and is one of the oldest of the over 145 nonprofit women’s foundations in the United States.
Our founders recognized that organizations supporting women, girls, and gender-expansive people received fewer foundation grants than other organizations. This was especially true for groups helping low-income women and women of color. Today, research shows that women and girls receive less than 7.5% of all grant dollars awarded by foundations nationwide.*
We believe that change begins with women, girls, and gender-expansive people in their own communities, and that with the necessary resources they are able to implement their ideas. We believe that women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals can and must be leaders within all movements if progressive change is to occur.
Since our inception, a core value at BWF has been that decisions would be made by a racially and economically diverse group of women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals and that money would be raised by a broad group of donors across all economic backgrounds. Over the past 39 years, BWF has granted more than $7.6 million in over 385 grant awards to grassroots organizations.
*Women’s Funding Network, Accelerating Change for Women and Girls: The Role of Women’s Funds, 2009. Washington, D.C., Foundation Center.
MEET THE TEAM.
From left to right:
Alexandra Auguste
Deputy Director
she/her
Sumaya Mohamed Ibrahim
Program and Operations Coordinator
she/they
Kiarah Hortance
Sr. Program Associate
she/her
Aisha Woodruff
Director of Communications
she/her
Olivia Lehman
Director of Development and Organizational Growth
she/her
SENIOR PHILANTHROPIC ADVISOR.
Jackie Jenkins-Scott
Senior Philanthropic Advisor
OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
Akosua Ampofo Siever
Chair
she, her, hers
Claudia Thompson
Past Chair,
Chair, 40th Anniversary
Managing Launch Director,
BNI Global
she, her, hers
Lauren Pimpare
Director
President & Founder Tomorrow’s Women Today
she, her, hers
Makeeba McCreary
Ex-Officio Member
President,
New Commonwealth Fund
she, her, hers
Melissa Tearney
Vice Chair
Co-Chair Litigation Dept.,
Choate
she, her, hers
Brianna Boggs
Director
Leadership Coach & Consultant
she, her, hers
Danielle Parish
Director
Individual Giving Officer,
MIT Sloan
she, her, hers
Amanda Matos-Gonzalez
Treasurer
Senior Manager, Assessments NeighborWorks America
she, her, hers
Chastity Bowick
Director
Director
Trans Emergency Fund
she, her, hers
Magalis Troncoso Lama
Director
Executive Director,
Dominican Development Center
she, her, hers
Virginia Meany
Chair, Finance Committee
Retired
she, her, hers
Rita German
Director
Vice President, Public Engagement
JP Morgan Chase
she, her, hers
Jennifer Aronson
Ex-Officio Member
Associate VP of Programs,
The Boston Foundation
she, her, hers
PARTNERS.
The work of the Boston Women’s Fund is only possible through the support of our donors and partners. They are the fuel that keeps us going. We are grateful for their commitment to women, girls, and gender expansive individuals.
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