Meet Our New Senior Director of Program & Strategy — Aditi Dholakia

BWF is thrilled to welcome Aditi Dholakia (she/they) to the team! As the Senior Director of Program & Strategy, Aditi will oversee the design and implementation of programs that support BWF grantee partners, Horizon Collective, and youth leaders.

We connected with Aditi to learn more about them and what they're looking forward to in this role!

What’s your background/experience in philanthropy or activism work?

I’ve worked in the Boston social sector for the past four plus years at the intersection of nonprofits and philanthropy. My primary experience is in strengthening the social sector infrastructure, focusing on supporting grassroots organizations and movements for change. I’m not originally from Boston, and it’s been a gift to learn from incredible community leaders and organizations, including BWF, over the years!

What are you most looking forward to in your new role as Senior Director of Program & Strategy?

I’m really excited to connect with our community partners to learn more about how BWF can better support your work through our programs, and how we can strategize with our partners to build a more just world. I’m excited to laugh, learn, dance, break bread, cry, heal, and more with all of y’all!

What’s one of your favorite hobbies outside of work?

One of my favorite hobbies is cooking, especially for my friends and family! I love experimenting in the kitchen, bringing my community together over a hearty, loving meal. (I don’t love cleaning up afterwards, but that’s a problem for later me.) Now that the weather is warming up, you can also find me tending to me container garden outside! Right now, I’m growing tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, kale, beets, and herbs. Stay tuned to see what else pops up!

What are some fun facts about you?

1. I can wiggle my ears!

2. I speak four languages: Gujarati, English, German, and Hindi

3. Bonus: My sourdough starter’s name is Breaditi Doughlakia.

What's a quote that gives you life?

“No one is healed in isolation.” — bell hooks

“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.” — Arundhati Roy

The Power of Small Grants and Deep Listening to Fund the ‘Unfundable’

A group of visionary women came together in 1984 to award Boston Women’s Fund’s (BWF) first five grants totaling $20,000. These small grants went to those who’d been left out of consideration among traditional large-scale philanthropic institutions: women, girls, and gender-expansive people who identify as Black, brown, low-income, LGBTQ+, disabled, immigrants, and refugees. From the outset, our founding mothers created an alternative model of grantmaking that involved participation from community members and deep trust in their grantee partners. They knew those most affected by the problems we face also held the solutions, so they worked to democratize the sector and make philanthropy accessible to everyday people. 

Forty years later, we remain an influential intermediary funder that raises funds from institutional grantmakers and individual donors. We’ve awarded more than 385 small grants totaling over $7.6 million to emerging leaders and grassroots organizations. Here we’ll share our insights into how the practice of listening to the community and funding the supposedly “unfundable” on a small scale can achieve what traditional large-scale philanthropy cannot.  

Read more at Candid.com.

Fresh Name, Same Vision —Introducing Horizon Collective, BWF's Leadership Program

Boston Women’s Fund chose to run a leadership program in-house because we believed that a space curated by women and gender-expansive individuals of color for women and gender-expansive people of color could make a life-changing impact. We sought to offer the program of our dreams, one where racial justice, empathy, vulnerability, and community guided the process that would take our participants’ leadership and healing to new heights.

It was always about more than skill development for us. We’d had first-hand experience with the ways that systems of oppression in the workplace could leave women and gender-expansive leaders of color feeling isolated, less-than, and doubtful. We wanted to create a space to build these leaders up, where everyone could palpably feel that they belonged.

After two years of running the leadership program, it was time for a refresh. Boston Women's Fund believes that those who are closest to a challenge hold the strongest solutions. So, we convened alumni from each year of the leadership program to help redesign the initiative into the program of their dreams.

In addition to their recommendations, we also wanted to rename the program. There is so much power in a name, and we needed one that was as welcoming and inclusive as we are.

Today, we’re proud to announce Horizon Collective, a fresh identity for Boston Women’s Fund’s leadership program!

It’s still a program for women and gender-expansive leaders of color to grow in their leadership, heal in a safe space, and leverage the power of a supportive network.

The name "Horizon Collective" reflects the kind of growth that’s possible when you’re held and supported by an engaged network of leaders who’ve got your back. Just as the horizon symbolizes endless possibility, reflecting our leaders’ power to rise above limitations, this program catapults participants into a new era of leadership rooted in strength, resilience, and vision.

Horizon Collective is sponsored by the Barr Foundation, Angell Foundation, and Imago Dei Fund. All branding by DoodleDo.

Learn more about Horizon Collective and meet this year's cohort.

Interested in sponsoring this program? Share your contact information here.