Through equitable, radical practices, BWF is scaling while reimagining philanthropy
BOSTON — June 29, 2023 — Boston Women’s Fund (BWF), an intermediary foundation dedicated to creating a world rooted in racial, economic, social and gender justice, today announced over $400,000 in grantmaking to grassroots organizations serving women, girls and gender-expansive individuals across Greater Boston this fiscal year. This marks a 44% increase since FY 2022 and a third consecutive year of growth for Boston’s only women’s fund centering Black and Brown women, girls and gender-expansive folks.
Women and girls of color receive just .5% of all philanthropic funding nationwide. Amid the largest decline in national giving in 14 years, BWF’s increase in funding for women and gender-expansive leaders of color demonstrates the strength of the fund committed to reimagining philanthropy to better serve communities that have been persistently excluded.
“Grassroots leaders in the communities we serve, especially Black and Brown leaders, have had to push against the burden of systemic barriers for centuries. We want to do our part to change that,” said Executive Director Natanja Craig Oquendo. “Our ability to grow our fundraising so markedly and increase our support for our grantee partners amid a tough financial year nationally is a testament to this team, our board, and our fire for creating a more equitable Boston for all women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals.”
BWF’s grantee partners serve BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, youth, elderly, immigrant, refugee, disabled, and low-income communities. Of the 22 grassroots organizations selected to receive funding, all are led by women or gender-expansive individuals, 95% of whom are people of color. Three organizations are focused on reproductive justice, two center youth, and two are recipients of seed-funding grants, an initiative that offers a rare pathway to funding for new ideas.
BWF uses a community-centered process designed to remove traditional barriers that have excluded Black and Brown leaders from philanthropy. All grantee partners were nominated by the public and evaluated by a diverse community-based committee through “Requests for Conversations” rather than lengthy grant applications, effectively lifting the application burden from grassroots leaders. The final grantee partners were then selected through a unanimous vote.
To date, BWF has granted approximately $7.6 million in over 385 grant awards.
The following organizations have been selected as BWF’s 2023 grantee partners:
Abilities Dance
Asian American Women's Political Initiative
Asian Women For Health
Association Of Haitian Women In Boston
Birth Equity & Justice MA
Blackyard
Cambridge HEART Program
Dominican Development Center
Eastern Woodlands Rematriation Collective
Essex County Community Organization
Grimes King Foundation For The Elderly
Justice For Housing
Love Your Magic
Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition
Massachusetts Coalition of Domestic Workers
Melanin Mass Moms
Neighborhood Birth Center
Propa City Community Outreach
Save Our Selves
Sisters Unchained
Small House
Women Encouraging Empowerment
About Boston Women’s Fund
Boston Women’s Fund (BWF) is an intermediary foundation investing in women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals leading grassroots organizations working toward racial, economic, social, and gender justice. BWF envisions a world where power, opportunity, and access exist for those persistently marginalized, regardless of gender identity or gender expression. Founded in 1984 by progressive women, BWF was the first women’s foundation in Massachusetts and is one of the oldest nonprofit women’s foundations in the nation. BWF predominantly supports Black and Brown leaders from communities persistently excluded from philanthropy. Change begins with women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals in their own communities — when they have the resources they deserve to fund their ideas, absolutely everyone benefits. Today, BWF has granted approximately $7.6 million in over 385 grant awards. To learn more, visit www.bostonwomensfund.org.
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