We are beyond honored to share that the Boston Women’s Fund is turning 40 and is fiercer than ever. In 1984, seven radical women, met in Cambridge to talk about the urgent need for a philanthropic organization like BWF — one that recognizes women and gender-expansive people’s power and prioritizes leaders working in their own communities to make radical change.
In creating BWF our founding mothers established commitments that still guide us today:
We work to create a radically better world for women, girls, and gender-expansive people.
We believe that meaningful change originates with the work and ideas of women, girls, and gender-expansive people in their own communities.
We do philanthropy differently: democratically, inclusively, and in partnership with communities and grantee partners.
In the decades since, thanks to your unwavering support, BWF has awarded over $7.6 million in over 385 grant awards. We’ve gone beyond funding to build skills, power, and connections among today’s movement leaders across generations, and we’ve pushed the philanthropic world to do better by grassroots leaders who have been persistently excluded from the table.
We are only interested in lasting, radical change. Alongside our innovative grantee partners, we’re driving a freedom train for women, girls, and gender-expansive folks. And our next stop – our only stop – is liberation.
This year, we’ll honor the many women who have boldly fought for justice in Greater Boston.
Be on the lookout for:
A celebration event in September 2024 bringing our community together along with special guests.
A series of Getting Proximate Conversations featuring today’s progressive grassroots leaders.
A public honoring of 40 changemakers who’ve contributed outstanding work toward justice in Greater Boston.
Please bookmark this 40th anniversary page on our website to keep up with the events! We are so grateful for your support and look forward to being in community with you this year and in the years to come.
In Solidarity,
Akosua Ampofo Siever, Chair Claudia Thompson, 40th Anniversary Chair Natanja Craig Oquendo, Executive Director
P.S. Boston Women’s Fund has led 40 years of radical giving in Greater Boston. Help us march toward 40 more and give today.