Dear Colleagues,
As the Chair and Vice Chair of the WFN Board of Directors, we bring to the roles our promise to support the entire WFN community of foundations and allies at the intersection of gender and racial justice.
To us, this means supporting the opportunity to convene, connect and learn with one another. We are thrilled that this year we can demonstrate this commitment to make this shared space a reality, during the Feminist Funded ’23 conference to be held in Washington, D.C. from September 10-14. The WFN Board is proud to announce our collective pledge to raise $50,000, to help unite thought leaders in philanthropy, advocacy, and culture, where together we can share insights, and best practices to advance our goals.
The conference will include hundreds of attendees, both members and allies, that represent over $1.4 billion in annual grantmaking for women’s empowerment and gender equality. This meeting of gender-focused philanthropy leaders is truly global, connecting people who represent 76 countries and every region of our world.
Returning to WFN’s founding and roots, this convening in Washington, DC, will be the first time, we will engage together in a legislative and policy summit with U.S. congressional visits, with opportunities to connect with government officials about the impact of US policies across the globe and in each of our communities.
Making this Board pledge isn’t necessarily about the dollar amount. It’s more about our dedication to WFN and the work we’re all doing collectively. We know our movement is stronger when we’re united, and that together, we can truly influence the landscape of gender and racial justice. But passion without resources won’t lead to progress. Instead, we must invest in resourcing the collaborations that will make real change and advance the movement. Together, we commit to increasing the impact and influence of the women’s funding community and all of the women, girls, and gender expansive folks we serve. We’re proud to make this commitment today–and hope you’ll join us in this mission.
In partnership,
Melanie R. Brown, Chair, WFN Board of Directors
Suzanne Peters, Vice Chair, WFN Board of Directors
Join our team!
WFN is in an exciting period of transformation as we launch and grow several key programmatic and business initiatives.