Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona Announces Women and Girls of Color Fund

The Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona is accepting applications for Arizona’s first Women and Girls of Color Fund.

This new fund focuses on the sustainable growth and positive outcomes of organizations serving marginalized communities, among them, women and girls of color. WFSA thoughtfully shaped the fund through extensive community dialogue and research to address the unique needs and circumstances of organizations serving women of color.

One of the goals of this fund is to use a community-led approach in order to make grantmaking accessible, culturally informed, and intentional. Laci Lester, the fund’s manager, shares that this investment opportunity is vital. “This is a bold step in creating a fund that is unabashedly focused on women and girls of color. They deserve dedicated support that affirms their unique contribution, needs, and presence in our state,” she said.

“With less than 1% of philanthropic dollars going to women and girls of color, we could not stand idle and watch our community continue to be underserved and undervalued. The first of its kind in Arizona, we hope that this fund is the catalyst in reshaping philanthropy,” said WFSA CEO Amalia Luxardo.

Organizations in Arizona led by and serving women and girls of color are encouraged to apply. This includes organizations that are led by and serve trans-women, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming people of color. “We know that organizations are best equipped to make decisions specific to their needs and it’s time they are recognized for their interdisciplinary approach of addressing the most pressing concerns of our community,” Luxardo added.

The deadline for nonprofit organizations to apply is 6:00 PM (Arizona Time) on August 12.

Eligibility requirements:

· Limited to Arizona organizations led by and serving women and girls of color

· The highest leadership position must be held by a woman of color

· 75% of the organization’s decision-making must come from women and girls of color

· The ability to demonstrate that 75% or more of its service population is comprised of women and girls of color

Important dates:

· Four information sessions held across the state during the week of July 26, 2021

· August 12 – Application deadline

· August/September – Applicant interviews

· October – Grant award notifications

Organizations interested in attending an information session and for more information about the grant application process, visit womengiving.org/wgocf or email the WGOCF Grant Program Manager, Laci Lester at llester@womengiving.org.