Women’s Fund

Our Mission

• To provide a permanently endowed funding source to non-profit agencies serving the needs of women and girls in Rock County.
• To provide hands-on grant-making and leadership experiences through volunteer opportunities for Fund donors.

The Women’s Fund seeks to reflect the population it serves in its make-up of donors and volunteers. Donors who wish to participate in activities will be encouraged to do so regardless of their political views, sexual orientation, race, age, economic status, political or religious views.

Women’s Fund Family of Funds

The charitable funds show below have been established by individuals to support their charitable goals for the community through The Women’s Fund of Rock County:

• Diana Shadel Fund, of the Women’s Fund
• Elaine B Strassburg Fund, of the Women’s Fund

How does the Women’s Fund work?

The Women’s Fund is a component of the Community Foundation. The Advisory Board is comprised of community volunteers and Community Foundation staff. The Advisory Board raises money for the endowment as well as recommends grants from the Women’s Fund in support of priorities they set related to the current needs of women and girls in Rock County Wisconsin. Are you interested in serving on the Advisory Board? Call Deedra Williams, (608) 758-0883.

In 2007, a Task Force of the Women’s Fund developed the Status of Women in Rock County report to include basic demographics, employment and earnings, social and economic autonomy, health and wellbeing.

Why women and girls? Why not a fund for women and children? Or women and families?

Forty years of research shows that social investments in women reduce poverty, raise productivity and accelerate economic growth. Encouraging women to build on their strengths increases self-worth. In addition, a higher level of self-esteem is passed along to future generations.

Investing in girls yields even higher returns in terms of the effect on women’s wages, the decisions better educated women make about having children, and their capacity to raise healthy, educated children who go on to make good wages, choose smaller family size and invest in their own children.

Support for women and girls ultimately benefits men and boys, too. By strengthening and enabling women, we can break the cycle of poverty in our community.