The She Angels Foundation, a women’s empowerment organization, recently celebrated its one year anniversary. One year ago, two titans of women’s entrepreneurship joined forces to address the gap in funding and other resources for women’s ventures. This gap is particularly notable in ventures that support and empower women and girls.
Champions of women’s empowerment
Philanthropist Catherine Curry-Williams and media entrepreneur Catherine Gray founded the She Angels Foundation in 2020. Together with their membership, they have funded close to a dozen female-founded nonprofits over twelve months.
The She Angels Foundation specifically strives to address the enormous funding gap for women’s ventures. It practices a collective giving model that pools funds raised through the foundation’s membership. It subsequently awards annual grants through an evaluation process.
“Our criteria are female-founded and operated nonprofit organizations that provide mentorship, funding, training and advancement resources to girls’ and women’s causes,” explains Curry-Williams. “The end result is more women in the world who are groomed to lead and become entrepreneurs.”
Helping organizations serve women
At this point in time, the She Angels Foundation has awarded grants to diverse organizations that serve women, such as:
- People’s Pottery Project, a project that trains and employs formerly incarcerated women in their ceramic business
- Women in Media, a nonprofit that seeks to achieve gender balance in the film and entertainment industries
- Hope Gardens, a program that addresses homelessness and helps homeless women get off the street
- Women Veterans Giving, a nonprofit that assists reintegrating women veterans into civilian life by building a supportive, educated community
“The beauty of our approach is we don’t just have one niche; we’re not exclusive to just one group. Our core belief is helping women and girls,” states co-founder Gray. “I would add that we are so happy we were able to do something purposeful during COVID. Despite the widespread challenges the pandemic presented, so much fell into place and we raised more money and helped more organizations than we anticipated.”
Providing tools for women’s empowerment
Both Curry-Williams and Gray tout the role of community building in the success of the She Angels Foundation. Rather than simply offer funding to women-run nonprofits, the organization also provides mentoring, business advice and practical help. These services aim to assist grantees in succeeding.
Gray points out that membership has its benefits, too. “Members are invited to a series of in-person and online salons and gatherings with special guest speakers, music, food and fun,” she says. Additionally, members can appear in the She Angels Foundation newsletter.
“Our members are part of the big conversation on what women need and want. We see ourselves as an alternative to a book club, but instead of discovering new books, we inform and inspire each other on giving back,” says Curry-Williams.
About She Angels Foundation
She Angels Foundation is a powerful movement to create big change and improve the critical unmet need for women and girls’ causes to be funded. It’s a vehicle the average citizen can use to make the world a better place. She Angels Foundation awards grants ranging from $3-10k to female-founded and operated nonprofit organizations that provide mentorship, funding, training and advancement resources to girls and women. We have something very big at stake here. Funding women’s ventures unlocks their potential and valuable perspectives. Having a balanced perspective can create real change and bring a productive impact to our society.
For more information on She Angels Foundation, including membership and a complete list of grantee organizations, please visit www.sheangelsfoundation.org.
Looking for grant programs and support networks? Check out last month’s Money Roundup!
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