Leadership

WESC activities are overseen by Chicago Foundation for Women, Washington Area Women’s Foundation, the Women’s Foundation of California, the Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis and the Women’s Funding Network.

Chicago Foundation for Women

Chicago Foundation for Women is dedicated to increasing resources and opportunities for women and girls in the greater Chicago area. To support its philanthropy, the Foundation promotes increased investment in women and girls, raises awareness about their issues and potential, and develops them as leaders and philanthropists. For the last 24 years, the Foundation has engaged in grantmaking, advocacy, leadership development, and public and grantee education. It has awarded more than 2,700 grants totaling nearly $17 million to hundreds of organizations that make life better for women and girls in the Chicago metropolitan area. Chicago Foundation for Women believes that all women and girls in the Chicago metropolitan area are entitled to education and training that enables them to become financially self-sufficient and care for themselves and their families in all stages of life.

Washington Area Women’s Foundation

Washington Area Women’s Foundation’s mission is to foster a powerful wave of philanthropy to improve the lives of women and girls through: expanding and leveraging women’s philanthropy; increasing social change philanthropy in our community; providing grants, operational resources and technical assistance to local organizations; and serving as a regional voice for women and girls. Founded in 1999, Washington Area Women’s Foundation has made more than $5.5 million in grants and touched the lives of more than 300,000 women and girls.

The Women’s Foundation of California

Founded in 1979, The Women’s Foundation of California invests in women and girls to build a more just and equitable society for all. It has made more than $23 million in grants and worked with more than 1,200 grassroots organizations. The Women’s Foundation of California believes that it’s time to change systemic deficiencies so we can close the wage gap and level the economic field, so that women are provided with choices that didn’t exist before, and gain the ability to earn, save, invest and attend college. To that end, the Foundation provides training, technical assistance and the means to increase incomes and build assets that break the cycle of generational poverty. To accelerate systemic change, the Foundation invests in strategies such as grantmaking, strengthening organizations, policy advocacy and movement building.

Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis

The mission of the Women's Foundation for a Greater Memphis is to encourage philanthropy, foster leadership among women and support programs that enable women and children to reach their full potential. The Women's Foundation for a Greater Memphis is an agent for change committed to a community of wellbeing and prosperity, where women live in sufficiency, strength, and safety. Founded in 1995, the Foundation has made more than $4.7 million in core grant-making to support over 296 programs and $6.3 million to special community initiatives that help women and children in the greater Memphis community reach their full potential.

Women’s Funding Network

Women’s Funding Network is made up of 150 organizations that fund women’s solutions across the globe, making it one of the largest collaborative philanthropic networks in the world. Its members are women’s foundations that span public charities, private foundations and funds within community foundations. Collectively Women's Funding Network members invest $60 million annually in women and girls worldwide, have invested nearly $500 million over the last 20 years and have more than $465 million in working assets. Women's Funding Network provides its members with connections to other women's and girls' funds and experts around the world, training, tools to improve grant making and educational opportunities.