WFN’s peer communities of practice

The Women’s Funding Network’s peer communities of practice provide intimate virtual spaces that enable members to tap into one another’s expertise and knowledge for collective organizing and mutual support. Peer communities are a place for WFN members to share experiences, expertise, challenges, solutions, and resources that collectively move us forward, and members can engage in the following ways:

There are currently six peer communities that meet throughout the year. Continue reading to learn more about these peer groups and their co-chairs, leaders from within the WFN community.

Contact WFN Community Engagement Coordinator Sam Hopper to register for a peer community or with any questions.

Become a Peer Leader

Peer community groups are co-chaired by WFN members with interest or professional expertise in the relevant subject matter. WFN is seeking industry leaders to co-chair available peer communities on a continual rolling basis. If you’d like to nominate yourself or others to lead a peer community, please contact WFN Community Engagement Coordinator Sam Hopper.

Contact Sam Hopper to learn more or register

Advocacy & Public Policy Peer Community

This peer community focuses on policy priorities and advocacy tactics, and has the opportunity to organize to move regional, state, and national policy priorities forward.

This community is currently co-chaired by Tia S. Manning, Freedom from Violence Project Manager and Lizzie Hudson, Freedom from Violence Coordinator, both at Women’s Fund of Omaha.

Advocacy & Public Policy Chair

In her position at the Women’s Fund of Omaha, Tia S. Manning is responsible for coordinating with network programs to ensure systems response to domestic violence, sexual assault and sex trafficking that will be culturally relevant, trauma informed and survivor focused. Tia is a licensed mental health practitioner, licensed professional counselor and licensed alcohol and drug counselor.

In her previous role at Nebraska Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence, Tia worked regularly with network programs throughout the state to provide education and support on working with survivors of sexual violence. She is currently the board president for The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Nebraska Chapter. Tia is also on the board for Reentry Alliance Nebraska (RAN) and for National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Tia has a bachelor’s degree from Peru State College and a master’s degree from Bellevue University. She is also working toward her doctorate in Integrative Social Work with a focus on Family and Legal Studies from Saybrook University.

Communications Peer Community

This community welcomes all staff working on communications strategies to join this group. Together, peers share ideas and work through challenges as well as refining messaging where groups can find alignment and opportunities for amplification.

Development Peer Community

This peer community welcomes all staff working in fundraising development to connect and explore topics, opportunities, and challenges relevant to this important work. As a community-guided space, this peer community will source topics top of mind from the members and engage outside expertise and learning around particular areas of interest. 

Executive Leaders Peer Community

This peer community is just for executive leaders and a chance to connect with other executive directors, CEOs, presidents, board leadership, and individual practitioners to share best practices with a network of women’s philanthropy peers. Senior leaders enjoy exclusive access to our CEO/executive directors’ discussion group, connecting our network’s leaders to create a collaborative environment of shared expertise, professional development and peer learning. Membership of this peer community is automatic for executive leader members.

Join over 100 women’s foundation CEOs and executive directors in this essential knowledge-sharing tool, in addition to exploring the Women’s Funding Network’s learning labs, research cohorts and other opportunities for learning and collaboration.

From Margin to Center Community

This new community group evolved in response to member requests and feedback. The purpose is to provide a forum for connection and learning among members who self-identify as PGM (People of the Global Majority), BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), or who are from a marginalized racial/ethnic group in their region. This peer community is a place of learning for people with a shared lived experience, while honoring that there is a variety of PGM and BIPOC experiences within a larger shared experience. 

Research & Data Community

This community shares strategies for research design, data collection and database platform integration. In addition, they discuss how to use these tools to make the case for funding and public policy initiatives that support marginalized genders.

Viviana Alvarado Pacheco, Senior Research Associate and Operations Manager at The Women’s Fund of Miami-Dade, leads this community as Chair, supporting the design and focus of our sessions and shared community work and learning.

Research & Data Chair

Viviana Alvarado Pacheco is Senior Research & Policy Manager at The Women’s Fund Miami-Dade. She holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs, Conflict Resolution and Civil Society Development from the American University of Paris and a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies from Virginia Tech. Throughout her professional career, she has focused on gender studies, international law and sustainable development working for international organizations such as UNESCO and the Caribbean Community Climate Change Center. Having lived in different countries, Viviana has experience working in various international environments and is fluent in in English, Spanish, and French. She is a fierce advocate for women’s rights and climate change action, promoting a better world for our future generations.

Contact Sam Hopper to learn more or register