Strong Women, Strong Futures – Changing Her Story
The Women’s Fund was founded in 2011 by a group of philanthropic women desiring to address the lack of opportunities for underserved women and girls in East Tennessee. They quickly organized around the VISION of “every woman self-sustaining.” In February of that same year, the Women’s Fund of East Tennessee became an incorporated fund of the East Tennessee Foundation, quickly raising 2 million dollars from which grant making opportunities were outlined to fuel the vision. By 2015, the Board of Directors elected to become a supporting organization of ETF, becoming a 501(c)(3) public, nonprofit organization. With a focus on collaboration, education, and advocacy with their nonprofit beneficiaries, WFET became a premier source of hope and funding for those who need it most in this region.
How Does the Women’s Fund Work?
Pooling financial gifts allows donors to maximize their impact. WFET’s approach involves understanding the specific needs of women and girls in the region and identifying targeted funding areas with lasting effects by actively advocating for change, addressing issues such as violence against women and barriers to education. Through rigorous research, collaboration, vetting, and agency development, WFET is able to enhance the capacity of organizations to create meaningful change in overcoming key obstacles to self-sustainability for low-income women and girls.
By focusing on “Access to Education (with Mentoring)” to guide funding recommendations, and by tapping into the collective strength of the Tennessee Women’s Fund Alliance (TWFA) and the national Women’s Funding Network (WFN), WFET shows that their rigorous analysis of investments is able to ensure accountability and measure success.
Carefully selected organizations that work to change the discouraging narrative that serves as a barrier to education for women and girls into a cultural mindset that every woman and girl deserves to make the most of herself by taking advantage of opportunities to further her education is key.
Advocacy
The Women’s Fund of East Tennessee, along with other women’s funds across the globe, have discovered high donor satisfaction and significant outcomes by collectively pooling resources, conducting research, developing collaborative projects, and providing critical financial power and advocacy to help low-income women and girls. WFET works daily to find solutions to family and community challenges such as access to education, job training, poverty, violence against women, and many other issues serving as barriers to self-sustainability.
Their Mission
The Women’s Fund is a catalyst to transform the lives of low-income women and girls in East Tennessee.
Ways to Help
YOU can get involved and support the WFET mission:
•Attend one of the Women’s Fund of East Tennessee events.
•Volunteer at one of WFET’s annual events.
•Donate – WFET relies on giving to support the network/grant making, advocacy, awareness and operations programs that keep the Women’s Fund strong, resourceful, and impactful until the endowment is self-sufficient.
Thank you for Helping WFET Help Her!
Women’s Fund of East Tennessee
129 S. Gay Street, #2
Knoxville, TN 37902
423.504.8808
WomensFundETN.org