The Power of One
When you become a member of 100 Women, 100% of your donation goes to local non-profits who are making a difference in the lives of people in our community.
Benefits
The San Francisco Bay Area is a wonderful place to live with many lovely neighborhoods and considerable private wealth. And yet, there are challenges, problems and opportunities that call out for our collective attention. Too many of the children and families in our community live in poverty. Many people struggle with the high cost of health care, catastrophic illness, and problems with mental health. Although our community has many excellent schools, not all students have equal access to a quality education.
For most of us, large-scale donations may be in our hearts but are beyond our individual means. By donating collectively, we can make large-scale awards a reality. As a member of the 100 Women Charitable Foundation you are:
- Joining with other like-minded women to multiply the impact of your contribution and make a more significant impact in our community
- Helping women, families and individuals in need in the Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties
- Learning about worthy causes in our local community
- Entitled to recommend local nonprofits to apply for a grant
- Eligible to participate on a grant evaluation committee
Requirements
Individuals can join the 100 WCF at any time throughout the year. Those joining between January 1 through December 31 of each year are considered to be voting members for that calendar year and are eligible to vote for grant finalists and our Annual Membership Dinner & Grant Vote held in March of the following year.
A donation of $100 is the minimum contribution to become a voting member. However most of our members are inspired to donate greater amounts depending on their personal financial situation and commitment. It is part of our philosophy that each member has an equal vote at our Annual Membership Dinner & Grant Vote. Membership must be renewed annually before December 31 to participate in the annual grant vote in March.
As a member, you choose your level of involvement. Many members choose to pay their annual membership early in the year and do nothing more until the Annual Meeting in March when they vote on the grant finalists. Some members choose to become more involved by recommending local nonprofits, participating in one of the Grant Evaluation Committees, help with technology or host new member recruiting events. Finally, our board volunteers their time to ensure the growth and organization of the foundation. Click here to Become a Member or Renew
Grant Evaluation Committees
The Grant Evaluation Committees are made up of foundation members who select and evaluate the proposals from non-profit agencies. The 100 Women Charitable Foundation forms three committees to evaluate grant applications in each of our three focus areas:
- Education: Initiatives that further the educational process or improve access to education for children and/or adults.
- Family: Initiatives that strengthen and enhance the lives of children and families.
- Health & Wellness: Initiatives that improve the mental and/or physical well-being of people within our community.
Each committee member reads between 10 and 15 grant applications, attends three required meetings and researches through site visits and other due diligence to recommend two finalists.
Friends of 100 Women
Many people ask, “If 100% of all member donations go directly to local non-profits, how do you financially sustain your organization?” In order to achieve this goal, we accept donations from individuals and local businesses to underwrite the organization’s overhead expenses either monetarily or in-kind. These “Friends of 100 Women” help with printing costs, postage, website costs and various other expenses. Just as with member donations, 100% of all Friends contributions are also tax-deductible.