Women's Fund of Switzerland County Awards Grants for the First Time
The Women’s Fund of Switzerland County is pleased to announce that they recently awarded grants for the first time since they were established last year. The grants were awarded to the following organizations:
Switzerland County Angel Tree Program- $200 to help purchase back-to-school supplies and shoes for Switzerland County children who can’t afford it.
Switzerland County Extension Homemakers- $600 to start a Read, Touch, Taste (RT2) Program for preschool students. The Homemakers have implemented the program at the elementary schools for the past few years and will now be able to expand it to the preschool level.
Switzerland County Health Department- $600 for their Dental Fund, which assists residents that don’t have dental insurance and can’t afford to pay for dental needs on their own.
The Women’s Fund of Switzerland County is an initiative started by the Community Foundation of Switzerland County, Inc. with a group of women in the community. These women come together and pool their dollars, decide together where to donate their collective contributions, and learn together about their community and philanthropy.
Some of the key components of the Women’s Fund of Switzerland County are:
Money donated to the fund will go towards programs and projects that benefit Switzerland County and its residents.
The Women’s Fund is administered by the Community Foundation. For a small fee, the Foundation provides the Women’s Fund with clerical, administrative and grant making services.
Because the Community Foundation is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, gifts to the Women’s Fund are fully tax-deductible.
Members of the Women’s Fund are required to contribute money to the Fund. However, there is no minimum requirement and members are encouraged to give at a level that they are comfortable with. Only the Community Foundation’s staff will know how much each member contributes.
Women can participate in the Women’s Fund as little or as much as they like. Some women have indicated they don’t have time to commit, but want to donate money. Others want to be more active in the decision-making processes.
Members of the Women’s Fund meet quarterly. Currently, they meet on the first Wednesday of the first month of each quarter (January, April, July, & October) at Noon. However, as more members join, the meeting schedule could change to accommodate as many women as possible.
The Women’s Fund began in 2009 and evolved from the annual women’s luncheons that the Community Foundation hosted from 2006 through 2008. At the end of the 2008 Power of the Purse Luncheon, attendees were asked to complete a survey. One question on the survey asked if the attendees would be interested in starting a women’s fund. Those that expressed an interest on the survey were then invited to a Tea last year to discuss the possibilities of starting a women’s fund. From the Tea, the Women’s Fund of Switzerland County evolved.
Quarterly meetings are informal and all women residing in Switzerland County are invited to attend. The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 6th at Noon at the Community Foundation’s office, located at 303 Ferry Street in Vevay. If you are interested in learning more about the Women’s Fund, contact Jennifer Scudder at 812-427-3434.