Affiliate Funds
Black Mountain - Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund Cashiers Community Fund The Fund for Haywood County Highlands Community Fund The McDowell Endowment The Fund for Mitchell County Rutherford County Endowment Transylvania Endowment The Yancey Fund
Women for Women
Browse Affiliates Funds
Black Mountain - Swannanoa Valley Endowment Fund Cashiers Community Fund The Fund for Haywood County Highlands Community Fund The McDowell Endowment The Fund for Mitchell County Rutherford County Endowment Transylvania Endowment The Yancey Fund
mountain fog

Membership FAQs

1. What are the benefits of membership?

  • Learn more about regional issues affecting women and girls.
  • Make meaningful friendships and build professional connections through meetings and social events.
  • Join a Committee that fits your interest: Advocacy & Education, Grants, or Membership & Communications.
  • Vote to decide how WFW grant funding is distributed.
  • Connect with grantees and see WFW grants in Action.

2. Can I sponsor a friend or family member’s membership?

  • Yes. Sponsoring a member is a powerful way to expand access and invite more women into this shared work, and WFW allows sponsorships at any level. At the same time, we highly recommend sponsoring at the $1200 giving level. This level ensures a strong contribution to the grants pool as well as our operations, making it a meaningful balance of generosity, impact, sustainability.

3. How much of my membership fee goes toward grants?

  • The $2,400 level includes a $2,000 allocation to grants and $400 to operating costs. 
  • The $1,200 level includes a $1,000 allocation to grants and $200 to operating costs.
  • The $600 level includes a $500 allocation to grants and $100 to operating costs.

4. Are members required to volunteer for a Committee?

  • There are no requirements for participation. Your involvement beyond your generous contribution is totally flexible and determined by your interest level and availability.

5. Can my partner and I share a membership?

  • Because each member has a vote, memberships can’t be shared.

6. Is Women for Women a nonprofit?

  • Women for Women is an initiative of The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC), which is a 501(c)(3). Because CFWNC is a nonprofit, membership gifts are 100% tax-deductible.

7. How does Women for Women structure its work?

  • The Steering Committee develops the giving circle's strategic plan, manages the giving circle’s administrative budget, and provides oversight to the three standing committees: Advocacy & Education, Grants, and Membership & Communications.
  • Advocacy & Education Committee: Leverages public policy change and public funding to champion solutions to the issues reflected in our membership-approved grants
  • Grants Committee: Evaluates grants proposals and makes site visits to make informed funding recommendations to the membership
  • Membership & Communications Committee: Ensures members stay informed and connected, and manages efforts to recruit members to the giving circle.

8. I can’t join now, but I’d like to support your work. Can I make a donation?

Yes. There are two options:

  1. The Women for Women Endowment Fund will provide a revenue stream for the giving circle's operations and ensure our future financial sustainability. The Fund helps protect our finances from fluctuations in membership and supports our long-term growth.
  2. The Women’s Fund is a CFWNC endowment that addresses the unmet needs of women and girls. Spendable income is granted through the WFW grant program.

Tax-deductible gifts of any size are appreciated and make a difference.

Grants FAQs

1. How do you decide which organizations receive grant funding from Women for Women?

The WFW Grants Committee uses the following process and timeline to select grant recipients:

  • November - December: Women for Women  submits a request for proposal to over 1100 nonprofits throughout WNC and receives eligible grant proposals through our online portal.
  • January: The Committee reviews and ranks each application. They then vote to decide which organizations will move forward to our Due Diligence review.
  • February – March: Grants Committee members work in small groups to conduct Due Diligence research and report their findings to the full Committee. The Grants Committee then votes to determine which organizations will move forward to the ballot, which is presented to the full WFW membership.
  • April: WFW members receive a summary of each proposal on the ballot and vote online.
  • May: After reviewing the membership votes, the Grants Committee determines final award amounts and announces grantees. We host our annual marquee Grant Awards Celebration in May each year..

 

2. How do you determine your funding focus area?

For the 2024-2025 grant cycle, and continuing through 2025-26, Women for Women will invest in programs that increase economic stability for women and girls in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.  Eligible Proposals will include: 

  • Access to safe, affordable housing
  • Access to quality, affordable childcare
  • Access to affordable, nutritious food

3. How do I know my membership gift gets put to good use?

All WFW grantees submit grant reports detailing the outcomes of their projects. Summaries of these reports are shared with members in the WFW E-News newsletter. Additionally, WFW members are encouraged to like and follow the WFW Facebook page for grantee updates. Past and current grantees are often invited to speak about their projects at Women for Women events. For members with a particular interest in Women for Women grants, we encourage you to join the Grants Committee.