Waukesha County Community Foundation WCCF - Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County

The Women and Girls Fund

In November 2004, the Board of Directors of the Waukesha County Community Foundation established the Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County. Distributions from the Fund will be directed toward support of programs and projects that benefit women and girls in Waukesha County.

Words of a Donor

Mission Statement
The Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County seeks to aid and enrich the lives of women and girls in our community by raising permanent endowment funds.

Words of a Donor

Objectives

Educate our community and ourselves about philanthropic issues affecting women, young women and girls and their diverse needs.
Identify and involve people and institutions that are interested in contributing to the Women and Girls Fund.
Award grants to charitable organizations which will address the needs of women and girls.
Celebrate the accomplishments of women, girls and the organizations which serve them through the Women of Distinction program.

Visionary Motivations

Report to the Community

Board of Trustees

The board of trustees for the Women and Girls Fund is comprised of representatives from throughout the Waukesha County. The board is responsible for raising funds, receiving and reviewing grant proposals, and making grant distributions that best fulfill the Fund’s mission and purpose.

Current Trustees

Kay Lettenberger, Waukesha, Chair
Kathleen Gray, Brookfield, Vice Chair
Betty Arndt, Oconomowoc
Lillian Boese, Pewaukee
Andrea Bryant, Waukesha
Marybeth Cottrill, Pewaukee
Jane Delzer, Waukesha
Anne Foster, Oconomowoc
Wendy Harris, Oconomowoc
Jill Haupt, Mukwonago
Jean McKey, Shorewood
Lynn Revoy, Waukesha
Sandi Wietzel, Delafield
Meg Yost, Hartland

Words of a Donor

Visionaries

The Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County has established a goal of $1 million in endowment assets. These will allow the Fund to reach more women and girls in need, and to provide more significant grants. Contributors of amounts of $1,000, $5,000 or $10,000 will be honored for their foresight and generosity. Pledges can be paid over 3-5 years.

In addition to contributions from individual supporters, the assets for the Fund will grow through the highly successful Women of Distinction Awards program.

The Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha hosted the Gala of Distinction Dinner at the Country Springs Hotel on October 23 to celebrate 25 years of Women of Distinction Awards.

The annual Women of Distinction spring luncheon was established 25 years ago by the YWCA of Waukesha County to recognize and honor outstanding Waukesha County women who have made a difference in the community and in their professions. Beverly Chappie was the executive director of the YWCA who initiated the first event held in 1984 and Marilyn Baus was the first event chair. Both served as honorary co-chairs for the 25th anniversary event.

When the YWCA closed in 2004, its modest endowment fund was moved to the Waukesha County Community Foundation and the Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County was created to support programs assisting women and girls in Waukesha County. The Women and Girls Fund has grown to more than $600,000 in endowment funds.

The Women and Girls Fund continued the Women of Distinction event starting in 2005. In addition to its recognized program, the Women of Distinction luncheon also raises funds used to provide grants to community organizations that support the needs of women and girls in Waukesha County. Grants from endowment earnings and event proceeds total more than $200,000 in just 5 years. Almost 40 different nonprofit organizations have been beneficiaries of the grant program.

The Women of Distinction luncheon event has long been held at the Country Springs Hotel. Several of the recent events have been sell-outs, which is an indication of the tremendous popularity of the event. Over the years more than 140 women, young women and families of women have been recognized.

All past honorees were invited to join in the celebration and updates on their activities over the years were included in a commemorative book designed by Marketing Images and printed by Delzer, Inc.

Co-chairs of the Gala were Sandi Wietzel and Lillian Boese. Joining them on the planning committee were Betty Arndt, Wendy Harris, Traci Huntemann-Piatt, Mary Knudten, Kay Lettenberger, Jean McKey, Renee Ramirez, Patsy Reichert, Nancy Richards-Zahn, Tracy Shilobrit, Vicki Schroeder and Carol Wacker. Many additional volunteers helped on various planning committees.

Cathy and Dick Labinski
Cathy (1999) and Dick Labinski

Key Lettenberger, Sandi Wietzel and Lillian Boese
Board President Key Lettenberger (center),
with Gala Co-Chairs Sandi Wietzel (left)
and Lillian Boese (right)

Randy and Vicki Alf, Sandi and Brad Schimel
(left to right) Randy and Vicki Alf, Sandi
and Brad Schimel

Janet Brown (1990), Joanne Huelsman (1989)
and Andrea Bryant (1997)

Judge Ralph, Maria (2006) and Renee Ramirez,
Suzanne Frank (1992)

(left to right) Jerry and Lynn (2003) Gaffey,
Bill and Rosie Taylor

Cynthia Eggleston (2006), Jill and Craig Haupt

Betty Lou Tikalsky (2007)

(left to right) Honorary Co-Chairs Marilyn Baus
and Beverly Chappie (2004)

(left to right) Board President Key Lettenberger
and Mistress of Ceremonies Betty Arndt (2002)

(left to right) Gala Co-Chairs Sandi Wietzel and
Lillian Boese

Words of a Donor

Women and Girls Fund Grants

The Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County has selected nine area charitable organizations to be the recipients of $47,000 in grants this year, according to Board President, Kay Lettenberger. Organizations were selected by the volunteer grants review committee of the Women and Girls Fund in a competitive review of proposals submitted by 25 area nonprofit organizations.

The grants were presented May 5 at the Women of Distinction Awards luncheon held at the Country Springs Hotel. The grants are supported by the Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County, including proceeds from the Women of Distinction Awards luncheon. Programs receiving funding are all directed toward helping women and girls overcome obstacles to achieve success.

The following grants were awarded:

ACAP (Adaptive Community Approach Program) $4,000 personal safety education programs for women and young female adults with disabilities
ARCh (Association for the Rights of Citizens with handicaps) $4,000 Camp Pow Wow scholarships for girls and women with disabilities
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee $3,500 female youth recruitment for matching with Big Brothers Big Sisters in Waukesha County
Family Service of Waukesha County $5,000 forensic interviewer position at C.A.R.E. Center
Girls Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast $2,500 Latina Initiative for skill development workshop and day camp for Waukesha girls
Healthy Families of Waukesha County $5,000 program support for child abuse prevention and parenting skills education
Lake Area Free Clinic $11,500 bilingual case manager position
Pregnancy Support connection $4,000 prenatal and parenting education for at-risk teens and young women
The Women’s Center $7,500 domestic violence counselor position

Women of Distinction honorees recommended $5,000 in additional grants to charitable organizations serving Waukesha County. They are:

Elmbrook Senior Taxi $1,000 on recommendation of Family of Women of Distinction honorees Sandy Wolff and daughter Robin Busalacchi
Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast $1000 on recommendation of Women of Distinction honoree Joan Shafer
Waukesha Community Art Project $1000 on recommendation of Young Woman of Tomorrow honoree Megan McNulty
Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts $1000 on recommendation of Women of Distinction honoree Kathryn Bloomberg
Interfaith Senior Programs $1000 on recommendation of Women of Distinction honoree Mary Lodes

The Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County, a permanent fund within the Waukesha County Community Foundation, has contributed more than $200,000 in total cumulative gifts since the first awards in 2005. The Women and Girls Fund is close to reaching its initial fundraising target of $1 million for the fund; gifts and pledges received total about $850,000. Your generosity is assuring strong programming for the women and girls of Waukesha County.

Past grant recipients include:

Arrowhead Union High School
ARCh
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee
Children's Service Society
Lake Area Charitable Connection
Life Striders Therapeutic Riding Center
Salvation Army
Stillwaters Cancer Support Services
Waukesha Community Art Project
Waukesha County Community Dental Clinic

2010 Grants Process

Eligibility
All 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organizations providing significant programs to benefit women and girls in Waukesha County are invited to apply. Grants will not be made to individuals, or for religious, governmental or political purposes. Grants will not be made for the same program or project in consecutive years.

Proposal Content
Proposals should be no more than three pages in length, single-spaced. Please include:

narrative description of your organization;
narrative description of the program for which support is being requested;
narrative description of the program’s intended impact on women and girls in Waukesha County; and
amount requested and how you will fund this program, including both current funding sources and plans for future years.

Attachments should include:

proof of your nonprofit status (IRS determination letter);
current listing of the board of directors;
current year operating budget;
budget for the proposed program or project;
audit report from the most recent fiscal year.

Annual Due Date
Complete requests in hard copy are due March 1.

Requests should be sent to:

Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County
Waukesha County Community Foundation
2727 N. Grandview Boulevard, Suite 122
Waukesha WI 53188

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