Dear friends,

We recently had the pleasure of informing 140 remarkable girl-identifying youth across Minnesota that they were awarded grants from the Ann Bancroft Foundation. These young women hail from 24 counties and span every grade from Kindergarten to 12th. Each grant is a testament to their unique dreams and aspirations, reflecting a diverse range of experiences—from basketball to entrepreneurship, from STEM to dance, and from exploring new cultures to learning new languages—covering over 25 categories.

Each grantee has a story that inspires and uplifts, showcasing the futures they envision for themselves. Here are just a few of the young women we are proud and honored to support:



• Abby, 11th grade, Minneapolis: This summer, Abby will spend 34 days backpacking in the Canadian Rockies with Camp Widjiwagan. Abby dreams of climbing mountains all over the world. “I want to see amazing views, meet new people, and have unique experiences. I want to experience the good and the bad things because they will make me tougher and more resilient.”



• Annika, 11th grade, Minneapolis: Annika plans to start a soccer club at her high school. She says, “My goal is to make soccer free and fun for people at my school who want to get better. In addition, I hope other non-white wo see another woman pursue a leadership opportunity and become excited to do the same.”

• Elodie, 5th grade, Afton: Elodie will use her grant to take flute lessons, improving her technique, tone, and understanding of music. Her goal is to make the middle school band next year. Elodie shared, “I’ve learned that playing music is fun. I hope to learn how to work hard at something and accomplish goals. I want to learn that I can be in front of people, overcome nerves, and play well.”

• Harmony, 7th grade, Cottage Grove: Harmony plans to use her grant to tour Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) this summer. Harmony wrote, "While on the HBCU Tour, I hope to learn to trust myself and believe in myself. I would be traveling without my mom for the very first time and it's a very bold step for me...I also hope to learn more about HBCU's. Visiting colleges will help me get rid of fears of things I don't know about and it will inspire me to go to a good college." 



• Saanvi, 10th grade, Duluth: Saanvi will attend a pre-college Psychology and Neuroscience course at American University. She dreams of becoming a neurosurgeon, explaining, “When I was younger, I thought I wanted to be a radiologist like my dad because I liked analyzing things, but then I realized that I didn’t just want to know about the human body, I wanted to know about humans – their brains, how they worked, why people do the things they do. Studying psychology and neuroscience will allow me to understand the basis of the human brain.”



We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the talented and inspiring Ann Bancroft Foundation Spring 2024 grant recipients! We are immensely proud and excited to see how they will use their grants to pursue their passions and make a difference in their lives and communities.

Thank you for being part of this journey and supporting these transformational experiences. Together, we invest in the next generation of leaders, explorers, and changemakers to dream big and achieve their goals.

In joy and gratitude,

Ethelind B. Kaba

Executive Director

Thank you for supporting our work! We are grateful to everyone who invests in girls alongside us. With your support, we can empower girls to create a brighter future for us all.

Enjoy your summer!