January 2021
By Women, For Women
News
Membership for 2021 ends this Friday, January 15th
Now more than ever, the local nonprofit community is in dire need of funding. You can help make a direct impact and help women and families in Delaware County through our collective giving. Please don't delay, click here to join or renew today: 

Thank you!
Join Us for the Announcement of the 2021 Grant Amounts
Please attend the Women Connect Zoom session on January 27th to find out the total grant dollars we will be awarding at the 2021 Annual Meeting. 

The amount will be dependent on the number of memberships for this year.
Women Connect: January Session on Wednesday,
January 27th
  • Please join us for the first Women Connect session of the year.  
  • We will announce the grant dollars to be distributed this year, based on membership donation.
  • The topic is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Ellan Bernstein, a founding member of Impact 100 Philadelphia and on the board of Philanos will be our guest speaker. She will share her experiences and insights as Impact 100 Philadelphia adapted to address and prioritize DEI in their grant processes and within their culture. We will also have some of our own Project W members who are on the TCF DEI committee talk about some of their experiences. We have modifications to share on Project W's grant process as it relates to DEI. We hope the shared experiences and discussion we have during this time will help us all learn and take action as members within Project W and as members within our communities.  
  • The session will take place on Zoom on January 27th at 7pm. Click here to register.
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Member Spotlight
Erica is the chair for the Women Connect Series, a new fun and educational series designed to engage the women of Project W beyond our commitments as members. She has been involved with Project W since its inception and continues to give back to the community through volunteering her time and efforts. Erica works as a senior account manager at Gordian, is an avid reader, and enjoys being a part of the CrossFit community. 

What inspired you to join Project W?
I was inspired to join Project W from the all-inspiring TCF leader Heather Hassel-Finnegan. We were old colleagues and now lifetime friends and she introduced me to Project W as the founders were piecing it together. I wanted to find ways to give back to the community and also wanted to have the opportunity to learn about the needs of the community and some of the responses and resources different organizations provide. Since joining, I am continuously blown away by the generosity of the organizations that apply for our funding and am in awe and grateful for the members that make up the Project W community. The women of Project W have diverse backgrounds and experiences that I am fortunate enough to learn from with each interaction.

What other organizations/causes do you support? 
I am a volunteer for Scholars Match and offer coaching for college and career readiness to students. 

Favorite quote? 
This is not a famous quote, but a phrase I keep returning to and try to live by that a colleague once said to me:

“For every experience we either celebrate it or learn from it, we don’t let it pass us by.”

It reminds me to keep trying, to be unafraid to fail, and to reflect and grow from every moment.

What has been the most impactful thing from your experience? 
The growth in participation from Year 1 to Year 2 was so impressive to see! The impact we made exceeded my expectations, so I am really looking forward to providing more funds to the community. 

Anything that you want to share about the new Women Connect series?
I am really excited for the series! Once a month, we will focus on specific topics and have guest speakers share their experiences with Project W. It is a new way for us to share, discuss and learn from one another conveniently at our homes and all are welcome. Some of our guest speakers will be our very own Project W members and some sessions will be a social hour or a time for us to discuss an article/podcast share. Hopefully we can have an in-person session later in the year!

A goal for 2021 (can be something personal or about Project W)? 
Attend every Women Connect Series!
A personal goal is to train for a marathon – I got up to half a marathon this year and I enjoy the discipline and calm I feel from running.

Fun fact?
I am a diehard New York Rangers fan and I don’t miss a single game! 
Key Dates
January 27 - Women Connect: DEI at 7pm. To register, please click here.

February 1 - Grant applications will be made available. The link will be posted on www.projw.org.

February - New Members Zoom Session (date TBD)

February - Women Connect: Virtual Year 3 Kick Off (date TBD)

March 5 - Grant application deadline for submission

Week of March 8 - Grant committee training session #1 via Zoom (only need to attend one)

Week of March 15 - Grant committee training session #2 via Zoom (only need to attend one)

March 22 - Grant application available to committee members to review

April 8 - April 15 - First grant committee meeting

April 19 - May 7 - Site visits

May 17 - May 21 - Second grant committee meeting (select finalist organization)

June 1 - Finalist organizations announced

June 16 - Annual Meeting - results of votes for grant recipients announced. At this point, we do not yet know whether we will be able to meet in person or if we will be "meeting" again via Zoom.
Sponsorships
Project W would like to thank the Pennoni Family Foundation, the
Von Seldeneck Fund and the Zidek Family Foundation for their sponsorship.
Participate in the Amazon Smile Program and Help Raise Money for TCF and Project W
Project W is a program of The Community's Foundation. You can support Project W and TCF when you shop on Amazon through its Amazon Smile Program.  Amazon Smile will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to TCF. To sign up click here: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/23-2354770
Be Part of the Project W Story
Women can have a significant impact by pooling our resources and recognizing organizations that make a difference for women in Delaware County. In the process, YOU will be in the fellowship of other community-minded women and learn more about the many organizations that enrich and improve our daily lives.

Be Part of the Project W Story