Quarterly Newsletter
Vol. 9 December 2025
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Let's Build a Boston Where All of us can Thrive | |
Greetings,
In my first few weeks at the Boston Women’s Fund, I’ve found myself reflecting often on how powerful it is to join a community rooted in shared purpose. A community made up of people who love fiercely, lead bravely, and hold a deep conviction that when women, girls, and gender-expansive people thrive, all of us thrive with them. That belief in our collective liberation shapes how BWF shows up every day. It’s reflected in our commitment to stand with the organizations and leaders who are doing the vital work of holding our communities together. They are operating on the front lines of care and change, creating safety where systems fall short, building belonging where isolation takes root, and opening pathways where barriers have long been the norm. Their vision is bold, and their impact is undeniable. And yet we know their resources rarely match the scale or the importance of what they carry.
There’s also a truth I haven’t been able to shake. Here in Boston, for every $100 given in philanthropy, less than five cents reaches organizations led by and for women and gender-expansive people. Five cents to shape the future. Five cents to push back against inequity that has been generations in the making. It’s not enough. We can, and must, do more.
That’s why our End-of-Year campaign matters so much. It’s an opportunity to invest in community power, to put real resources behind the leaders who are uplifting their communities with courage, and to help build a Boston where all of us can thrive. You’ll see this reflected throughout this month’s newsletter, which lifts up the work, stories, and possibilities made stronger through your partnership.
I’m honored to be part of this work, and truly honored to be doing it alongside you.
With gratitude,
Fatima Harvey
Vice President of Development
Boston Women’s Fund
| | Meet Our New Movement Building Grantee Partners | | |
This summer, Boston Women’s Fund announced over $475,000 in grants to organizations supporting women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals in Greater Boston. Among those awards were our 2025 Movement Building grants supporting three grassroots organizations led by BIPOC women advancing immigrant justice. With the leadership of our Allocations Committee, BWF awarded Matahari Women Workers Center, Somali Parents Advocacy Center for Education, and Student Immigration Movement each with a one-year, unrestricted $25,000 Movement Building grant.
These organizations each touch upon a different subset of the larger immigrant community in Greater Boston. Read on to get to know our new Movement Building grantee partners’ vital work!
| | Next Horizon Collective Cohort | | |
This fall, we began recruitment for our reimagined leadership program, Horizon Collective. We received nearly 60 applications from incredible women and gender-expansive leaders of color in Greater Boston. The interview process was nothing short of inspiring for all of us. Each conversation became a space of connection and possibility as we learned more about the doers, builders, and vision-keepers of Greater Boston, and what they need to support their leadership. We are honored to welcome 15 leaders into the 2026 Horizon Collective cohort!
The 2026 cohort will begin in the new year, co-facilitated by BWF’s Chief Operating Officer, Alexandra Auguste, and Chanelle John, a wellness educator, facilitator, and consultant with over 10 years of experience designing leadership development programs, affinity spaces, and wellness initiatives that center and empower marginalized communities. Featuring guest BIPOC women and gender-expansive speakers and Horizon Collective alumni, the 2026 program will weave together concepts of liberatory leadership and healing with tools for radical rest, dismantling white supremacy culture, and practicing community care. We cannot wait to begin this journey! Stay tuned for more on our new cohort and their work impacting Greater Boston.
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Research Unveiling and
Dialogue Event
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Thanks again to everyone who attended our Research Unveiling and Dialogue Event, presented by Boston Women’s Fund and UMass Boston’s Center for Women in Politics & Public Policy, with support from YW Boston!
We were pleased to preview our research findings on Greater Boston’s grassroots ecosystem and the unique challenges local BIPOC women and gender-expansive grassroots leaders face as they navigate the philanthropic sector.
In our lively panel discussion, BIPOC women driving change in Greater Boston shared vulnerably about their leadership, how the findings intersected with their lived-experience, and what we can all do to create a more equitable future for BIPOC women leaders. A big thank you to our panelists:
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| Sending Off
Sumaya Mohamed Ibrahim! | | |
The BWF team has some bittersweet news — Sumaya Mohamed Ibrahim, our beloved Strategic Projects & Executive Manager, will be transitioning from the Boston Women's Fund.
Sumaya so beautifully represents the heart of BWF. They first joined the BWF community more than three years ago as a Youth Fellow after participating in our youth in philanthropy program. Sumaya went on to serve as our Program & Operations Coordinator before stepping into their current role. Their leadership, care, and creativity helped shape and strengthen our youth programming, reimagine Horizon Collective, bring our 40th anniversary events to fruition, and so much more. She played a vital role in shaping our culture and programs, and we are immensely grateful for her heart, contagious authenticity, and unwavering commitment to BIPOC women, girls, and gender-expansive folks in Greater Boston.
Sumaya’s legacy has touched every corner of our organization, and words cannot describe how much we will all miss their presence and partnership in this work. Please join us in celebrating Sumaya’s remarkable journey and leadership, and in wishing her all the very best as she embraces her next chapter.
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This season, we have been reminded just how much this work depends on people willing to show up with courage and conviction. As economic pressures deepen and safety nets shrink, supporters have helped BWF and our grantee partners meet urgent needs with steady hands and open hearts. Thanks to this community’s steady support, BWF awarded over $475,000 in grants this year, resourcing leaders who are feeding neighbors, mentoring youth, defending dignity, and building a better Boston.
When you give to BWF, your giving is not just charitable: it is structural, it is stabilizing, it is love in motion. As year-end approaches, we hope you’ll join us in ensuring that the next dollar moves differently – so those closest to the work are no longer furthest from funding.
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ECCO End-of-Year Community Celebration and Fundraiser
Join ECCO on Sunday, December 14, 2025, from 5–7 PM for their End-of-Year Community Celebration and Fundraiser, located at First Parish Church in Beverly, 255 Cabot Street! They’ll be reflecting on a year of organizing, from rallying community members to advocate for local issues to gathering signatures for rent stabilization and supporting immigrant families during challenging times. All are welcome to come celebrate and learn more about their ongoing work. Learn more here.
Dominican Development Center Holiday Celebration and Graduation
Join the Dominican Development Center on Sunday, December 14 at 5:30 PM for their festive Holiday Celebration and Graduation, held at the Theatre Complex at 264 Huntington Avenue in Boston. This special event honors the achievements of a new class of home health aide graduates while bringing the community together for holiday joy and recognition! As a fundraiser for domestic workers, the evening offers attendees an opportunity to support vital community programs while celebrating accomplishment and togetherness. Tickets are $75 for individuals or $700 for a table of ten.
Abilities Dance Boston - Firebird Pt 2
In a daring and deeply moving reinterpretation of a ballet classic, Abilities Dance Boston takes flight with Firebird Pt 2, a re-imagined, fully inclusive performance that transforms a familiar fairy tale into a celebration of accessibility, identity, and artistic power, launching in late April 2026. With new choreography by founder Ellice Patterson, an original score, and a cast that includes dancers with a range of abilities, the company redefines who gets to dance and who gets to be seen. The show blends graceful movement, expressive design, and intentional accommodations (from ASL interpretation to audio descriptions and adaptive movement) to craft an experience both beautiful and radical. Abilities Dance is currently seeking dancers! Sign up here.
Asian Women for Health - CelebrAsians 2026
CelebrAsians 2026 is happening on Thursday, May 28, from 5–11 PM at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge! This annual gala celebrates the collective power, resilience, and brilliance of AANHPI communities. It’s a vibrant gathering of advocates and changemakers committed to building a world where everyone can thrive. The evening will honor stories of healing and hope, uplift voices driving health equity, and reflect on what it means to thrive in full splendor. Details here.
Save the Date: Association of Haitian Women In Bostons’s International Women’s Day 2026
Save the date for Saturday, March 7, as we gather in celebration and solidarity for The Association of Haitian Women In Boston’s (AFAB) International Women’s Day 2026. AFAB is hosting a powerful space that honors, uplifts, and amplifies the voices and experiences of AFAB individuals across our communities and around the globe. Mark your calendars and plan to be part of this inspiring gathering!
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Inside BWF
Making Space for Learning and Joy!
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*Disclaimer: The above media do not reflect the views of Boston Women's Fund and are not endorsed by Boston Women's Fund. These are the items our board and staff are currently engaging with to further their learning and/or rest and find joy.
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Boston Women's Fund
Phone: (617) 945-7632
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