Spring 2022
From Our President
Spring is a time of renewal, hope and possibility. It is an opportunity to ground ourselves in what is truly important and plant seeds for the future. At the Women's Endowment Fund, we dream of a community where women and girls thrive in all aspects of their lives. That is why we invest in organizations that economically empower women and girls, promote their physical and mental health and well-being, and provide safety from violence. Our investment in them is made possible only through your generous giving.

Thank you to our sponsors, donors and champions who attended our "For Women, Forever" virtual dinner in March. We had a wonderful evening celebrating our grantees, honoring the exemplary work of our Judith A. Read tribute awardee, Sandy Auburn, and being inspired by our keynote speaker Julie Boland. Thanks to you, we raised more than $100,000 to benefit women and girls right here at home. We can’t wait to celebrate in person next year with all of you!

Working together to build a brighter future for women and girls takes commitment and sustained support. Thank you to everyone who honored the amazing SHEroes in your life – women (and men!) who support and enrich us in ways big and small, seen and unseen, known or unknown - by contributing to our annual SHEro campaign. For those of you who are inspired to do even more, please consider joining our Circle of Empowerment with an annual gift of $1,000 or more. I extend a special thank you to our 63 Circle of Empowerment members for their ongoing investment that plants seeds for the future, creates sustainability and increases our grantmaking impact each year.

To all of our donors, champions and friends: Your support in joining our community of individuals and organizations committed to women and girls is powerful, and I thank you for it. Your support impacts the present and has the power to transform the future.  
Laura DiCola
The Women’s Endowment Fund of Akron Community Foundation has approved $204,000 in grants to 34 nonprofits, bringing the fund's cumulative grantmaking total to more than $1.9 million. Fund officials announced these grants during its "For Women, Forever" annual dinner that was presented virtually to an audience of more than 400 community leaders. 
This year’s SHEro Campaign has officially concluded, just in time for Mother’s Day! We are excited to report that 405 donors collectively gave nearly $50,000 as of May 9, 2022.

Every donor and ambassador for this year’s campaign helped the Women’s Endowment Fund share our mission with the Greater Akron community.
In 2018, the Women’s Endowment Fund created the Circle of Empowerment to maintain continued sustainability of the fund and increase its grantmaking impact each year. The Circle of Empowerment is a special group of donors who support the Women’s Endowment Fund with an annual leadership gift of $1,000 or more.


  • Special recognition at our events, including being listed in all event programs and marketing related materials
  • Advance First-to-Know communication about our fund’s latest news
  • An invitation to our annual Circle of Empowerment gathering
  • The knowledge that their gifts uplift women in our community now and forever
If you missed our 2021 Forum on Women and Girls, you can read the full report on our website now. The report details findings from the discussions that took place on Sept. 23, 2021 including the mental health toll the pandemic has had on working mothers and the need for women leaders to 
help destigmatize mental health struggles so future generations 
will feel free to seek care and support. 
Grantee Spotlight

This year's grant to Rebuilding Together Northeast Ohio will fund She Builds, an annual project where volunteers participate in a home or community center renovation for underserved women.

We're proud to support this program that empowers women to improve their living conditions while strengthening communities.

A number of grants to the Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio over the past few years have allowed the organization to bring the Girl Scouts leadership experience to girls who would otherwise lack the opportunity.

This year's grant will provide additional after-school educational opportunities for girls in Akron Public Schools.
Thank you to the generous donors who contributed to the Women's Endowment Fund from Oct. 1 2021 - April. 27, 2022. Your gifts will uplift and empower women and girls in our community for many years to come.

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