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Last month, we hosted our North East Women and Girls networking event at Ward Hadaway’s Newcastle office. Attendees came together to hear more about the Fund’s work and its plans to grow the pot.
The event followed the Fund’s relaunch in July and gave guests an opportunity to hear more about the challenges facing women and girls across the North East, the organisations working to address them, and how collective giving can provide sustainable support for this vital work.
Louise Masters, Chair of the North East Women and Girls Fund Development Committee, opened the event by reflecting on the success of the relaunch and the momentum it has created.
Erin Parker Leonard, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Represent Women, spoke about the organisation’s work to amplify the voices of women and the women and girls sector across the region. Represent Women uses evidence and the experiences of women and girls to influence and inform decision-makers and advocate for improvements in their lives.
The Fund provides unrestricted funding over two years, giving trusted organisations the flexibility to deliver specialist women-only services, programmes and support in the way that works best for the women and girls they serve. Many of those beneficiaries face multiple, systemic barriers to achieving their potential.
Demand for that support significantly exceeds the funding currently available. In the last grant round, £70,000 was available to distribute, while applications to the Fund totalled £207,000.
Jo said:
“The sector is notable for the fact that when women are empowered and enabled to get back on an even keel, they often then move into volunteering and other ways of giving back. That is not to be underestimated.”
The North East Women and Girls Fund is a collective giving fund with a current endowment value of around £550,000. The Community Foundation and the Fund’s Development Committee now want to grow that to £1 million, increasing the sustainable funding available to support women and girls across the North East for years to come.
There are many ways to be part of that collective effort. Supporters can give regularly through monthly donations, make one-off personal or business gifts, establish their own named fund aligned with the aims of the North East Women and Girls Fund, or leave a gift to the Fund in their will.
By bringing more people and organisations together around the Fund, we can grow its value – and increase the support available to specialist organisations helping women and girls across our region to thrive.
Find out more about the fund here or get in touch with Jo using the contact form below.
Contact Jo Cundall
Jo manages a portfolio of funds, specialising in working with donors and partners who support culture and the arts through grants to organisations and individuals.
jc@communityfoundation.org.uk