Having raised funds for a shelter for those affected by domestic abuse, the Women’s Institute, and a pregnancy crisis centre, I have become intimately familiar with the social, economic, political, and health-related issues that women and gender-diverse individuals have confronted for the past few decades. Foremost among the funding sources for programs addressing these issues is the Canadian Women’s Foundation (CWF).
Established in 1991 by two enterprising young women – Nancy Ruth and Susan Woods – who recognized the absence of a national organization that advanced gender equality in Canada, the CWF invests in grassroots and community-based initiatives that inspire and mobilize women to succeed and thrive in all facets of life. Prior to the CWF’s founding, less than 2% of grants from foundations and corporations in Canada were allocated to projects benefitting women and girls. Motivated by this statistic, the eight (8) founding board directors strived to advance women’s philanthropy by creating our nation’s first charitable foundation committed to supporting gender equality, justice, opportunity and empowerment.
Today the CWF is one of the world’s largest public foundations that focus on women and gender-diverse people and is guided by a governing board of 14 individuals and a cohesive staff team of 26 motivated, experienced and passionate professionals. Since 1991, the CWF has disbursed in excess of $130 million to more than 2,500 projects that strengthened the lives of women in every province and territory.
Grants approved by the CWF aim to advance gender equality and justice by investing in projects that create results in the four (4) Areas of Impact:
1) Out of Poverty: “Women and gender-diverse people are at high risk of poverty, which makes them and their families vulnerable to problems like housing and food insecurity, exploitation, and gender-based violence. Poverty is a significant barrier to gender equality and safety for women and Two Spirit, trans, and non-binary people. The Canadian Women’s Foundation invests in Economic Development programs to reduce gendered poverty and build economic strength for those who need it most.”
2) Out of Violence: “Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and emotional abuse, happens at alarming rates in Canada. Leaving an abusive relationship, reporting an assault, or seeking help after violence can be difficult and has its own risks. Those who do have to navigate a maze to get safe housing, legal help, a good job, childcare, health services, affordable counselling, and more.”
The Canadian Women’s Foundation invests in programs to prevent and intervene in situations of gender-based violence. They provide services such as emergency shelter, housing support, help to rebuild life after abuse, sexual assault and exploitation crisis support, child witness to violence programs, and healthy relationship education for teens. They do complex work necessary to break the cycle of violence in families and communities.
3) Into Confidence: “The years between 9 and 13 are a critical time for girls’ healthy development. When society teaches girls to focus on limiting, stereotypical gender roles and the way they look, it affects their academic performance and career aspirations. Research finds that girls who show high levels of “internalized sexualization” – the belief that sexual attractiveness is an important part of their identity – get lower grades than their peers. Despite increasing national awareness about mental health, statistics about the mental health of girls in Canada paint a grim picture. In grade 6, 36% of girls say they feel self-confident. By grade 10, this falls to only 14%.”
The CWF supports programs that give girls and non-binary youth tools to develop into confident, resilient people, right when they need this support the most. The CWF provides programs to build participants’ skills, gain mentorship opportunities, and deepen their self-esteem in safe spaces just for them.
4) Into Leadership: “Leaders carry significant power to make change. They can play an important role in making things better and fairer. There are many barriers to leadership for diverse women, girls, and Two Spirit, trans, and non-binary people in Canada.” The CWF strengthens the leadership of women, girls, and gender-diverse people by funding programs designed and/or delivered by participants for participants, and extend opportunities for professional development and coaching for services benefitting women, girls and gender-diverse people.
At its year end in 2022, the CWF had assets of $41,517,421, and generated $31,959,851 in revenue. The CWF disbursed a total of $31,790,985 in grants to 521 projects across Canada that affected approximately 1,024,094 lives.
To learn more about the CWF, please visit their website at https://canadianwomen.org/ .
