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The Women's Fund of Greater Green Bay is a partnership of donors, grantees, and volunteers working to support programs for women and girls.  All local funds are held at the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation.  Today over 120 women's and girls' foundations are thriving throughout the United States and abroad.   Since 1985 these foundations have given over $200 million in grants and raised another $200 million for endowments and programs to increase the impact of women and their philanthropy. Currently, in Wisconsin, there are Women's Funds established in Appleton, Oshkosh, Fond du Lac, LaCrosse and Milwaukee.

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Despite the dramatic advancement of women in recent decades, women are still far more likely than men to be homeless, to live in poverty, to be unemployed or under-employed, to face violence, and to suffer inadequate housing and healthcare.  Women today bear disproportionately the burdens of working and taking care of children, husbands, and aging parents.  Although programs that address the needs of women and girls benefit families, communities, and our society as a whole, less than 6 percent of national foundation budgets each year go to causes specifically earmarked for women and girls.  Our goal is to increase financial resources available to programs for women and girls in our region now and in the future.

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In the greater Green Bay area, the Women’s Fund seed was planted in 1995 by a group of community minded people.  The fund has been quietly granting out small amounts of money over the past 10 years.  Today, an energetic group is ready to grow this fund and make an even greater impact on the needs of women and girls.

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This is an opportunity to pool our money and directly help women and girls in our community.   The Fund is not duplicating, nor replacing.  Rather it is embracing and supporting what other wonderful organizations in the Green Bay area are already doing and then some.  Think of The Women’s Fund of Greater Green Bay as a type of insurance policy or a savings account.  We want to establish a fund to guarantee that opportunities will be available from one year to the next to help women and girls.  We will support already established programs that need financial assistance and develop new initiatives that address women and girls issues and opportunities that are not already being addressed.

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The Fund not only makes grants but also offers programs to teach philanthropy.  Teaching women and children that giving back can be a way of life will have a long term positive impact on our community.  Pooling our dollars will encourage new philanthropists to become involved in our community and women and girls will be empowered to make a difference by giving and receiving.

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Historically, women always have given their time and talent and inspired many of our country’s most important social movements.  As women are becoming highly educated and financially independent, as they move up the corporate ladder and live longer than their male companions, women are well positioned to give their charitable wealth.  The Women’s Fund of Greater Green Bay makes philanthropy accessible to people who have different income levels and are at different stages of their careers and lives.  In other words, you do not have to be a millionaire to be a philanthropist.

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You can.  A gift to the Women’s Fund of Greater Green Bay is a long-term gift that will continue to grow, year after year, enabling the Fund to support programs for women and girls in perpetuity.  Please continue to give to the causes you believe in.   In addition, consider the Women’s Fund.

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The Women’s Fund of Greater Green Bay is a designated field of interest fund within the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation.  The fund has a 501C3 status.

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We are part of the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation’s granting cycle.  A volunteer committee reviews applications and makes recommendations.

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To raise $1 million in our endowment by 2009 and grant out $50,000 per year, every year.

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Yes. In order to have funds available for grants, we are encouraging payment within 3 years.

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Women are increasingly comfortable making planned gifts with their inheritances and earned wealth. Of the largest major gifts and planned gifts around the U.S., women are rapidly catching up with men, in terms of gift size and frequency.  Planned giving, especially methods that generate income during one’s life, are logical options for older women who may worry about having enough income to last for their lifetime.  The Women’s Fund of Greater Green Bay has a gift acceptance policy which outlines how a planned gift will be spent once received, i.e. endowment, grant making and operations.

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