Foundation selects agency to research needs of Fairfield County women and girls
Study will drive focus of future grants, initiatives and partnerships
September 18, 2012 — Challenges facing women and girls in Fairfield County – from domestic violence to access to higher education - are always changing and ever-increasing. To help define the greatest threats to their health, safety and economic prosperity, the Fund for Women and Girls of the Fairfield County Community Foundation has hired the Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund (CWEALF) to research and define the broad range of challenges facing women and girls and the potential solutions to help them prosper and thrive.
The research will build upon the successful Holding Up Half the Sky report, released in 2007 by the Fund. This report provided the data for strategic development of grant-making goals and objectives, especially with respect to women’s economic security.
CWEALF was chosen to lead the project for its broad research and evaluation expertise; its network of community contacts, partners and collaborators; and its knowledge of the strengths of, and challenges for, women in Connecticut.
“The work of the Fund for Women and Girls is based on research and empirical evidence to help ensure the funding and leadership we bring are directed at the areas of greatest need where we can make an impact,” said Suzanne Brown Peters, director of the Fund for Women and Girls. “CWEALF was the obvious choice for this project and we look forward to reviewing their findings and seeing how the needs of women and girls in our communities has changed over the last 5 years.”
The mission of The Fund for Women and Girls is to empower women and girls in Fairfield County and enable them to reach their full potential. This mission is supported by assessing the needs of women.
and girls in Fairfield County, strategically focusing grant-making, providing training and technical assistance for nonprofits, and forming collaborative partnerships to meet targeted needs and ensure long term social change. By leveraging human and financial capital and engaging women in philanthropy, they provide innovative and sustainable solutions to complex problems.
The Fund for Women and Girls is the largest women’s fund in New England and has awarded over $2.3 million in grants to 40 organizations, reaching over 3,000 women and girls. The Fund is a member of the global Women’s Funding Network.
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CWEALF is a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to empowering women, girls, and their families to achieve equal opportunities in their personal and professional lives.
