April 2016 

Fund for Women has welcomed
118 new Founders since July 1, 2015.
Our fiscal year runs from July 1 - June 30. At an average of 12 new Founders per month in this fiscal year, we are on track for over 140 Founders this year!
Record Grants in 2016
Thanks to you, our wonderful Founders, the Fund for Women (FFW) will award more money than ever before. Our 2016 grants will total $178,926, going to 16 very deserving programs. Your generous end-of-year donations allowed us to make two additional grants this year. We are excited to be giving first-time grants to six organizations. Click to read more about each of our grantees.

This year's grantees are:
  • Catholic Charities, Inc.
  • Delaware Adolescent Program, Inc. (DAPI)
  • Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition
  • Delaware Contraceptive Access Now (Delaware CAN, part of the New Venture Fund)
  • Delaware Theatre Company
  • Forum to Advance Minorities in Engineering, Inc. (FAME)
  • Friendship House, Inc.
  • Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay
  • Girls Incorporated of Delaware
  • Girls on the Run Delaware
  • La Red Health Center
  • Martha & Mary's Place, Inc.
  • Pathways to Success, Inc.
  • Planned Parenthood of Delaware
  • Survivors of Abuse in Recovery (SOAR)
  • YMCA of Delaware

These organizations will receive our 2016 Grants on Thursday, May 12 at 5:45 p.m.
at the Duncan Center in Dover. Here is the link to sign up, and for our New Castle
and Sussex County Founders, please note there will be buses available from
Greenville and Rehoboth for $5.00. Both buses are generously being underwritten by donors.

Bus from Greenville will leave from Greenville Crossing (parking lot near
Jos. A. Bank) at 4:45.

Bus from Rehoboth will leave from Rehoboth Park and Ride (near Jungle Jim's Water Park) at 4:45.
Driving Force Award
Kay Preston was President of the FFW Advisory Council (predating the current
Board of Trustees) from 2008-2010 when the Fund reached the original First Founders' goal of 1,000 Founders. Kay spent four years on the Grants Committee co-chairing it for two years. Founder Deb Grubbe recruited Kay to FFW, and Lynda Burman asked her to be chair. Kay said one thing she loves about the FFW is how it continues to grow and evolve. Recently, Kay was a part of the planning of the statewide Fund for Women Day last September, she serves on the Events Committee, and she is continuously identifying women to introduce to the FFW. She's been a great Volunteer for the FFW as well as the community.
Kent County is Growing

New Kent County Development Chair Jean Dowding (right) and Lisa Blunt Rochester, both
Fund for Women Founders who are working to grow
Fund for Women's presence in Kent County.
Founder Jean Dowding (right) is the new chair of the Kent County Development Committee for the FFW, and she is on a mission to increase the awareness and number of Founders in Kent County so our Endowment will continue to grow.
So Kent County Founders be on the watch for a call from Jean as she organizes her committee!
Please contact Jean at [email protected] to volunteer to join her committee.
Spring Fashion Show - A Key Sussex County Development
Committee Founder-Raising Event

Ann Bailey modelling Cleo's Boutique in the "50 Shades of Grey" category
The 6th annual Sussex County Fashion Show was the taste of spring we all needed.
The audience of over 150 women enjoyed a beautiful sunny day with eight boutiques providing the fashions. The Atlantic Sands was a new venue and sure showed us a lovely time. Thirteen Founders modeled with 4-year-old Evie Slater stealing the show! (Her grandmother, Lynn Kokjohn, made her a Founder at last year's fashion show.) Thanks to the Sussex County Development Committee for a wonderful day, and a big welcome to the 15 new Founders.

We were joined by one of our 2015 and 2016 Grantees, LaRed. Their chief operating
officer, Rosa Rivera, told how the FFW support specifically helps women who are being abused find safety and allows women to receive prenatal medical care.

We would like to thank the following boutiques that participated in our fashion show:
  • Candlelight Bridal
  • Cleo's Boutique
  • Coolspring Cottage
  • Deanna's & Piccolino
  • Lady Fenwick
  • Simply Dressed
  • Twila Farrell

1. Emily Yeager starts the show in the "Beach Blanket Bingo" category. 2. Evie Slater wows in a Candlelight Bridal dress. 3. Board of Trustees Vice Chair Kay Keenan and incoming Vice Chair Lynn Kokjohn 4. Sussex Development Committee Chair Carolyn Strum, new Founder Kerri Fox, and Founder Kathy Kiernan 5. Lots of fun shopping by attendees 6. Sandra Roberts becomes a Founder 7. The Finale 8. Carolyn Strum helps Alyssa Rae Harmke sign up to be a Young Founder. 9. Sheila Fooks is stunning as she leads the way in the "Puttin' on the Ritz" category.
Perfect Graduation or Retirement Gift
When Jane Stayton retired from her position as an adjunct professor at Delaware Technical Community College in Georgetown, her son asked that donations be made
toward making Jane a Fund for Women Founder instead of other gifts. We thank you Stayton family for including the Fund for Women in your celebration!

This is a great reminder for those times when you would like to give a gift to a woman who has everything. Make her a part of giving grants to women and girls in Delaware in perpetuity . Here is a link to make a donation.
Volunteer Opportunities

We want you to know we heard you, Founders, about your interest in volunteer
opportunities. To volunteer with the Fund for Women click here.

We also asked the 92 organizations that applied for our 2016 grants to let us know if
they needed your help. The response was overwhelming. Click here to see the list, which is divided by the organizations which received 2016 grants and those that we could not fund. Please contact them directly for more information (FFW is sharing the list of needs they provided us), and let them know you are a Fund for Women Founder.
 
Thanks to you all for helping us as we work to achieve our strategic plan. Great to
see us living out the IGAVE ( Information, Grants, Advocacy, Volunteerism and
Endowment Growth) by our actions this spring. Let's each do our part to have 2,018
Founders by 2018. After the successful Sussex County Fashion Show we are at 1,635
only 383 to go.

For more information about the Fund for Women, please visit our web site at

Upcoming Events
  • May 12 Grants Ceremony, Duncan Center 5:45
  • June 14 Garden Party, home of Audrey Boys in Wilmington
  • September 28 Annual Breakfast, Wilmington Country Club
Helpful Fund for Women Links
The Fund for Women Mission
Through collective philanthropy,the Fund for Women invests and advocates by bringing together our knowledge, passion, and commitment
to empower women and girls in Delaware to achieve their potential.
Our Vision
All women and girls in Delaware are empowered*
to achieve their potential.**
* Empowered - made stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life and
claiming their rights.
**Potential - latent qualities or abilities that my be developed and lead to future success.
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