Many Hands turns 20 this year! Founded by Susie Berenson in 2003, Many Hands made its first grants the following year, awarding $100,000 to Our Place DC, which provided case management and wraparound services to formerly incarcerated women, and $4,000 each to Mary's Center, a DC-based community health center, and Heads Up, a provider of out-of-school programming for students in low-income DC neighborhoods.

Starting with that first grant cycle, Many Hands has made more than $2.8 million in grants to 46 nonprofits serving and empowering women, children, and families across the greater Washington region. We look forward to celebrating our impact, and the nonprofit and donor partners who have made it possible, at a special anniversary event in April 2024. In the meantime, please join us this fall to learn more about Many Hands, collective giving, and how you can become part of our work!

RSVP! Meet & Greet - Thursday, September 14

New and prospective members are warmly invited to an informal gathering to meet members of the Board and Membership Committee in Cleveland Park, DC on Thursday, September 14. There will be no formal presentation; drop by between 5:30 pm and 7:30 pm with your questions about our grantmaking, events, volunteer opportunities, or membership options, and bring a friend. Learn more and RSVP at manyhandsdc.org/events.

RSVP! Membership Kickoff - Thursday, October 12

We look forward to welcoming Many Hands members—past, present, and prospective—at the grant cycle kickoff on Thursday, October 12.

Special guest Mercedes Lemp, executive director of 2022 Impact Grantee My Sister's Place, will join us to provide an update on their work and share her perspective on the impact of Many Hands' grantmaking. Meet fellow donors, hear the latest on plans for the year ahead, and find out how to get involved!

When: Thursday, October 12 | 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm (program begins at 7:00 pm)

Where: Chevy Chase Village Hall | 5906 Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD or watch the live stream

Who: Current/former members and anyone interested in learning about membership. Invite a friend!

If you have questions about Many Hands events or about becoming a member, please email Jane Paul and Lori Sostowski at membership@manyhandsdc.org.

New! Membership Options

For the 2024 grant cycle, Many Hands is introducing two initiatives to broaden and strengthen our membership base. Donors under 35 are now invited to become members with a gift of $300. In addition, if cost is a barrier to membership, we invite you to request a 50% membership gift waiver through our pilot program Many Hands Many Voices. Find out more at manyhandsdc.org/membership or email us with questions at membership@manyhandsdc.org.

New! Grant Calendar

As part of Many Hands' commitment to build equitable nonprofit partnerships, we have shortened the application cycle from seven months to slightly more than four. We will begin accepting grant applications for the current grant cycle in January 2024; grant decisions will be announced in May.

We expect the new grant calendar to reduce the burden on applicants while continuing to provide ample time for thoughtful review. If you are thinking about applying for a Many Hands grant and are not already on our mailing list, sign up here to receive updates about the grant process later this fall.

Many Hands is excited to co-host PowerUP! Baltimore, the first in-person national gathering of the women's collective giving movement since 2020. Learn, connect, and celebrate with members of giving circles across the country and philanthropic and nonprofit thought leaders at The Four Seasons in Baltimore, November 5-7.

Keynote and plenary speakers include Lisa Hamilton, president and CEO of The Annie E. Casey Foundation, and Victoria Vrana, CEO of Global Giving. Four tracks of breakout sessions will provide fresh insight into critical issues in grantmaking, membership, DEI, and more, and there will be ample opportunities for informal networking.

Click here to learn more and register. The conference is open to all; members of Many Hands and other Philanos affiliates are invited to register at a discounted rate.

We are delighted to welcome two new members to the Many Hands Board of Directors:

Ellen Oshinsky has been a Many Hands member since 2021 and has served on the Education, Housing, and Membership Committees. She is the founder and lead educator for DMV EcoAdventures, an afterschool outdoor education program for elementary students, and the DC Manager of Strategic Partnerships for Avodah The Jewish Service Corps. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington.

Elizabeth Whitmore has been a Many Hands member since 2020 and has served on the Economic Empowerment, Health, Financial Review, and Finance Committees. In 1999, she joined Jackson Partners, where she leads the acquisition of service and technology companies in healthcare, legal services, software, and other industries. She previously worked in nonprofit management and fundraising at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Many Hands is an all-volunteer organization with a working board of up to 15 members that sets strategy and manages operations. In recruiting directors, we seek to reflect the diversity of our membership and meet our needs for specific skills. Click here to learn more about the current directors and Board responsibilities and qualifications.

Join Philanos on Tuesday, September 12 at 12:00 pm ET to learn how nonprofits, including giving circles, can engage in advocacy to expand their impact. Jennie Eblen, founder of Women for Women (Asheville, NC) and Dr. Saralyn Grass, advocacy co-chair of the Women's Giving Alliance of Northeast Florida, will discuss their groups' experience with advocacy initiatives.

Many Hands members attend Philanos webinars free of charge. Contact us at info@manyhandsdc.org to set up your Philanos account and then click here to register by September 10.

Many Hands leverages the power of collective giving to support nonprofits serving and empowering Washington, DC area women, children, and families in socioeconomic need. Many Hands is a 501(c)(3) organization. EIN: 51-0486987.