Many Hands Focus Area Committees began meeting last week to review a total of 80 grant applications submitted by local nonprofits. With 24 applications, Economic Empowerment has the largest docket, followed by Education (22), Health (19), and Housing (15). More than three-quarters of this year's applicants operate in the District of Columbia, 48% in Maryland, and 44% in Virginia. Roughly 30% provide services in all three jurisdictions. The median applicant has been operating for 23 years and has a budget of close to $2 million. Twenty percent of applicants have budgets under $1 million, and 23% have budgets over $3 million.

After reviewing and discussing the applications, each committee will select a small number of organizations for site visits in April. At that point, we will notify applicants that are not moving forward. We deeply appreciate the work of all the organizations that submitted applications for the 2024 funding cycle, as well as the work of our committee volunteers.

We are delighted to announce that the 2024 Partner Grants will be at least $60,000 each, and with your support, they can continue to grow!

We gratefully accept both membership and non-member contributions until the Annual Meeting, which will take place on May 16. Your membership gift entitles you to attend the Annual Meeting and participate in voting to choose the organization that will receive this year's $100,000 Impact Grant. As a member, you will also be invited to our 20th anniversary celebration on April 11. Most important, your gift of any size will increase the amount that we award in grants this year and support the work of four outstanding community-based nonprofits serving and empowering DC area women, children, and families in socioeconomic need. Click here to support the 2024 grantees!

If you're looking for a fun and fashionable way to support Many Hands, join us at Nina McLemore's Chevy Chase boutique on Tuesday, March 12, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Designer, entrepreneur, and Many Hands member Nina McLemore is known for her jackets, made in New York with natural fabrics, in brilliant colors, in sizes 00-18. Meet Nina, preview the spring collection, enjoy some refreshments, and learn about our work in grantmaking and member education. Many Hands will receive 15% of the evening's sales. Can't make it to the event? Mention Many Hands when shopping, March 12-19, and 15% of your purchase will be donated to Many Hands. Nina McLemore is located at 5310 Western Avenue in Chevy Chase, next to The Capital Grille. RSVP to membership@manyhandsdc.org.

RSVP! 20th Anniversary Celebration - Thursday, April 11

Many Hands is turning twenty, and we want to celebrate with you! Join fellow members, past and present, and grantees at a special event on Thursday, April 11 at 6:30 pm with award-winning journalist, media consultant, and longtime children's advocate Barbara Harrison. The event will take place in downtown DC; details are in the invitation, which was emailed to members from the past three years on March 1.

We look forward to thanking our community for all that we've accomplished together in our first twenty years, and we'll raise a glass to the decades of impact that are yet to come! If you have questions about the event or can't find your invitation, please contact us at 20th@manyhandsdc.org.

As one of the benefits of your Many Hands membership, you have free access to programming from Philanos, a network of women's collective giving groups with more than 90 affiliates in 29 states, the District of Columbia, England, and Australia. To get started, email Karen Murrell at info@manyhandsdc.org to set up your Philanos account.

Monthly webinars (September-May) highlight important topics in grantmaking, philanthropy, and giving circle strategy. Up next, on Tuesday, March 12 at 12:00 pm ET, Maria Kolby-Wolfe, president and CEO of the Seattle-based Washington Women's Foundation, will discuss her organization's Rest & Repair Awards, which recognize and support Black women leaders working in the nonprofit sector. Click here for more information and to register by March 10. (To access recordings of past webinars, click here.)

Bimonthly affinity groups—Comms Club, Membership Roundtable, and Tech Talk—bring together members of different giving circles to talk about common challenges and opportunities, learn from others' experiences, and connect with like-minded women from across the country. These groups are open to all. Click here to learn more and join an upcoming session.

In addition, the Philanos website offers resources for learning more about collective giving, philanthropy, and the nonprofit sector, member discussion forums, an affiliate database, and more. Set up your account and start exploring!

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.