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2007 WOMEN OF EXCELLENCE AWARD RECIPIENTS
Doris Burke | Paula Vogel, ABD, BA | Beatriz E. Perez, MPH
Gemma Guinguing | Women's Fund of RI | Maureen A. McDonough-Roddy
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WOMEN'S FUND OF RI
In fall 2001, a group of committed women partnered with The Rhode Island Foundation to create a field of interest fund. The Foundation invested staffing and financial resources and the women volunteered their time, expertise and enthusiasm. This partnership was the first of its kind for The Rhode Island Foundation, and was also a first in the community foundation sector. No other community foundation had provided such extensive support to a women's fund. The result? The birth of one of the leading women's funds in the United States.
The Women's Fund (WFRI), a social justice organization with a focus on ending gender bias, envisions a community, nation and world where social justice exists for all. The mission of the Women's Fund is to advance equity and social justice for women and girls. The Fund champions fairness, impartiality, opportunity, shared power and responsibility in all spheres of personal and community life including economic, cultural, educational, social and public policy.
In March 2005, with the encouragement and support of The Rhode Island Foundation, the Women's Fund became independent. Now WFRI operates as an independent corporation, with 501(c)(3) status from the IRS. The Women's Fund endowment - supported by a grant of $2.5 million by The Rhode Island Foundation - is managed and invested by the Foundation.
The Fund serves as a catalyst for persuasive, progressive and enduring social change by granting funds to programs and organizations that address the unique needs of Rhode Island's women and girls. With its focus on issues that harm or limit Rhode Island's women and girls, WFRI sponsors research and hosts public programs such as The Status of Women in RI, an independent benchmarking study (2002) and its update (2007). WFRI also launched a first of its kind opinion poll, What Women Want and the No Excuses Ballot in fall 2006. WFRI advocates for change by bringing together people with similar goals to discuss problems and jointly plan solutions.
We honor not only the founding women of the WFRI and the board and staff of The Rhode Island Foundation Women's Fund, but also the women and men, past and present, associated with it, including the WFRI board members, committee members, and donors, and the WFRI grantees and those they serve.
For more information on the Women's Fund please visit www.wfri.org.
