GIVING WoMN Grants Overview

Our Grant Results: OVER $1.7 Million Dollars and Growing! Since our initial grants in mid-2006, GIVING WoMN has distributed $1,791,000 ($10,000-$35,000 each) in grants.

CLICK HERE to see our full grant making history

GIVING WoMN grants start with nominations for grantees by members and ends with presentations of grantees selected by member vote. Along the way, we have a Grants Team that uses established criteria to sift and narrow down the nominations submitted by members. Grants are ONLY granted to organizations nominated by our members. Here are the steps and approximate timing of our Grant Process:
  1. May-June: Nominations
  2. Aug-Sept: Letters of Inquiry (LOI) invitations are sent to nominees and letters are received and evaluated. Grants Team meetings begin.
  3. Sept-Oct: Top LOI organization are invited to submit Full Grant Proposals
  4. Nov-Dec: Grants Team reviews Full Grant Proposals, conducts site visits to organizations, and ranks proposals/organizations using GW Grant Criteria to determine ballot for full GW vote.
  5. Jan-Feb: Full GW member vote for organizations to fund. Vote also determine relative amount of grant funding to each grantee organization. Grants Team meetings end.
  6. February: Announce new grantee organizations/programs at February Educational event
  7. May: New Grantees speak at GW Annual Meeting, Nominations open for next year.
GIVING WoMN is also thankful for our partnership with the MN Chapter of the International Coaching Federation or ICF Minnesota and The Collabrium, who volunteer their services to provide coaching to each of our grant recipients! In addition to their grant, GIVING WoMN grant recipients also receive the benefit of organizational development! As a reminder, GIVING WoMN is a member-driven and run organization. All members are eligible to recommend non-profit organizations, serve on the grants team or the engage & educate team, and vote for final grant recipients. Each year, GIVING WoMN awards 100% of our pooled grant funds to member recommended community organizations which:
  • Deliver services in one or more of the following areas: health, education, human services
  • Qualify as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code
  • Serve the greater Saint Paul/Minneapolis 7 county area
  • Have not received a grant from Women of Courage/Giving WoMN for the past 3 grant cycles
We particularly value proposals which demonstrate one or more of the following:
  • A significant impact on the community (deep or broad impact)
  • Urgency or immediacy and address a critical need
  • Introduction of an exciting new venture and/or a creative and effective solution to a time-worn problem
  • The proposal offers opportunities to leverage volunteers, other funds and/or forge partnerships with other organizations that will increase the impact of GW funds.
  • The organization has not previously been funded and has multiple GW nominations.
GIVING WoMN grants fund organizations delivering services in our community. Our funds are NOT intended for capital campaigns, endowment funds, special events/galas, travel expenses, direct scholarship requests from individuals, or for exclusively sectarian purposes.