The Essex County Community Foundation (ECCF) is seeking applications for its Women’s Fund to support highly effective nonprofit programs that provide outreach and life-skills training for women and girls in Essex County.

The Women’s Fund raises funds and awards grants to nonprofit agencies within Essex County that serve women and girls in need and at risk. Grants are awarded annually to programs that have a demonstrated success but require an additional infusion of funding to maximize their impact.

From skills training and employment-readiness, to the promotion of health and well being, financial literacy, empowerment and mentoring, The Women’s Fund supports a wide range of programming targeted to helping women and girls grow stronger and more self-sufficient.

Funding Priorities

• Economic Self-Sufficiency and Security
  • College, employment, and career readiness
  • Stay-in-school mentoring and academic success strategies
  • Science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) support
  • Access to employment opportunities
  • Financial planning
  • Homelessness solutions
• Health and Well Being
  • Safety and security
  • Gender, language and cultural barriers
  • Self-esteem
  • Prevention of abuse, harassment and bullying
  • Health promotion
  • Addiction recovery
• Leadership and Empowerment
  • Leadership skills for girls, teens and women
  • Gender barriers
  • Mentoring
  • Engaging women and girls in leadership roles

Funding Information

• Grants will be awarded up to $10,000 in one year, not to exceed $21,000 over three years for each program.
• Please note that $10,000 will only be granted for one year of a multi-year grant.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Women’s Fund is limited to nonsectarian programming for women and girls of Essex County of all religious, ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
• Programs sponsored by religious organizations are eligible provided that enrollment is open to all qualified women and girls and the program is free of mandatory sectarian religious instruction.
• The foundation support nonprofit programs serving the residents of Essex County, Massachusetts.
• The foundation prefers that the organization be located in Essex County.

For more information, visit The Women’s Fund.