Womens Fund Of Greater Birmingham

WOMEN'S FOUNDATION OF ALABAMA IS A COMMUNITY-DRIVEN FOUNDATION IMPACTING THE WORLD AROUND US BY ACCELERATING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN. WE ENVISION A SOCIETY WHERE POWER AND POSSIBILITY ARE NOT LIMITED BY GENDER, RACE, OR PLACE. FOUNDED AS A REGIONAL WOMEN'S FUND IN 1996, THE WOMEN'S FOUNDATION OF ALABAMA IS THE STATE'S ONLY PUBLIC WOMEN'S FOUNDATION APPLYING A GENDER LENS TO GRANTMAKING, RESEARCH, AND ADVOCACY.

WOMEN'S FOUNDATION OF ALABAMA'S (WFA) GRANTMAKING SUPPORTS HIGH-IMPACT PROGRAMS AND PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY INITIATIVES PROVEN TO ACCELERATE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN. IN 2021, WFA INVESTED IN 26 ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS NINE COUNTIES. AS A PART OF OUR STRATEGY, WE PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND GIRLS-SERVING ORGANIZATIONS IMPLEMENTING MODEL CREATED BY THE FOUNDATION. EIGHT COMMUNITY COLLEGES ACROSS THE STATE IMPLEMENT OUR STUDENT PARENT SUCCESS MODEL, WHICH ALIGNS A CAREER-SPECIFIC TRAINING PROGRAM WITH WRAPAROUND SUPPORT SERVICES, INCLUDING HIGH-QUALITY CHILD CARE, TRANSPORTATION, AND COACHING FOR STUDENT PARENTS. WE ALSO ARE INVESTING AND GALVANIZING RESOURCES TO AMPLIFY THE COLLECTIVE POWER OF YOUNG WOMEN- PARTICULARLY YOUNG WOMEN OF COLOR. FOUR ORGANIZATIONS ARE IMPLEMENTING OUR GIRLS AT THE CENTER MODEL TO ENSURE YOUNG WOMEN LEAD, PROSPER ECONOMICALLY, AND LIVE SAFE AND HEALTHY LIVES.

WOMEN'S FOUNDATION OF ALABAMA COMMISSIONS AND COMMUNICATES RESEARCH TO SHAPE POLICY, SPUR PUBLIC DIALOGUE, AND ELEVATE ISSUES MOST IMPACTING WOMEN'S ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. IN 2021, WE RELEASED CLEARING THE PATH: STRENGTHENING CHILD CARE, STRENGTHENING ALABAMA. THE REPORT EXAMINES THE ROLE CHILD CARE PLAYS IN SUPPORTING AN INCLUSIVE WORKFORCE THAT FUELS ALABAMA'S ECONOMY. AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO THE FUTURE, THE DEMAND FOR A SKILLED LABOR FORCE WILL ONLY INCREASE AS ALABAMA CONTINUES TO ATTRACT AND GROW BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY NECESSARY TO UNDERGIRD A VIBRANT ECONOMY. THE REPORT OUTLINES THE CHALLENGES FACING ALABAMA'S CHILD CARE SYSTEM AND OFFERS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BUSINESS LEADERS, STATE LAWMAKERS, AND THE BROADER ADVOCACY COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS THOSE CHALLENGES. WE DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 7,200 COPIES OF CLEARING THE PATH: STRENGTHENING CHILD CARE, STRENGTHENING ALABAMA REPORTS OFFERING CRITICAL INSIGHTS INTO THE WELL-BEING OF WOMEN TO KEY COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS LEADERS, AND LEGISLATORS.

TO ADDRESS THESE AND OTHER INEQUITIES, WFA INVESTS TIME, ENERGY, AND RESOURCES INTO PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY AS A STRATEGIC TOOL FOR CHANGE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT PHILANTHROPY ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH. TO SHIFT THE PARADIGM FROM CHARITY TO JUSTICE, WFA CHAMPIONED COMMON SENSE POLICY SOLUTIONS SUPPORTING WOMEN'S ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. OUR 2021 AGENDA FOR WOMEN URGED ALABAMA LAWMAKERS TO ADVANCE EQUITY THROUGH WORKPLACE SUPPORTS AND MATERNAL HEALTH. INFORMED BY OUR RESEARCH, OUR AGENDA FOCUSED ON WHAT WOMEN NEED TO ENTER AND REMAIN IN THE WORKFORCE: CHILD CARE, MATERNAL HEALTH, AND WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITIES. WE WERE SUCCESSFUL IN INCREASING OUR EDUCATION TRUST FUND APPROPRIATION TO SCALE OUR SUCCESSFUL POST-SECONDARY MODEL INTO COMMUNITY COLLEGES ACROSS ALABAMA, SAFE-GUARDING THE INVESTMENT TO THE MATERNAL MORTALITY REVIEW COMMITTEE, AND MADE SIGNIFICANT IN-ROADS TO LAY A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE SUCCESS ON CHILD CARE AND MEDICAID EXPANSION FOR POST-PARTUM MOTHERS.2021 WAS THE INAUGURAL YEAR OF OUR WOMEN'S POLICY INSTITUTE FELLOWSHIP. THE WPI FELLOWSHIP IS A NON-PARTISAN, EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CURRICULUMA CRITICAL COMPONENT OF OUR STRATEGY TO EQUIP COMMUNITY LEADERS FOR PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY, CONNECT WOMEN ACROSS THE STATE TO KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND TO EACH OTHER, AND INVEST CRITICAL RESOURCES TO SUPPORT MULTI-ISSUE MOVEMENT-BUILDING AND FELLOW-LED INITIATIVES. ROOTED IN GENDER AND RACIAL EQUITY, TRAINING SESSIONS BUILD THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO SUCCESSFULLY MOVE POLICY, INCLUDING ORGANIZING, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, AND LEADERSHIP. WE ENDED THE YEAR WITH 41 GRADUATES, DIVERSE IN RACE, ETHNICITY, AGE, BACKGROUND, AND GEOGRAPHY. FELLOWS WORKED IN SMALL GROUPS AND PRESENTED STRATEGIC ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN PLANS ON VARIOUS ISSUES RELATED TO HEALTH, LEADERSHIP AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN IN ALABAMA.