Female Faces of Philanthropy: Harriet Silverman

Harriet Silverman conceived the idea of a women's fund out of "frustration born of the way institutional philanthropy had dealt with women." It was 1992, and philanthropic giving to women's organizations comprised a mere 5% of charitable giving.

With assistance from the nascent Women's Funding Network, an international association of women's funds, Harriet and co-founder Melody Robidoux created WFSA's predecessor, the Southern Arizona Women's Fund at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona. "We saw a need and a niche," she recalls, "and all we needed was the nerve" to address those needs.

In addition to her ongoing commitment to the Women's Foundation, Harriet has also funded girls' science and math scholarships, with the goal of encouraging girls to complete their educations before marrying and having children. She, herself, left college at 19 to marry, and had three children by the time she was 23. It took her over a decade to return to school and complete her undergraduate degree.

Harriet now divides her time between Tucson and Washington, DC, with frequent travels to visit her eight grandchildren in three states.

Reflecting on the Foundation's first 12 years, Harriet notes, "There is still terrible need, but there is also increased awareness of women's roles in a society and the role of philanthropy in fulfilling continuing education and opportunities.

And her vision for the next 12 years? "My hope is that every woman (and man) knows about the Women's Foundation and supports our work.