WFSA Grant Making FAQ

The Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona defines this as making grants to organizations that focus on long-term solutions to societal problems.

Click here to view a simple two-part questionnaire provided by the Women’s Funding Network to see if your organization is a social change organization.

Click to view definitions and examples of the five indicators of social change.

Click to view a framework for Social Change provided by the Women’s Funding Network.

Applicants must be a 501(c)(3) organization in good standing or a grassroots organization (must have a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor) conducting charitable work in Southern Arizona.

Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded more than 180 grants totaling more than 1.7 million dollars. In the past the Women’s Foundation has funded a broad range of project specific grants.  Starting in 2011-2012 the Foundation will provide unrestricted grants that can be used in a variety of ways to help organizations increase their capacity to promote women’s economic self-sufficiency.

The Foundation does not provide funds for:

• individuals
• campaigns to elect candidates to public office
• capital fund drives
• debt reduction
• endowments
• fund-raising events or one-time conferences
• scholarships, fellowships and tuition reimbursement
• programs inconsistent with federal, state and local non-discrimination statutes regarding equal employment opportunity
• programs that promote religious activities
• programs outside of southern Arizona
• individual classrooms or schools

The Foundation defines Southern Arizona as:
Pima, Cochise and Santa Cruz counties.

The Women’s Foundation recognizes significant need among commonly overlooked populations. We strive to ensure that our grants fund a broad spectrum of populations including:

• Girls
• Women of color
• Older women
• Women and girls with disabilities
• Lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons
• Low-income women and girls
• Women and girls outside Metropolitan Tucson
• Immigrant, undocumented, and refugee women and girls
• Incarcerated women

The Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona uses proven methodologies to identify and assess an organization’s merit based upon priorities set by the Board of Trustees and criteria developed by the Grants Policy and Process Committee.
The Foundation’s process is designed to facilitate “effective decision making by committee” which means:

• grants committees are representative of Southern Arizona communities
• decisions are ultimately aligned with the Foundation’s mission
• the strength of individual perspectives thrives vs. “group think”
• knowledge of applicants, programs and program impact is gained and shared
• all perspectives are accounted for, resulting in a collective decision

Click here to see an illustration of the Foundation’s methodology and approach..

The purpose of evaluation and reporting is to help grant recipients reach their stated goals. Evaluation also helps the Women’s Foundation assess the quality of its grant-making.
Organizations receiving funding from the Foundation are required to participate in the following evaluation and report process:

• Attend training for Making the Case® a social change evaluation tool.
• Use the tool to document program progress semi-annually.
• Informal phone calls with Foundation staff during grant year, if requested.
• An informal meeting with Foundation staff and board members during grant year, if requested.

The Women’s Foundation considers organizations for funding on a year-to-year basis. Proposals must be submitted each time a grant is requested. Previous funding does not guarantee continued funding. An agency cannot apply for funding unless all reports required in previous award contracts have been received according to schedule agreed upon.
In an effort to make resources available to new organizations applying to the Foundation, organizations that have been funded by the Foundation for the last three years are required to abstain from applying for one year, after which an organization will again be eligible for funding.