New York Women’s Foundation Receives 2017 Leadership in Equity and Diversity Award from The Women’s Funding Network
The New York Women’s Foundation is a 2017 recipient of The Women’s Funding Network’s Leadership and Diversity (LEAD) Award, for launching the first Young Women’s Initiative in partnership with the New York City Council and inspiring similar efforts by women’s foundations across the country.
The LEAD award celebrates outstanding risk-takers and innovators in the philanthropic community who, through their determination and leadership, have increased funding for programs that promote gender equity and diversity.
“This year, we are presenting the award to each of the eight women’s foundations that have pioneered Young Women’s Initiatives (YWI), said Cynthia Nimmo, Women’s Funding Network CEO, “because the presidents of these foundations have shown ingenuity and fortitude in their vision of young women and focus on young women of color as advocates, and spokespeople with direct access to legislators and other decision-makers.”
Ana Oliveira, President and CEO of The New York Women’s Foundation said, “We are proud that New York lead the way in creating the nation’s first-ever Young Women’s Initiative and I am honored to receive this recognition with seven colleagues who have launched similar programs. Young Women’s Initiatives leverage new resources as well as expertise, to ensure that girls, young women, and gender fluid youth have every opportunity reach their full leadership potential. They are exactly the kind of initiatives that needs to grow right and we look forward to welcoming additional locales to the effort in the coming year.”
Each of the foundations have demonstrated a commitment to social change while actively addressing gender, race, class, (dis)ability, age, and sexual orientation when making grants. They are also mobilizing philanthropic resources to support programs that benefit women and girls. The YWIs were spotlighted at the 2016 United State of Women summit, hosted by the White House Council on Women and Girls, where Ms. Oliveira announced that seven other women's foundations across the United States will initiate Young Women's Initiatives.
2017 LEAD Awardees:
- Jeanne Jackson, Women’s Fund of Greater Birmingham
- Surina Khan, Women’s Foundation of California
- Roslyn Dawson Thompson, Dallas Women’s Foundation
- Ruby Bright, Women's Foundation for a Greater Memphis
- Lee Roper Batker, Women’s Foundation of Minnesota
- Ana Oliveira, New York Women’s Foundation
- Irma Gonzales (CEO) and Elizabeth Barajas Roman (former CEO), Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts
- Jennifer Lockwood-Shabat, Washington Area Women's Foundation
The LEAD Awards will be presented Wednesday September 6th in San Francisco during Women’s Funding Network’s #WomenFunded2017 global conference.