 Women's Giving Circle of Howard County's Big Give 2023
Letter of Interest for Funding - Submit by April 30, 2023
- And/or, do you have a program that supports women and girls? - Apply for the opportunity to receive up to $10,000 in potential funding from members of the WGC's Big Give 2023 Learn more and download the WGC Big Give 2033 Letter of Interest here Questions? Contact Dee Athey: dathey@cfhoco.org
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 The Women's Giving Circle of Howard County's 2023 Big Give is designed for women who want to learn more about grantmaking to women and girls in our community in a fun, fast-paced, "pop-up" giving circle learning and giving experience.
WGC 2023 Big Give Overview:
2023 WGC Big Give Members Will:
 Women's Giving Circle of Howard County Executive Director Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz participated in this NGO CSW Forum adjacent panel on March 14, 2023 with Jeannie Infante Sager, Director of the Women's Philanthropy Institute and Susan Benford, Chair of Philanos where they discussed "The Role of #Philanthropy in Funding Global Women's Movements". Learn more here
 We had a fabulous night on March 8, 2023 at WGC's Annual Celebration & Pink Party - on International Women's Day! It was wonderful to have so many of us together again for WGC's Annual Celebration at Howard Community College in the Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center - in a beautiful sea of pink! View photos from the event here WGC Chair Jennifer Bodensiek declared that the state of the WGC is strong and underscored our impact the last 20 years - $1M in grants, $1.3 endowment, and 1,600 donors that are collectively building community. WGC leaders Mary Thompson, Kashonna Marrow, and Jade McDuffie McClary provided an overview of our recent successes, plans for the future, how to give, how to get involved, and the why of it all - why we are doing the work we do, and how we are focusing on building community through collaboration with our donors, nonprofit and community partners, and the broader community. And, we reviewed the WGC's State of Women and Girls in Howard County, and how we are utilizing the data to inform our grantmaking. When you consider basic statistics like:
We know that we need to continue to gather and utilize data for change, and we are committed to doing so. Find examples of how data from the State of Women and Girls in Howard County has helped direct and/or underscore some of our recent grants. WGC Executive Director Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz introduced our Keynote Speaker Victoria Vrana who laid out a powerful presentation on the importance of community, and how we are all playing a role in building it through collaboration. And WGC Vice Chair Candace Dodson-Reed did a wonderful job facilitating an inspirational panel conversation with Victoria who was joined by Dr. Daria Willis, President of HCC, Tonya Aikens, President & CEO of the Howard County Library System, and Lee Draminski of the WGC and Vectorworks. We honored immediate past WGC Chair Barb Van Winkle for Women's History Month, and we enjoyed delicious food from Chef Jamila of The 3rd, non-alcoholic Rose' from Beth Harbinson and Sobar, and women-made wine from The Wine Bin. And, we had a great response regarding WGC's Feminine Hygiene Product Drive - all three bins for the Howard Community College Foodbank were filled to the brim - thank you all for responding to the call! Many of you asked how you can get or remain involved in our collective work. Here's 5 Ways to Get Involved Today:
Many thanks to all of our sponsors so far this year, to all those who attended the event, and to everyone who supports the WGC and all that you do to build community in Howard County. We collectively underscored that we are all growing community together through collaboration, and while it is Women’s History Month, and International Women’s Day, there is not just one time to celebrate women’s successes and discuss solutions to ongoing challenges. We must continue to do this each and every day, and the Women’s Giving Circle will be here to be your partner in supporting women and girls in Howard County. There is strength in numbers, and we are all in this together. As our distinguished panel said, “a rising tide lifts all boats."
We are excited to welcome Isabella Farro and Jess Ndiritu as our new 2023 Student Interns! Jess and Isabella are managing our 2023 WGC Feminine Hygiene Product Drive and they recently collected products from our partners at the Howard County Library System where each branch holds WGC bins to collect products, and from our partners at The 3rd - and then they brought the products to our partners at Columbia Community Care. This is how you help build community - thanks Jess and Isabella, and all of our partners! Learn more here  WGC 2023 Annual Celebration & Pink Party
Wednesday, March 8, 2023, 5:00 - 7:00 pm at Howard Community College With Keynote Speaker: Victoria Vrana, CEO of Global Giving, Speaking on: “Building Community Through Cooperation + Collaboration” And distinguished panelists who will discuss "The Keys to Building Community Locally Through Collaboration" Tonya Aikens, President & CEO - Howard County Library System Candace Dodson-Reed, VP Gov. Relations & Community Affairs, UMBC Lee Draminski, Partnership Specialist, Vectorworks Dr. Daria Willis, President, Howard Community College Purchase Tickets and/or Sponsor Here Join us to hear the latest update on the Women's Giving Circle of Howard County as we celebrate our collective efforts this year, and our cooperation and collaboration with our donors, and our nonprofit and community partners to support women, girls and families in Howard County. Hear from Keynote Speaker Victoria Vrana, CEO of GlobalGiving. Formerly the Deputy Director of Philanthropic Partnerships at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, she is a global philanthropic leader and innovator who has broad experience overseeing portfolios in policy, data, and everyday giving, and has been a key architect in building the infrastructure and supporting the growth of the national collective giving movement, which includes the Women's Giving Circle of Howard County. And, learn from a panel conversation with Victoria and WGC partners about how we are building community through cooperation + collaboration. Please join us!
 The WGC Advisory Board had a wonderful night at The 3rd celebrating the end of our 20th Anniversary Year! We highlighted WGC's Leadership:
We are grateful to all of WGC's leaders for their generosity of time, talent, and treasure! For anyone interested in honoring Barb and all WGC leaders, please consider contributing to the WGC Barb Van Winkle Leadership Fund! We reviewed WGC's 20 Years of Impact - By the Numbers, WGC's 2022 Year in Review & Opportunities for Growth, reviewed and voted on our new WGC 2023-2026 Strategic Plan, and we discussed how Advisory Board members can continue to support WGC's efforts in 2023. And, we celebrated our members and nonprofit partners! We are looking forward to a meaningful year in 2023, together. Check out our upcoming Events, including our March 8, 2023 Annual Celebration and Pink Party with Keynote Speaker Victoria Vrana, CEO of Global Giving, who will discuss "Growing Philanthropy Through Cooperation + Collaboration". Sponsor or purchase tickets here!  Columbia, MD, December 1, 2022 - The Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County is very pleased to announce the addition of two new members to its Advisory Board, as well as the full slate of Executive Committee and Advisory Board members for 2023.
The newly elected Advisory Board members are Adora Brown and Cheryl Gray Hines. “We are thrilled to welcome these two talented women, each of whom bring diverse experience and unique backgrounds to the Women’s Giving Circle” said Women’s Giving Circle Advisory Board Chair, Barb Van Winkle. Adora Brown: Adora Brown is an Emerson College sophomore working in journalism, marketing, and the nonprofit sector. She has written for various publications such as Baltimore Style, Milk Crate, The Mountain, and The Voiced Society. She does freelance marketing work for Melissa Curtin Coaching and other small businesses. In recent years, she has emerged in the nonprofit sector, accomplishing many creative goals with the Elma Lewis Center of Emerson College and The 3rd. Adora is on the WGC’s Events Committee and helping to manage the WGC’s Feminine Hygiene Product Drive. Cheryl Gray Hines: Cheryl Gray Hines is an accomplished entrepreneur, executive coach, and mentor with a mission to support women to live authentically and to be their best. Her deep expertise in leadership, organizational development, and business strategy has equipped her to coach executives and leaders through the most challenging transitions. As founder of C. Gray & Associates, she teaches Fortune 100 corporations, federal agencies, and high-net-worth entrepreneurs that leadership integrity is the foundation of stellar business performance. She is the author of the personal development book In Support of Myself: A Woman’s Guide to Asking for and Accepting Help from Others. Cheryl is on the WGC’s Membership & Development Committee. After four years of leadership, Barb Van Winkle’s term is ending as WGC’s Advisory Board Chair, and she will become WGC’s Immediate Past Chair and continue as part of WGC’s leadership team. We are excited to welcome Jennifer Bodensiek as the incoming WGC Advisory Board Chair, and Candace Dodson-Reed as the incoming Vice Chair. “Jennifer and Candace have deep community knowledge and a passion for philanthropy” said Barb. “We are fortunate to have them by our side as we work to shape the future for women and girls in Howard County through the power of collective giving”. The WGC is honoring Barb for all that she has done and will continue to do for the WGC with the Barb Van Winkle Leadership Fund and we invite gifts in honor of WGC women's philanthropic leadership the last 20 years with a gift in her/their honor. "I am deeply honored to have served the WGC for so many years, and so grateful to all of the leaders who have helped WGC grow to what we are today, 20 years later" said Barb. "I am so very humbled and grateful to everyone who has given to this fund to date and thank you all for your consideration!" We are very grateful to Kim Agnor and Alice Giles whose terms are ending on the WGC Advisory Board after years of dedicated leadership and service. The full 2023 slate of WGC Executive Committee and Advisory Board members are: 2023 WGC Advisory Board Executive Committee: Officers:
Advisory Board:
Dee Athey - CFHoCo Director of Grants and Community Engagement - Staff Liaison The Women’s Giving Circle is building a community of philanthropists and creating a permanent legacy to address the needs of women and girls in Howard County. We bring women together to learn about issues impacting women and girls in our community, and pool our dollars to fund programs that address those issues so we can have a greater impact together than we might otherwise have alone. www.womensgivingcircle.org WGC Emergency Response Network Request - $1,000 for CCC on Giving Tuesday - Can You Help?11/29/2022
The WGC was out in full force supporting Women of Color entrepreneurs and our partners at The 3rd on Small Business Saturday! And, it was great to see so many women donating products in WGC's Feminine Hygiene Product Drive bin at The 3rd - thank you! The 3rd's mission is to build a space that fosters dreams, creates community, and provides mentorship, which enables Women of Color to turn their ideas into economic power and freedom. Take a visit this holiday season - there are so many beautiful, unique and tasty options! #community #partnership #givingcircles #collectivegiving #collectiveimpact
We had a fantastic time tonight at WGC’s Sunset Happy Hour at The Community Ecology Institute/Freetown Farm talking about building community and women supporting women! As WGC Executive Director Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz said, it was a true testament to the power of women supporting women to have so many women join us around the bonfire on such a chilly but beautiful night! Our thanks to CEI/Freetown Farm Founder Chiara D'Amore and her team for hosting us. We are proud to support their efforts and partner to build community for the future. You can find information about future WGC events on our website here.  Barb Van Winkle is a long-time supporter of the Women's Giving Circle of Howard County, and has been the WGC Chair for the last 5 years. She is one of the WGC's largest donors and has been a vocal cheerleader for the WGC since its inception 20 years ago!
During this season of gratitude, it's only fitting that after 20 years of support for the WGC, as she ends her tenure as WGC's Advisory Board chair in December 2022, we honor Barb for all that she has done and will continue to do for the WGC with the Barb Van Winkle Leadership Fund! Our goal is to raise at least $20,000 in honor of Barb's 20 years of leadership and support for the WGC, and in honor of ALL WGC leaders the last 20 years - who have helped the WGC grow to having over 1,600 donors, a $1.3M endowment, and over $1M in grants! All funds raised will go toward WGC's grantmaking and core support as we look to the next 20 years, with a focus on WGC's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts - Barb's legacy. As she always says: "Women’s philanthropy shapes the future for women and girls through the power of collective giving." Please join us to celebrate Barb and WGC women's philanthropic leadership the last 20 years with a gift in her honor! She will be informed of every gift, and will see every note that accompanies each donation. PLEASE DONATE HERE Thank you for helping us honor this incredible philanthropic leader! Jennifer Bodensiek and Candace Dodson-Reed, WGC 20th Anniversary Co-Chairs Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz, WGC Executive Director The WGC 2022 Advisory Board |
"Women’s philanthropy shapes the future for women and girls through the power of collective giving." - Barb Van Winkle, Immediate Past Chair
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