WGC’s Big Give 2026 Celebrates the Power of Collective Giving

We gave big! What a powerful conclusion to the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County’s Big Give 2026!

Over two evenings, 50 women and girls came together to learn, connect, share ideas, engage in meaningful conversations, and collectively direct $26,000 in funding to nonprofit organizations supporting women and girls in Howard County through the WGC's Big Give, the Young Women’s Giving Circle Mini Give, and Spirit Awards.

Now in its fifth year, the Big Give continues to grow in both participation and impact. Over the past five years, more than 220 women have participated in this unique collective giving experience, directing more than $120,000 to nonprofit organizations serving women and girls in our community.

During the first session on May 11, participants explored what moves them personally, learned more about philanthropy and collective giving, reviewed and discussed 37 proposals, and selected this year’s finalists through a collaborative voting process led by WGC Big Give 2026 Co-Chairs Laura Bacon and Kashonna Marrow. View highlights here.

“Collective giving is powerful because everyone has a voice,” said Kashonna Marrow, WGC Big Give Co-Chair. “The thoughtful discussions and shared decision-making throughout this process are what make the experience so impactful.”

At Monday evening’s final session, participants heard directly from this year’s finalist organizations before collectively determining final funding awards.

The following organizations received funding through the WGC’s Big Give 2026:
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• Bridges to Housing Stability - $10,000 to provide direct financial assistance to help single female-headed households remain stably housed.
• Trinity Maternal Wellness - $6,000 to expand prenatal and postpartum education, support, and essential resources for mothers and families.
• TurnAround, Inc. - $4,000 to support survivors of violence and human trafficking, including women preparing to reenter the community.

In addition, the WGC’s Young Women’s Giving Circle awarded a $5,000 Mini Give grant to:

• Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center Foundation - to support educational forums providing adolescent girls with knowledge and resources around menstrual health.

The evening also included two Spirit Awards of $500 each, recognizing organizations whose work resonated strongly with participants:

• HopeWorks’ Survivors’ Health Project - supporting survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence through wellness resources, holistic health grants, and trauma-informed care.
• Howard Community College Educational Foundation’s Jill of All Trades Program - providing hands-on workshops, mentorship, and career exploration opportunities encouraging young women to pursue careers in the skilled trades.

Participants also generously supported the YWGC’s ongoing period product drive, filling a large donation container with menstrual health products that will help support local girls and women in need throughout the community.

“Every year, I leave the Big Give feeling hopeful and energized by what’s possible when women come together with generosity, curiosity, and a desire to make a difference,” added Laura Bacon, WGC Big Give Co-Chair.

The Big Give is truly a collaborative effort, and we are grateful to the many WGC and Community Foundation leaders, volunteers, and partners who helped bring this year’s experience to life, including Laura Bacon, Kashonna Marrow, Paula Seabright, Dee Athey, Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz, Melissa Curtin, Aishwariya Chandrasekar, Lee Draminski, and Cheryl Gray.

As a fund of the Community Foundation of Howard County, WGC is proud to be part of a strong and enduring partnership that helps support and strengthen this work.

“Reviewing this year’s proposals was both inspiring and incredibly challenging because every organization brought forward important and meaningful work supporting women and girls in our community,” said Dee Athey, CFHC Director of Grants and Community Engagement. “While the Big Give participants made thoughtful funding decisions together, we encourage donors and community members to continue learning about and supporting these organizations beyond the Big Give as well.”

We are also incredibly proud of the WGC's Young Women’s Giving Circle interns, whose thoughtful participation and leadership through the Mini Give reflected the strength and promise of the next generation of philanthropists.

“The Mini Give is about more than grantmaking - it’s about helping young women see themselves as philanthropists, leaders, and changemakers in their community,” said Paula Seabright, WGC Grants Committee Co-Chair and YWGC Chair.

​Community members can view a full overview of all 37 Big Give 2026 proposals and learn more about the organizations and programs supporting women and girls across Howard County.

The Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County (WGC), a fund of the Community Foundation of Howard County, is a community of philanthropists dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls in Howard County through collective giving, grantmaking, advocacy, and community engagement. Over the past 24 years, more than 1,800 primarily female donors have collectively directed more than $1.3 million to local nonprofit organizations serving women and girls, while also building a $1.3 million endowment that will help ensure support for women and girls in perpetuity.

​The Big Give is one important way WGC engages women in hands-on philanthropy and collective grantmaking as part of our broader goal of directing up to $100,000 annually to nonprofit organizations serving women and girls in our community.

As WGC looks ahead to its 25th Anniversary in 2027, the organization is excited to continue growing the impact of collective philanthropy in Howard County. Registration for the Big Give 2027 is already open, and WGC’s goal for this milestone year is to bring even more women to the table and double the Big Give’s collective grantmaking impact to $50,000. Learn more and register here

The WGC’s Big Give is about more than grantmaking. It is about women learning, leading, giving, listening, connecting, and building community together through the power of collective philanthropy. Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s Big Give and helped make this experience so meaningful and impactful!

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