Grant cycle closes June 29, 2017

FORT MYERS, Fla. (June 2, 2017) – The Women’s Legacy Fund (WLF) of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation is placing its annual call for grant applications. This year, the WLF will be awarding more than $27,000 to an organization for a project or program that provides opportunities for science technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs or vocational training for women and girls in Southwest Florida.

Examples of STEM programs or vocational training for women and girls include, but are not limited to, middle school girls’ science fairs, gap funding support for women enrolled in a career laddering programs, girls’ robotics teams and technical college enrollment programs targeted at women.

Organizations wishing to apply for the grant must meet the following basic eligibility requirements:

  • Nonprofit organizations exempt from Federal income taxes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and units of government are eligible [(c)(4) and (c)(6) agencies are ineligible].
  • Applicants must be located in and primarily serve residents of Lee, Charlotte, Hendry, Glades, and/or Collier counties.
  • Eligible organizations must be governed by a volunteer board of directors with at least five unrelated members.
  • Organizations must conduct business without discrimination on the basis of race, gender or gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin or religious affiliation.
  • Agency leaders interested in receiving a grant through the WLF must submit a LOI (Letter of Idea) by June 29. This is not a full traditional RFP, but a one-page snapshot of your program/project idea.
  • Applicants must register themselves and their organizations on the Southwest Florida Community Foundation’s new grant portal.

Instructions for registration can be found on the website.

Awards will be announced in October 2017.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the Women’s Legacy Fund is a fund of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation that includes a group of women who foster the immersion of women in philanthropy and develop the region’s next philanthropic leaders.

In its first 10 years of existence, the WLF has been able to provide $142,000 in grants to benefit people and communities in Southwest Florida. Currently, the Fund has $638,000 in endowment that will continue to help fund local issues now and in the future.

Contributors to the WLF give a minimum of $250 each year ($100 for women younger than 25). The first half of contributions is pooled for the purpose of immediate annual grants, while the second half is pooled into the WLF’s endowment fund which provides additional grants to be made both now and in years to come. Prima Donors are local women who have contributed $10,000 or more to the WLF endowment and are committed to making an impact in their community through charitable giving.

The Southwest Florida Community Foundation, founded in 1976, cultivates regional change for the common good through collective leadership, social innovation and philanthropy to address the evolving community needs in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades counties. Last year, it partnered with individuals, families and corporations that have created more than 400 philanthropic funds over the last 40 years. Thanks to them, the Foundation’s invested $5 million in grants and programs to the community. With assets of more than $106 million, it has provided more than $67 million in grants and scholarships to the communities it serves since inception. The Community Foundation is the backbone organization for the regional FutureMakers Coalition and Lee County’s Sustainability Plan. Based in Fort Myers, the Southwest Florida Community Foundation has satellite offices located on Sanibel Island, in LaBelle (Hendry County) and downtown Fort Myers.

For more info, visit https://floridacommunity.com/womens-legacy-fund-grant-cycle/ or the Grants Process page under Nonprofit Partners at www.floridacommunity.com.