Business Women’s Giving Circle Announces $55,000 in Grants to Support Education Initiatives for Girls

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia’s Business Women's Giving Circle (BWGC) today announced the winners of its annual grant cycle. A total of $55,000 in grants has been awarded to three local nonprofit organizations and schools that provide STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Mentorship programs to girls and young women in Northern Virginia. To date, BWGC has awarded more than $415,000 in grants that have impacted the lives of over 3,250 girls and young women in the region.

“Wow! We are thrilled about this news and truly grateful for another year of funding for Latina SciGirls! Having the support of the members of BWGC means the world to our organization and to the success of the program. We look forward to sharing our program results at the end of the grant cycle and any moments of celebration in between,” said Emily Tozzi, Latina SciGirls Program.

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia launched its Business Women’s Giving Circle in 2014, the first group of its kind in the region composed of women who are looking to empower girls and women of all ages through philanthropy in the Northern Virginia region.

“The Business Women’s Giving Circle is thrilled to continue collective philanthropy and award grants to three amazing groups who are working with girls and young women to promote activities that encourage their interest and participation in STEM and position them for success. Our three grantees this year include children in elementary school, middle school, high school, college, and women early in their careers,” said Jen Dalton, Chair of the Business Women’s Giving Circle.

“Year Up NCR is grateful for the opportunity to partner with the Business Women's Giving Circle of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia. BWGC’s Investment will support Year Up's research-validated workforce development program in Northern Virginia to provide 62 low-income young women with technical skills and a pathway toward careers in STEM,” said Lauren Roth, Executive Director of Institutional Giving, Year Up.

 

“We were pleased to see a large number of quality applicants demonstrating the strong support in our region for increasing the participation of girls and young women in STEM careers. Applications came in from both established and start-up organizations. The creativity and commitment of all these organizations inspire us,“ said Susan Dykstra, Chair of the Grants Committee, Business Women’s Giving Circle.

 

“Joining the BWGC means connecting with successful women who want to support positive change for girls and young women in our local community. Members are accomplished leaders drawn together by a passion to empower girls and women of all ages through collective philanthropy. They also enjoy making professional and personal connections with other giving circle members from many industries and diverse backgrounds. Learn about the benefits of becoming a member,” said Judy Redpath, Member, Business Women’s Giving Circle.

The following organizations received grants:

ACPS - FACE Center: STEMinist Club ($20,000): This club would be offered as part of an existing afterschool program at two middle schools in Alexandria. The club involves one-hour sessions of STEM enrichment across 18 weeks. The Grants Committee was impressed with STEMinist Club's focus on culturally responsive programming and mentoring, partnerships with established organizations providing STEM teaching, and the metrics they plan to collect, including SOL scores.

Children’s Science Center: Latina SciGirls Program ($15,000): This program, which BWGC has funded for the past two years, is a 9-week hybrid after-school program offering a 1-hour parent orientation and 8 2-hour sessions of STEM learning and mentorship. In the Fall, they will be in Barcroft Elementary School; their Spring school partner is TBD. The Grants Committee was impressed with their focus on a clearly underserved population of low-income, Latina girls and their hybrid programming.

Year Up National Capital Region: Women in STEM Training ($20,000): This program, which BWGC has funded previously though not in the last few years, serves 18–30-year-olds with 35 hours of virtual classroom training over five months, followed by a six-month internship experience. They have seminars, workshops, clubs, and mentorship targeted toward women in their program. The Grants Committee was impressed by their strong partnership with Northern Virginia Community College and successful job placement track record.

The Business Women’s Giving Circle will celebrate the 2021 grantees in February 2022 at our Grantee Celebration.