Impact Stories

Business Women's Giving Circle

Community Foundation to Advance Equity for Region’s Young Women, and Girls, Increase Opportunities via Five Grants Totaling $75,000

January 10, 2025

January 9, 2025 (Fairfax, VA)- The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia’s Business Women’s Giving Circle announced five grants to organizations serving the region’s young women and girls in STEM, Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Mentorship Programs. To date, BWGC has awarded more than $595,000 in grants that have impacted the lives of over 3,600 young people.

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Leading to Support Women and Girls in our Region

April 24, 2024
On Monday, April 8, Senior Director of Insight Region® Denise Bellows, PhD, moderated the Business Women’s Giving Circle’s event, “Fostering STEM Learning, Experiences, and Careers for Girls."

During the event, Denise shared several enlightening statistics:
  • Only 1.8 percent of charitable giving is dedicated to women and girls, and the share dedicated to women of color is even smaller; approximately 0.5% in the U.S. (Source: Women and Girls Index, 2023)
  • In 2021, women represented 35% of the STEM workforce; up from 32% in 2010 (Source: National Science Foundation). Specifically, women make up 25% of jobs in computer science and 15% of jobs in engineering (Source: Pew Research Center, 2021)
  • In evaluating STEM programming by impact on girls interest, confidence, competence and value, GirlScounts USA found that participation in even ONE program can make a difference

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Ten Years of the Business Women's Giving Circle

March 13, 2024
March is Women’s History Month, and this year marks the 10-year anniversary of launch of the Business Women’s Giving Circle (BWGC) at the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia. In that decade, the BWGC has invested more than $535,000 in grants, inspiring thousands of girls and young women to join the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields and connecting countless donors, changemakers, and constituents alike.

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Business Women's Giving Circle Awards Grants Totaling $55,000

December 18, 2023
For 2024, the Business Women's Giving Circle at the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia has awarded funding to these three incredible organizations making a difference in the lives of young women and girls in the region:

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Community Foundation Awards More than $200,000 in Grants

January 20, 2023
20 January 2023 (Oakton, VA)

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia announces several grants made to organizations through multiple discretionary funds, including the Afghan Refugee and Resettlement Fund, Business Women’s Giving Circle, Healthy Kids Mental Health Grants, the Loudoun Impact Fund, and the Micron Opportunity Fund. These grants, amounting to more than $200,000, will increase equity by supporting educational opportunities, increasing access to social and economic support, and helping strengthen community resilience for residents across the region.

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Business Women's Giving Circle Awards Grants Totaling $50,000

January 12, 2023
The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia's Business Women's Giving Circle recently announced the winners of its annual grants cycle. A total of $50,000 has been awarded to three local nonprofit organizations that provide STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Mentorship programs to girls and young women in Northern Virginia in 2022. To date, BWGC has awarded more than $465,000 in grants that have impacted the lives of over 3,250 young people.

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Sustainability Matters' Next Big Thing

January 10, 2023

Sustainability Matters and the Community Foundation have not known each other for very long- a couple of years ago, the Shenandoah-based organization attended a First Tuesdays conversation, an informal half an hour chat that nonprofits can have with members of the Community Foundation staff about development goals, communications, or just for networking with a public sector partner.

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

December 22, 2021
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.

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Business Women’s Giving Circle 2021 Grant Cycle Opens

July 21, 2021
The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia's Business Women's Giving Circle is accepting applications for its 2021-2022 grant cycle. BWGC hopes to give out 3 to 5 grants for up to $20,000 each. Nonprofit organizations and schools offering charitable and educational services in STEM, Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Mentorship programs to girls and young women in Northern Virginia are eligible to apply.

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Business Women’s Giving Circle Announces $60,000 in Grants to Support Education Initiatives for Girls

December 15, 2020
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 $60,000 in grants has been awarded to five 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 $400,000 in grants that have impacted the lives of over 3,000 girls and young women in the region.

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Business Women’s Giving Circle Grants $69,148 to Support STEM Programs

December 16, 2019

Community Foundation for Northern Virginia’s Giving Circle Supports Local Women’s Philanthropy

(Oakton, VA) –The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia’s Business Women’s Giving Circle (BWGC) announced the winners of its sixth annual grant cycle today. A total of $69,148 has been awarded to five local nonprofit organizations that provide science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs to girls and young women in Northern Virginia. To date, the BWGC has awarded and established grant funds totaling over $300,000.

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Business Women’s Giving Circle Grants $69,148 to Support STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Programs

December 12, 2019

Community Foundation for Northern Virginia’s Giving Circle Supports Local Women’s Philanthropy

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia’s Business Women’s Giving Circle (BWGC) announced the winners of its sixth annual grant cycle today.

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2019 Business Women's Giving Circle Grant Recipients

December 1, 2019
The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia’s Business Women’s Giving Circle (BWGC) announced the winners of its sixth annual grant cycle today. A total of $69,148 has been awarded to five local nonprofit organizations that provide science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs to girls and young women in Northern Virginia. To date, the BWGC has awarded and established grant funds totaling over $300,000.

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Business Women's Giving Circle Awards $52,500 in Fifth Year of Grantmaking

December 20, 2018

Collective Philanthropy for Local Women

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia’s Business Women’s Giving Circle (BWGC) announced the winners of its fifth annual grant cycle today. A total of $52,500 has been awarded to four local nonprofit organizations and schools that provide STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) programs to girls and young women in Northern Virginia. To date, the BWGC has awarded $230,500 in grants.

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Business Women's Giving Circle Grants $53,000 to Support Girls

December 17, 2017

Five Organizations Awarded Grants for STEM Education, Leadership and Entrepreneurship Programs

wesley housing2017 Grantee: Wesley Housing STEM Program ParticipantsThe Community Foundation for Northern Virginia’s Business Women's Giving Circle (BWGC) announced the winners of its fourth annual grant cycle today.  A total of $53,000 has been awarded to five nonprofit organizations and schools that provide STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math), Leadership and Entrepreneurship programs to girls and young women in Northern Virginia. To-date the BWGC has awarded $178,000 in grants.   

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Business Women's Giving Circle Grants $45,000 to Support Girls

December 19, 2016

Five Organizations Awarded Grants for STEAM Education, Leadership and Entrepreneurship Programs

The Business Women's Giving Circle (BWGC), comprised of accomplished women who are community leaders drawn together by a passion to empower girls and young women through collective philanthropy, announced the winners of the third annual grant cycle today.

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International Women's Day was a proud day to be a Virginian, a woman, and a member of BWGC!

March 14, 2016
BWGC members Faith Boettger, Lauri Isbrandtsen, and Jennifer Siciliano, joined Dr. Carole Inge, Co-Chair of Million Women Mentors Virginia, at the International Women's Day and Million Women Mentors Initiative Launch Event in Richmond, Virginia where Governor Terry McAuliffe presented a proclamation supporting girls and women in STEM.

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Business Women's Giving Circle Grants $40,000 to Support STEM Education, Leadership and Entrepreneurship Programs for Girls

December 14, 2015

Community Foundation for Northern Virginia’s Giving Circle Supports Local Women’s Philanthropy

The Business Women’s Giving Circle announced the winners of its second annual grant cycle today. A total of $40,000 has been awarded to three organizations providing STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), leadership and entrepreneurship programs to girls in Northern Virginia. Since its launch in 2014, which launched in 2014, the giving circle has already awarded $80,000 to date to programs supporting STEM education for girls and women’s entrepreneurship.

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Business Women's Giving Circle Awards $40,000 through Inaugural Grant Cycle

December 15, 2014

Supports Three Organizationis with STEM Education and Entrepreneurship Programs for Girls

The Community Foundation for Northern Virginia’s Business Women’s Giving Circle announced the winners of its inaugural grant cycle. A total of $40,000 has been awarded to three organizations providing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and Entrepreneurship programs to girls in Northern Virginia. An additional $2,000 in annual contributions will be used to establish an endowment for future giving. Established earlier this year, this giving circle is the first group of its kind in the region, comprised of women who are successful business leaders looking to empower girls and women in Northern Virginia by preparing them for success through philanthropic support.

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Groundhog Day becomes A Brand New Day

December 15, 2014
Nancy K. Eberhardt is a founding member of the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia's Business Women's Giving Circle.

For two decades I have been frustrated about the pace of growth of young women as leaders in entrepreneurship, business, and the science, technology and math professions here in Northern Virginia. It was 20 years ago that I served on an Advisory Board at George Mason University attempting to accelerate the number of young women graduating with business, math, engineering and science degrees. Many other advocates, with greater commitment and more concentrated efforts, have been at work on this issue for a long time.

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