Women’s Fund Member Interview Q & A

Margaret Johnson, 4-year Women’s Fund Member

Why are you a member of the Women’s Fund?
“I like the idea of collectively funding local charities that interest me. It’s easy to belong, there are no meetings, and no expectations outside of a $100 membership fee. Every member, regardless of whether she gives $100 or $1000 gets a vote; one woman, one vote. There’s a luncheon once a year and prior recipients of the projects we choose to fund, give a short presentation showing us what they’ve done with the grant money we’ve provided. The group’s composed of women of various ages and experiences; it’s fun.”

How are recipients selected?
“A non-profit group may apply for a grant through the San Juan Island Community Foundation. Applications are vetted by the Foundation Grants Committee and then funneled to us. Our Women’s Fund Grants Committee meets to discuss each application and decides whether to and at what level to fund a project. Finally, the approved projects are presented via email for individual member voting.”

What are some of the projects previously supported by the Women’s Fund?
To name a few:

• UWFH Labs – Science equipment for K-12
• Family Resource Center – Emergency Rental and Emergency Prescription Programs, the FH Household Essentials Program, and the Ferry Ticket Program
• Hospice of SJ – Volunteer training
• Senior Services of SJ – In-home assistance and transportation
• FH Elementary School – Primary Intervention Program
• SJ Community Home Trust

In total, we’ve supported more than 40 projects. Most are funded at the $500 – $3500 level.

If you’d like more information, please call the Foundation Office at 378-1001 or visit us online at www.sjiwomentsfund.org.

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