What is a women’s fund? 
Who governs the Central New York Women’s Fund?
Who decides how money from the Women’s Fund is allocated?
What do donors to the Women’s Fund get for the dollars?
How may I contribute to the Women’s Fund of Central New York?
What is the role of the Central New York Community Foundation in the Women’s Fund?
Does the Community Foundation currently provide similar services to other funds?
Will the Women’s Fund compete with other local not-for-profits for donor dollars?


What is a women’s fund?
A philanthropy that focuses its grantmaking and programming on issues that principally affect women and girls. Such funds are usually governed and managed by women.
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Who governs the Central New York Women’s Fund?
Women drawn from the organizing committee, charter donors and contributors from the community-at-large, who expressed an interest in supporting the Fund through governance. The Women’s Fund Governance Council members serve rotating terms, allowing for the on-going introduction of new members and new thinking. Council members have three primary tasks: Fundraising, Grantmaking and Convening around issues of importance to Central New York women and girls.
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Who decides how money from the Women’s Fund is allocated?
The Governance Council of the Women’s Fund, following established guidelines, determines grant allocations from submitted grant requests. All grants will share one thing in common…they support issues that affect women and girls in Central New York.
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What do donors to the Women’s Fund get for the dollars?
At a philosophical level, every donor knows that she/he is helping to raise community consciousness about issues that affect women and providing access to funds for groups who traditionally have had difficulty attracting dollars. At a practical level, donors are welcomed and encouraged to help the Women’s Fund grow by volunteering their time and talents in fundraising, governance, programming and grantmaking.
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How may I contribute to the Women’s Fund of Central New York?
You may make a tax-deductible contribution to the Women’s Fund by writing a check payable to “Women’s Fund of Central New York” or online with your credit card. The Central New York Community Foundation will provide you with an appropriate acknowledgement. Donations from contributors to the Women’s Fund may be paid in equal annual installments over up to three years. If you prefer to contribute appreciated securities, which provide additional tax-deductible benefits, you may call Peter Dunn or Mary Meyer at the Community Foundation (315) 422-9538.
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What is the role of the Central New York Community Foundation in the Women’s Fund?
As an established 501(c)(3) organization, the Central New York Community Foundation will oversee the Women’s Fund and provide professional support to the Governance Council. Using the Community Foundation to administer the Women’s Fund assures donors that their contributions will be professionally managed as a permanent endowment for this community.
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Does the Community Foundation currently provide similar services to other funds?
It does. Currently the Community Foundation oversees 30 different field-of-interest funds and hundreds of other restricted and unrestricted funds. At the end of its fiscal year, the Community Foundation of Central New York had assets exceeding $110 million.
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Will the Women’s Fund compete with other local not-for-profits for donor dollars?
The experience in other communities where Women’s Funds have been established suggests that total philanthropic giving, in fact, grows. That’s because increased numbers of women (and men) begin participating in philanthropy, many for the first time. They are drawn into charitable giving because they specifically wish to support the purpose of the Women’s Fund. The hope for the Women’s Fund of Central New York is that it, too, will stimulate an even bigger charitable pie.
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