About WDN
Charity is when you write checks for someone who comes to the door. Philanthropy is when you set priorities and make a plan over a long period of time. It is venture capital in the nonprofit arena.
President & CEO, Donna Hall
WDN Is A Community Of Women Philanthropists
As WDN members, we are serious about our philanthropy and increasing our effectiveness as donors. Together, we build an intimate community of members who develop strong relationships with our peers and gain insights about ourselves as women who are investing in social and environmental change. Members become colleagues and friends through education and action circles, retreats, regional and annual conferences, audio conferences, and on-line social networking. Our events create a supportive social network and working environment.
WDN is dedicated to a progressive global agenda. As a group of women from over 30 states, we represent a broad spectrum of incomes, ages, religions, sexual orientations, and philanthropic interests. We support a vast array of domestic and international organizations and serve on the boards and committees of our own foundations, public philanthropies, and both nonprofit and for-profit organizations.
WDN Is A Learning Community
As activist women, we do not undertake giving lightly. We study an issue from every angle; we listen to the people most affected; we engage the activists and experts in the field. We approach each issue using a race, class, and gender lens. We look for the most strategic vehicle(s) to leverage long-lasting and progressive change.
WDN Is A Community Of Activists
Our sense of urgency around justice compels us to act quickly, and remain involved when others have forgotten. For example:
- Within a month of their first audio conference, the Election Integrity Action Circle raised approximately $258,000 and the The Stop Count Hackula Campaign was born to assure voter vigilance in hotly contested races.
- By the end of 2008, WDN’s Gulf Coast Action Circle will have raised over $1.5 million dollars that the 21st Century Foundation distributed for Post-Katrina New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. The Gulf Coast Action Circle has made a commitment to continued work in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast Region.
- Through polling, message development, and policy advocacy, the Reproductive Rights Action Circle, through its Moving Forward initiative, in partnership with the Communications Consortium Media Center (CCMC), has developed a values-based frame for reproductive health around Important Life Decisions, without compromising support for abortion rights.
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