The Women's Giving Fund

The Women’s Giving Circle Grant Cycle is administered by the Eau Claire Community Foundation, a community-based philanthropic organization located in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The Women’s Giving Circle (WGC) is a donor-driven initiative within the foundation that pools charitable contributions to support programs benefiting women and children in Eau Claire County. The program reflects a community-centered funding approach, prioritizing local impact and engagement while encouraging grant recipients to share outcomes with donors and stakeholders through organized events. The primary purpose of the grant is to fund programs that directly benefit women and/or children, with a strong emphasis on measurable community impact within Eau Claire County. Applicants are expected to propose initiatives aligned with their organizational mission and demonstrate how their program addresses identified community needs. The funding scope allows requests of up to 8500 dollars, with the requirement that all awarded funds be used within a defined grant period spanning January 1 through December 31 of the following year after award notification. This ensures that funded activities are timely, structured, and aligned with annual funding cycles. Eligible applicants must demonstrate that their proposed program will primarily serve individuals within Eau Claire County. Additional eligibility requirements include a participation expectation, where grant recipients must be willing to present program outcomes at WGC events such as the Gift of Giving Breakfast or the Spring Gathering. Organizations that have received funding for two consecutive years are not eligible in the third year but may reapply in the fourth year, ensuring equitable distribution of funding opportunities across the nonprofit community. The application process is conducted entirely through an online grant portal. Applicants are encouraged to review the official grant writing guide prior to submission, as it outlines reviewer expectations and evaluation criteria for each section of the application. The application requires detailed organizational information, a clear program description, defined goals, community need analysis, collaboration details, implementation timeline, evaluation methods, staffing plans, and financial documentation. Supporting materials such as budgets, proof of tax-exempt status, financial statements, and board lists are also required to complete the submission. Evaluation of applications is based on the clarity and strength of the proposal, alignment with WGC priorities, demonstrated community need, feasibility of implementation, and measurable impact. Reviewers rely heavily on narrative responses within the application to assess program effectiveness and sustainability. The inclusion of data, local statistics, and clearly defined outcomes strengthens an application’s competitiveness. The grant cycle follows a recurring annual timeline. Applications open in April and must be submitted by noon on June 1. Grant recipients are typically announced between early and mid-November, with funding distributed in December. Awarded programs are then implemented during the following calendar year. This structured cycle allows organizations to plan, execute, and evaluate programs within a predictable timeframe while maintaining ongoing engagement with the Women’s Giving Circle community.

Focus on demonstrating clear community need in Eau Claire County with supporting data; align proposal with mission; provide measurable outcomes; ensure budget accuracy and consistency across sections