MEMBERSHIP FAQs

Are you a new or prospective member? Here are answers to all your questions!

IMPACT

What does ninety-nine girlfriends do?
Ninety-nine girlfriends engages women* of Portland and Southwest Washington (Clark, Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington Counties), investing in our community through collective action. We learn about needs in our community, pool our funds and resources, and make large grants to help address local issues. We do all of this while getting to know each other better and educating ourselves about the role we can play in making our community a better place for all.

** We welcome cisgender women, transgender women, and anyone who defines their gender experience by their alignment with womanhood.

How has ninety-nine girlfriends impacted the community?
Since launching in 2016, we have awarded over $3M to 70+ exemplary organizations and projects in Metro Portland and SW Washington. Learn more here.

GRANTMAKING

How does the grant making work? 
Each year, we know how much money we have available to invest in the community once our membership has closed. We then take into consideration what is going on in the community and our learning question for the year and we come up with a funding model for our Impact Awards. This allows us the flexibility to address things like the pandemic in a thoughtful way. We have a process for communicating with nonprofits and receiving applications and then members of ninety-nine girlfriends who have expressed a commitment to joining the grant making process begin reviewing the applications and finding the organizations doing impactful work that align with our values and our funding priority for that year. 

Where do we focus our giving?
We fund in four focus areas, Child and Youth Educational Equity, Housing and Home Stability, Environmental Equity & Sustainability, and Women's Economic Empowerment. (Our giving does not exclusively focus on women and girls.) Towards the end of the process, members’ votes determine the awardees. Learn more here.

Who chooses which finalists receive funding?  
One member equals one vote, so we all choose! At our Fall “Meet the Finalists” event, members hear from finalists. A written Voters’ Guide is provided as a helpful resource. Following Meet the Finalists and a week of confidential online voting, our impartial ballot masters tally the votes. Then, we share the results via email and follow up with a festive celebration where we honor the recipients—our impact partners and finalist awardees.  

How do we stay connected to our impact partners? 
Dedicated volunteers are assigned to each impact partner as liaisons for the grant period. Liaisons build a relationship with the partner on behalf of ninety-nine girlfriends, offering support, collecting stories, and stewarding the reporting process. We share stories and opportunities with the broader community of Girlfriends through social media, newsletters, and events. 

How do we evaluate the impact of our investments? 
Our Impact Team, which includes members with experience in nonprofit evaluation, is responsible for following the work of our impact partners and collecting information from them on accomplishments and challenges. We have asked our impact partners to share evaluation feedback in line with the principles of Trust-Based Philanthropy. We recognize that as funders we don’t have all of the answers and have a lot to learn by creating relationships built on mutual respect and mutual accountability.

MEMBERSHIP 

What is the best time to join ninety-nine girlfriends?
You may join or renew anytime between December 1 and April 30, although joining sooner rather than later helps us with planning, and we love to avoid the big crush at the end when possible.

How does ninety-nine girlfriends exercise inclusion? 
We welcome all women* with a connection to our four-county region to join our collective giving circle. Ninety-nine girlfriends recognizes the complexities of gender identity and gender expression, and welcomes cisgender women, transgender women, and gender nonbinary, gender non-conforming, or gender queer persons (read about gender complexities here). We have members in their 20s through their 90s! We offer multiple options for payment of the membership contribution [see Membership options]. Our education and grant-making model evolves each year and — as an all-volunteer organization — we provide opportunities for engagement in many ways. We hope that as a member you will find ways to engage that are meaningful to you. You can read our Equity and Inclusion statement here.

What is the Fellows Program?  
In 2024, we will be expanding and refining our Fellows program to align with the organization’s other equity and inclusion strategies. If you’re interested in knowing more, please email Michelle at the Fellows Program. 

Launched in 2017, our Fellows program encourages young women* ages 20-35 to bring diverse voices and perspectives to our collective grantmaking. The program is for women* in our four-county region (Clackamas, Clark, Multnomah, and Washington counties) who demonstrate a commitment to learning about philanthropy and deepening their awareness of our region’s needs. Through 2023, we selected a new cohort each year through a brief application process. Read more about the current Fellows and Alumni here.

Can my male partner join? 
Not directly but he can participate as a friend. “Friends” are individuals or organizations who want to support the work of ninety-nine girlfriends with a tax-deductible contribution of any amount. Friends are listed on the website and invited to subscribe to our newsletter to keep up on our work.

FUNDING MODEL

How much is the membership contribution?
We ask for a contribution of $300, $600, $1,200, $1,800 or $2,500 for each membership based on what the giver considers personally meaningful, understanding the bigger our pool of money, the bigger our grants, and the greater our impact.

Do the different membership contributions offer different benefits or privileges?
No, each member chooses their contribution level based on their ability to give, with all members having an equal vote.

In addition to funding grants, how are my contributions used?
A small portion of each member’s contribution goes for administrative, event, and educational expenses. This includes technology, insurance, tax filing expenses, event costs, and dues to Philanos, a collective giving network to which we belong—a great source of information and inspiration.

Can I contribute through a Matching Grant or Employee Giving Program? 
We greatly appreciate matching funds in any amount. All members must pay the membership contribution from their own funds; any matching amount above that will be gratefully received and wisely used. Please let us know when you request matching funds from your employer, as it is sometimes challenging to determine who they are from and your heads up would be very helpful. 

What if I want to give through a donor-advised fund?
We can help you with the process. Each donor-advised fund has different requirements. Learn more here.

What is member sponsorship?
Member sponsorship is when you pay a friend’s membership contribution. Learn more here.

INVOLVEMENT

What activities can I look forward to when I join? 
We focus on recruitment in the spring, Member Education throughout the year, and grant-making in late spring and fall. The energy reaches a peak in fall with the lively “Meet the Finalists” where members hear from the nonprofit organizations recommended for impact awards, then members vote the following week. We honor our award winners and our work at our annual “Awards Celebration.” We have a summer break and a winter break to allow our volunteers to recharge. Watch for twice-monthly member updates and connect on social media to stay up to date. You can also find dates to know here.

I’m really busy this year. Are there member requirements for involvement? 
Don’t let your inability to volunteer stop you from joining the collective impact we make in our community when we pool our funds. We encourage you to vote. Beyond that, your involvement is entirely up to you. Every single member—whether they volunteer or not—makes our work possible and is highly appreciated.

I want to be involved! What do I do?  The first step is to complete/update your member profile with your interests (you receive the link to your profile when you join/renew). Then sign up for the new member welcome in late spring. Can’t wait to dig in? Email us and we will get you connected to someone who can help you find a place for your talents and interests.  

How is ninety-nine girlfriends organized? 
Ninety-nine girlfriends operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We are governed by a small board and managed by a coordinating council. Each major area of activity is managed by committee chairs, with teams to carry out activities thoughtfully and inclusively. We are an all-volunteer organization and many hands make lighter work! Learn more here.

MEMBER EDUCATION 

I’d like to learn more about nonprofits and philanthropy. How can ninety-nine girlfriends help? 
Each year, we introduce a learning question and we organize programs in varied formats to help members learn about and answer that question for themselves. Because ninety-nine girlfriends is a member of the Nonprofit Association of Oregon, you can attend their nonprofit workshops for free. You can also attend Philanos events. For help accessing these resources, please email us.

COMMUNICATIONS 

How can I stay up to date on what’s happening with ninety-nine girlfriends?  
Read our twice-monthly member updates and emails and you shouldn’t miss out on anything! Be sure we’re in your contacts so your communications don’t go to spam. Much of what you need to know is also on our website. You can always email us. There is a real person at the end of every email address!

We’re on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Follow us and join the conversation!

MEMBER SIGN-IN

How can I restrict what is shown in the Member Directory?
Click on Sign In from the Members menu drop-down. Log into your account. Click on the Profile tab and scroll to the bottom to find the Member Directory Privacy Settings section. Here you can choose items you do not wish to display.

I don’t know my password, what do I do?
Click on Sign In from the Members menu drop-down. Select the Request Password button. Enter the email address that you used when you first signed up or renewed your ninety-nine girlfriends membership.

You will receive an automated email with a temporary password. Use this password to sign in to your account.

If you did not receive the automated email, please check your spam folder. If you still have not received the email, the email you entered may not match the one used to create your account. Please email us and someone will be in touch with you to help you reset your password.

How can I reset my password?
Click on Sign In from the Members menu drop-down. Log into your account with your current password or with the temporary password that was automatically emailed to you.

Click on the Change link under the Password title. Enter your new password and click the Save and Continue button at the bottom of the page.