FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Deborah Edward

Tel: 503-265-8099

253 Portland Area Women Make Two $100,000 Grants in Second Year of Collective Giving Project

In year two, local women’s giving circle doubles grant funds and awards $253,000 to community nonprofits: two $100,000 Impact Awards and three $17,666 Finalists awards.

Portland, Oregon – December 8, 2017 –Ninety-nine girlfriends women’s giving circle is pleased to announce a $100,000 Impact Award to Portland Family Homeless Solutions for its Diversion for Homeless Families project and a $100,000 Impact Award to Urban Gleaners for its Food First: Fighting Childhood Hunger in Washington County initiative.

In addition, three Finalist Awards of $17,666 were made to My Voice Music, MetroEast Digital Youth Inclusion and Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

In 2016, the ninety-nine girlfriends collective giving circle was launched in the Portland/Southwest Washington four-county region. Friends invited friends to join. Each woman contributed $1,100: $1,000 went into the grant fund pool and $100 was applied to administrative and education expenses. In the first year 117 women joined the Founder’s Circle. In 2017 ninety-nine girlfriends more than doubled and welcomed 253 women to its second cycle of learning and giving and created a grant pool of $253,000 available for distribution.

Michelle Hynes, one of the lead members of ninety-nine girlfriends says, “I love that ninety-nine girlfriends makes it possible for me to multiply my contribution, learn more about my community ,and meet great people who care about making an impact.” Over 60 volunteers reviewed 153 bold ideas in the form of letters of intent. Five projects were then recommended to the members for a vote in November to determine which would be awarded the $100,000 Impact Awards and which would receive the $17,666 Finalist Awards.

Portland Homeless Family Solutions (PHFS) was presented with an Impact Award of $100,000 for their innovative diversion project. Brandi Tuck, Executive Director of PHFS says, “Our Diversion Program prevents homelessness in the first place for families who are at imminent risk of losing their homes. We are able to make permanent a project we piloted in the Spring.”

Urban Gleaners was also presented with an Impact Award of $100,000 to expand their food to schools project into Washington County where 26,000 children are food insecure. Tracy Oseran commented, “We want to feed more kids and ninety-nine girlfriends wants to help us do it!!”

Ninety-nine girlfriends uses a collective giving grantmaking model styled after the Impact100 programs. It is a member of the Women’s Collective Giving Grantmakers Network, a group of 48 national independent giving circles. GRANTMAKERS of Oregon and SW Washington is the fiscal sponsor for ninety-nine girlfriends affording the project 501(c)(3) tax exempt status, as well as additional support and educational resources.

#30