“How are equity, poverty, and social mobility related, and how can our philanthropy support positive change?”
This question will guide our Member Education programming for the year and is something to remember throughout our grant-making. Learn more about our annual learning questions at this link.
Our Racial Equity Committee (REC) is moving into the Member Education Committee as the Racial Equity Team. The outstanding members of REC have helped lay a foundation through our Equity Statement, moving beyond land acknowledgments and establishing our Racial Equity Resource page. They will continue this vital work of striving for racial equity as part of our Member Education Committee. Having racial equity embedded in both our grantmaking and member education moves us closer to our goal of embedding racial equity in all that we do.
“I am not here to be right. I am here to get it right.” —Brene Brown
As Girlfriends, we always look for new ways to impact our region. But to do that, we must be willing to listen, consider alternate viewpoints, and change our opinions based on new information.
Intellectual humility allows us to open ourselves to new ideas and approaches. In a compelling two-minute video, Dan Pink offers simple approaches to increasing our intellectual humility. For a great story on how to use intellectual humility to improve relationships, listen to this inspiring TedTalk.
Becky Jackson
I was introduced to ninety-nine girlfriends by a friend who was a Girlfriend (and remains one), and I found it compelling to think of a women’s grant-making movement in Portland. I then met another friend from the same circle, who was a Girlfriend also, and a volunteer. I did not hesitate any longer and joined in 2018. I now have 6 years of working on the Grant Review Teams, and I love it!
When I joined ninety-nine girlfriends, I wanted to do so with engagement. I considered my skills and interests and landed on grant review from the get-go. I know business and making human resource and financial assessments, so I thought I would have something to offer in the grant review process. What really had meaning for me was to learn about the needs of Portland and the people and programs who were seeking to serve those needs. From there, I found it rewarding to help with the work to find the best places to put our funds to work for impact. In the process I have met many wonderful volunteers and program staff members who are also working for good outcomes for our city.
Being a Girlfriend and working in grant review has given me a deeply meaningful experience in philanthropy. I have met people who are working tirelessly for equity and opportunity. The Girlfriends are all talented and fun to work with, and I have made new friends. The programs we sponsor are grateful, and their communities are rewarded with expanded support. It is a huge win for all involved.
As we wrap up 2023, we hope you will take a moment to join us to celebrate the incredible work and accomplishments of our Impact Partners, who work in the ever-changing landscape of the nonprofit sector, where challenges seem ever-present. We invite you to review their impact reports now on our website. As you browse these reports, we hope you will join us in taking pride in our tangible impact. Our Impact Partners have submitted various testimonials that speak to the scope, depth, and overall impact of their work – and demonstrate the value of our collective support in bolstering their efforts.
We look forward to another year of standing together – not only in our contributions to grantmaking but also in our collective commitment to making a difference in our communities! Continue reading here.
To quote our various Impact Partners, our awards have helped organizations increase capacity, empower workers, foster intergenerational equity through art and activism, increase the depth of their services for youth, hone internal communications, return to in-person programming, build financial security, bring women hope, and so much more.
Here are just a few highlights:
Black Food Sovereignty Coalition’s regenerative urban farm put on its largest CSA, distributing over 4000 pounds of produce (and serving 50 families who are a part of WomenFirst Transition & Referral Center!).
WomenFirst Transition & Referral Center provided critical services to women who need access to vision care resources, storage fees for program participants, and furnishings for those transitioning into permanent housing.
Constructing Hope graduated 42 community members and placed them in new careers with an average starting wage of $23.51/hr.
Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center + Rosemary Anderson High School (POIC+RAHS) have enrolled and graduated two cohorts of trainees from The Culinary + Hospitality Emergent Fellowship Academy. During the graduation ceremony, Chef Kiara Hardy, the Culinary Director of the POIC Kitchen, congratulated the graduates and emphasized that they can now work "as professionals in any kitchen you set foot in."
Trash for Peace’s Ground Score program launched a new website, providing the project with a vital fundraising and marketing tool.
Voz Workers Rights' Education Project offered 35 training opportunities in habitat restoration, forestry, arborism, invasive and noninvasive plants, and general green jobs skills in different languages.
Dr Martin Luther King Jr School Museum of Contemporary Art (KSMoCA) is starting to use the school's windows as a giant canvas to display some of the student artworks, making their work more accessible to the broader King neighborhood.
BRAVO Youth Orchestras provided three incredibly robust summer music camps supporting ~150 students who otherwise may not have had access to music and the arts. They also gave a shoutout to their liaison, Anne Castleton, who will be playing with the BRAVO Community Orchestra Winter Concert on Friday, Dec. 15 at Buckley Center Auditorium!
Wisdom of the Elders has been working to build capacity – from bringing in an Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (ITEK) Admin/Outreach Coordinator, to supporting multiple cohorts of BIPOC interns and individuals in developing skills in ITEK-informed environmental restoration.
As a Wrap-up of Native American Heritage Month, we share this GiveNative List for your consideration.
Native Ways Federation recognizes that Native-led organizations know their communities, their strengths and how best to help their people. Investing in Native-led nonprofits is the best way to support positive change in these communities. Click here to see GiveNative participating organizations.
Our Strategic Plan 2024-2027 is ready to be shared with the broader community, but before we do, Girlfriends get a sneak peek. Click here to read about our goals and objectives for the next three-plus years.
Based on our recent strategic planning efforts, we are changing our annual membership contribution to be more inclusive. The contribution options are now $300, $600, $1200, $1800, and $2500. Please join at a level that is meaningful to you, understanding the bigger our pool of money, the bigger our grants, and the greater our impact.
Everyone will have an equal voice within the organization, regardless of contribution amount. These new options will welcome more Girlfriends to participate in collective giving while continuing to provide significant grants. Definitely a win-win!
View this short video then find FAQ’s at this link.
I was introduced to ninety-nine girlfriends by Tammy Wilhoite when she had recently become involved with the organization. She was an enthusiastic ambassador and I joined very shortly thereafter. I grew up in a home where my mother, (who had 7 children) found the time to be an active “boots on the ground” volunteer with Meals on Wheels, her church, and Girl Scouts. She also visited nursing homes and seasonal migrant camps to donate clothing and food. She taught us by example and brought us along to help in her efforts. My father ran a business and he was able to practice a level of giving back to the community through his business. He was particularly focused on supporting community and civic events, children’s sports teams and donating to the development of public sports facilities. I’m fortunate to have had such good role models who instilled in me a desire to support nonprofits engaged in important work in our community.
When I joined ninety-nine girlfriends, I was (and still am) in a busy time of my life. I knew that I could not become actively involved, but I wanted to be part of the overall effort. I appreciate the pooling of money for a greater impact and the trust-based philanthropy model that ninety-nine girl friends uses, which includes the thorough vetting process of the grant review teams.
The voting process is an opportunity to learn about the good work of the finalists. I have supported some of those organizations outside of ninety-nine girlfriends.
I am impressed with the volunteers at ninety-nine girlfriends and the amazing organization they have created. I respect that the organization continues to evolve and has embraced equity and inclusion. The member updates keep me informed and educated on all things “ninety-nine”.
I’m proud to be a member and I will continue to spread the good word!
Over 30 of ninety-nine girlfriends’ past and current Impact Partners and Finalists are in Willamette Week’s annual Give!Guide! The 2023 edition is the publication’s 20th effort to highlight the work of some of our region’s non-profits and support their fundraising through a two-month, community-powered campaign. If you have the capacity to make additional contributions to nonprofits this season, consider providing some continued support to our amazing network of community partners – see the full list here!
Bethany Thomas
I first heard of ninety-nine girlfriends through my work. I am a co-founder of the local nonprofit, Ecology in Classrooms and Outdoors (ECO), and was a member of the staff for 13 years until I transitioned to a board role. After ECO received a $100,000 ninety-nine girlfriends’ grant in 2019, I was inspired to join. I saw firsthand how impactful the large grant was to our organization and wanted to be a part of providing such an impact to other organizations in our community.
The impact is what most strongly appeals to me about ninety-nine girlfriends. Together we do so much more than we could do as individuals. I'm also grateful for the giving circle that is ninety-nine girlfriends; I appreciate the opportunities to meet others who care deeply about their community.
In addition to ninety-nine girlfriends, I pursue my interest in collective impact as the Founder and Board President of Earth Day Oregon. Earth Day Oregon operates a statewide campaign that directs attention and donations to Oregon-based nonprofits on April 22nd, Earth Day. Earth Day Oregon presents an occasion for businesses and individuals to support the Oregon nonprofits that prioritize the planet year-round. Since 2019, we have helped our partners raise more than $1.2M and have just launched our efforts for Earth Day 2024. If you know of an Oregon nonprofit that helps advance any of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, please suggest they check Earth Day Oregon out! They may want to be a partner this coming year.
Outside of my work in the nonprofit world, I am raising three boys (10, 12, and 14), I create music, and I enjoy running, hiking, and eating good food. I am lucky enough to have always called Oregon home, and I am grateful for the opportunities that ninety-nine girlfriends offers to engage, connect, and contribute to my community!
November is Native American Heritage Month. The National Museum of the American Indian provides wonderful resources to increase your understanding and awareness.
One of the many things we learned via Indian Country 101 is land acknowledgments are a terrific first step in honoring Indigenous peoples who lived on and stewarded the land for generations before us. We also learned that acknowledgments can be a bit performative without involving action in support of Native Peoples and Tribal Nations that are alive and thriving today. At our Awards Celebration, we will share a poem by Rena Priest, member of the Lhaq’temish (Lummi) Nation, and recent Poet Laureate of the state of Washington. Check out our Land Acknowledgment and Beyond Land Acknowledgment Guide by the Native Governance Center to learn more.
I joined ninety-nine girlfriends in May (just under the wire!) after new friends invited me to a riveting event at The Reser. At the time I recall feeling instantly at home - welcomed within a community of like-minded women with a bias for action. The past several months have reinforced and deepened that sense of belonging - being seen, understood, and valued for what I'm able to contribute in this moment. Exactly what we long for from our girlfriends.
Our trust-based collective giving model is a revelation at the forefront of philanthropy. I've so enjoyed this year's selection process, and am ever-grateful to the women who were able to do all of the early legwork and relationship building to deliver an inspiring and powerful slate of contenders for 2023's grants.
It was a privilege to open my home to one of the finalist viewing parties. Tammy & the team made this so easy and fulfilling. The girlfriends divide and conquer, making it so that no one person has to take on too much work, and helping each of us who want to contribute beyond our dollars find ways aligned with our time and talents. I'm so grateful to have found such an evolved group for my soft landing as a Portland newcomer!
After calling Maui my home for 20 years, I made a leap to Portland in 2020 in search of four seasons. Since my arrival, I've been making new friends, laughing my way through the Pickleball Learning Curve at the MAC, and hiking more diverse terrain than I could've imagined.
I'm still building a PNW book of business for my company - I lead a boutique consulting firm that strengthens executive teams and amplifies their impact through strategic planning, team coaching, and leadership development. Our Hawaii clients still take me there often (especially during the Portland winters!), but the plan is to be here more and there less over time.
Community and connection are so important to me - I thrive when I get to lean into the things I love with friends, and I'm definitely looking for more friends here in Portland. Hiking with my pups, exploring new restaurants (they're still ALL new to me!), symphony, music, history, art, wine, local politics and issues...my curiosity is boundless!
I know the Member Spotlight is an introduction of sorts. I hope you'll take it as an invitation, as well. There at least 250 of you I haven't met yet!
Girlfriends! We’d love to spotlight you. Please contact Andra to learn more.
Member Ed Committee Members Barbara Hilyer, Kathy Masarie, and Jody Scheer
“Thank you so much for the fantastic workshop on Indian Country that you all organized yesterday. The readings were so helpful in grounding us in a stronger understanding of the history of US-Native American relations. Loved how you brought clothing, books, and other Native American resources to the tables. And so appreciate the do-it-yourself lunch process! Great energy, great learning, and a great time to reconnect with Girlfriends. Thank you again!” - Deborah
We learned so much at our Indian Country 101 workshop. Leaders Barbara, Kathy, and Jody guided us in discussions about thought-provoking topics and shared visuals and resources to keep us thinking about Indian Country and where we go from here. They are working on a resource list that will be shared with the membership in the near future. If you couldn’t attend the workshop, we strongly recommend you dig into Indian Country 101 on your own. There is so much to learn about the history of Indigenous people in America, the systemic policies used against them, and the resilience that allows them to thrive to this day.
Reclaiming Native Truth Call to Action
This short video shares some of the work of First Nations Development Institute, whose mission is to strengthen American Indian economies to support healthy Native communities. They invest in and create innovative institutions and models that strengthen asset control and support economic development for American Indian people and their communities. Click on the link below to launch the video.
Have you been yearning to sing in community or keep your talent on an instrument sharp? BRAVO Youth Orchestras has two opportunities for community members of all ages to join them in making music!
Bravo Community CHOIR welcomes and accepts all people from ALL walks of life to come together with one sole purpose: Spreading Love Through Music! The choir has an eclectic repertoire and rehearses on Thursdays from 7:00 p.m.-9:00 pm at Bakery Block, Suite 110, 2222 NE Oregon Street in Portland. No one is exempt from participating in this choir! BRAVO welcomes anybody and everybody. If you have questions, please contact Choir Director Joshua Sommerville at joshua@oregonbravo.org.
BRAVO Community ORCHESTRA offers the opportunity to students, BRAVO staff, and community musicians to play and learn new repertoire in an orchestral environment, developing listening skills, fostering respect for others, and a sense of belonging. They rehearse on Fridays from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at the Buckley Auditorium on the University of Portland campus, 5000 N Willamette Blvd in Portland. For more information, please contact Orchestras Manager Marian Gutierrez-Curiel at marian@oregonbravo.org.
You can also catch two Bravo Youth performances later this year:
BRAVO Winds SUN Showcase – at 4:45 pm, Thursday, December 7, 2023, at James John Elementary School, Featuring the BRAVO Wind Students from Cesar Chavez and James John.
BRAVO Community Orchestra Fall Concert – at 7 pm, Friday, December 15, 2023, at the University of Portland, Buckley Center Auditorium.
In their latest newsletter, Wisdom of the Elders highlighted the work they’re doing through Wisdom Work Force, LLC – “a vital arm of Wisdom of the Elders, dedicated to habitat restoration and environmental conservation in the Portland area. Our team plays a crucial role in restoring the natural environment, applying Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) to create sustainable landscapes. We also specialize in removing invasive species and collaborate closely with the Portland Parks and Recreation and Forestry Department to safeguard local ecosystems. If you're passionate about making a positive impact on the environment, consider joining our team.” To explore opportunities and be part of this meaningful work, please get in touch with Adrienne at adrienne@wisdomoftheelders.org
Wisdom of the Elders also offers a paid multimedia internship program, serving Native American & BIPOC students in the Portland area with a passion for multimedia and storytelling. Through this program, interns will have the chance to contribute to various projects and get hands-on experience in film and video field production, post-production editing, photography, archival work, and more! Do you know someone who would be a great candidate for this opportunity? You can share the program website and application with them with this link!
Andrea Duflon (pronounced Ahn-DRAY-uhh)
I joined ninety-nine girlfriends in May of this year. We moved to Portland in 2017 after 45 years in the SF Bay Area. I've wanted to find a philanthropic women's organization here in Portland, and it seems I've found it! In keeping with my decades-long social activism and feminism, I'm also a member of several other organizations working in the arts and the environment.
Recently, I retired from my psychotherapy practice, but I'm still open to doing pro bono work. I'm also a fiber artist, creating three-dimensional sculptures using mostly natural materials. My love of working with natural materials comes from my love of being in nature, hiking and gardening. My husband and I enjoy live music and the arts, and we also travel quite often.
Last year, the Girlfriends asked, “Is Land Acknowledgement Enough?” As did many people around the country. “Is it making a difference?” The Native Governance Alliance www.nativegov.org says, YES, it makes a difference but “only if we also focus on the all-important action steps for supporting Indigenous communities.”
As girlfriends like to do, we decided the first step was to LEARN MORE to make informed decisions on what’s next. Thus, our Indian Country 101 workshop is offered on October 12, from 9-1 pm in SE portland.
There is still time to register register. When we know more, we can do more to effectively make a difference!
Indian Country 101 is an incredible, self-study resource, designed to educate about US Indigenous peoples’ history, laws, current issues, and how to engage respectfully with Native Americans. It was written by The Whitener Group, a tribally-owned firm, and The Nature Conservancy. Retired Teacher Barbara Hilyer has compressed the 20-hour curriculum to a manageable, three-hour study guide for people to look over before the workshop. The workshop will be rich with discussions about modern-day issues of preserving land and water rights, adoption laws, strengthening cultural practices, cultural appropriation, Indigenous Peoples’ Day & Month, respectful ways to celebrate Thanksgiving, and much more.
We hope you can carve out time on October 12 to JOIN US.