Lee Alcott remembers the moment she decided to become a member of the Women’s Fund of South Central Kentucky – It was at the organization’s first impact award dinner.
Alcott was making her presentation for an abuse shelter’s chance at the impact grant, $51,000 that year. The money was for building an accessible bathroom for the 28-bed Barren River Area Safe Space.
“We had 10 minutes to present, so we had to put as much power into the presentation as possible,” said Alcott, who was executive director of BRASS at the time. “I saw a lot of tears as I was telling the story of the shelter and clients, and I remember thinking I want to be a part of this group … not only because it has such a powerful impact on an agency but because of the ripple effect that occurs.”
Four groups made their presentations for their projects or programs that would benefit women and children. That night there were in attendance about 300 women, some of whom actively help non-profits in the area. The Women’s Fund helps them make those connections with people in the trenches.
“Soon after, I joined and have been a member ever since,” Alcott said of the Women’s Fund. “It is such an amazing group to be around. There is just so much positive energy.”
As a full voting member, Alcott channeled her own energy for two years into helping the organization with its grant review process, narrowing the field of applying agencies. The whole group votes on the winner of the impact grant from among four finalists. In addition to the large impact grant, three other organizations are given a recognition grant, which was $5
,000 each last year.
“It is amazing how much the impact grant has grown from the first year of $51,000 to this past year when it was $100,000,” Alcott said. “That is because women continue to join and contribute.”
“Any woman who wants to do something to help others … but who might not know how or who doesn’t have the time to do so individually, this is something they can do,” Alcott said.
Jennifer Wethington, executive director of the Community Foundation of South Central Kentucky, agrees. Part of Wethington’s job is to help oversee the Women’s Fund that is housed within the Community Foundation.
Wethington encourages anyone interested in being part of the Women’s Fund to follow on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, and for more information about joining, visit womensfund@cfsky.org or call 270-904-2079.
It’s all about women pooling their resources to have an impact. Wethington said a woman can be a full member, meaning she has one vote at the annual banquet, or she can split a membership with one or two other women. In the split membership, women cast their vote collectively. The Annual Dinner is on Tuesday, October 23. To vote in 2018, women must join by June 30.
There also are some women who have chosen to become lifetime members who will always have a vote in how the grants are allocated. They also can pass on that vote to a woman of their choosing, Wethington said.
Recently, Kendra Sutton became a lifetime member after having been involved with the Women’s Fund since its inception.
Sutton, a Bowling Green resident for nearly 30 years after moving to the area for college at Western Kentucky University, was eager to help the community.
“I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to raise my family here and to have had a successful career,” she said.
Sutton wanted to pay forward some of those blessings.
“When I decided to retire from my fulltime career, literally within a month, Shannon Vitale came to me and said she had this idea. She had gone to a luncheon in Nashville called the Power of the Purse. She gave me a printed brochure from the event and said ‘I think we should start this here.’”
Sutton and Vitale and others went to another luncheon in Evansville, Ind., where women pooled their resources to make an impact in the community.
“Ironically my husband’s aunt was instrumental in starting that one … and I just decided it was time for me do something that could make an impact and leave a legacy I’m proud of for my children.”
Sutton said she’s not sure why she didn’t become a lifetime member at first, but she is glad she has done so now.
Ninety-eight percent of the lifetime membership goes toward building the group’s endowment, 2% is used for the impact grant in the first year of the lifetime membership.
“The benefit is maximized … with the endowment growing quicker and allowing us to give more money with the larger lifetime membership donation,” she said.
Formally established in 2012, the Women’s Fund has 409 members and has given out $466,140. In addition to BRASS, the impact winners have included Family Enrichment Center, Haven4Change (a recovery house for women and their children), the Salvation Army and the Boys & Girls Club of Franklin-Simpson.
Members and their families are also giving their time to non-profit organizations they have learned about through the fund.
The community’s needs are on full display through the grant application process.
One of Sutton’s teen daughters decided she wanted to help BRASS. Since she was under 18, the opportunities for volunteering were limited, but she helped to organize clothing that had been donated for the women at the shelter, Sutton said.
Being a part of the Women’s Fund shows young women how they can impact organizations on a grander scale when they work together, she said.
“It’s just been such a great experience,” Sutton said. “ … this (lifetime membership) is the next step I can take in life, leaving a legacy not about me but one of showing how being a part of a giving group of women can truly make an impact on the community we live in.”