In 1996 Lin Carleen founded The Women’s Fund of Greater Birmingham (TWF) to create an endowment fund to honor the memories of her mother and infant daughter, neither of whom had the opportunity to reach their full potential as women. The lessons of her own life and the lives of women she had worked with in various community organizations made her sensitive to the gap between women’s unique needs and the resources currently devoted to meeting them. Her vision for this endowment fund is to encourage the full participation of women and girls in the community by creating opportunities for educational, physical, emotional, social, artistic and personal growth and empowerment. Twenty-two women, who comprise The Founder’s Circle, matched Lin Carleen's initial gift to ensure The Women’s Fund’s legacy is protected and perpetuated.

The Women’s Fund was established as a component fund of The Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham, which has fiduciary responsibility for TWF.  TWF is governed by a volunteer Advisory Board whose membership includes many of the community’s most dynamic women, all of whom are concerned about the status of women and girls in our community.

TWF’s development as a funder, convener, and source of information on the status of women and girls has been remarkable in her short, 12-year history.

Highlights include:

1) Publishing Portraits 2000, a study of the needs and assets of women and girls in the Greater Birmingham area that continues to be the authoritative source document for organizations that are developing programs to address the needs of women and girls.

2) Awarded over $1 million in community responsive grants to area nonprofit organizations in the 5-county catchment area (Blount, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, Walker) that comprise the greater Birmingham area.

3)  Established an endowment of $2 million dollars fueled primarily from 984 individual donor gifts.

4) Was invited to participate in W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Women’s Funding Network, MS Foundation Katrina Relief grant: 2006 - $145,000;  and Katrina Policy Grant 2007 - $55,000.

5) Launched community level initiative in 2006 to reduce the incidence of domestic violence  assaults in Birmingham by 25% by 2015.

6) Instituted Financial Literacy Forum and virtual consortium in 2007 to serve as the community’s resource for quality financial management curriculums for women and girls
 
7) Received Alabama’s portion of a class action suit against Nine West Shoes through former Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor to address statewide health, safety and education needs of women. The Attorney General requested that TWF fund two years of programs for domestic violence. The funds were invested to have far reaching effects:

CUT IT OUT:
TWF board members in consultation with domestic violence shelter directors conceived this project to train hairdressers to recognize signs and symptoms of domestic violence and to refer clients to the domestic violence hotline. After funding and refining the project for 2 years in the state of Alabama, Dianne Mooney forged a partnership with her company, Southern Living at HOME, Clairol Professional, and the National Cosmetology Association and launched the project in 22 states. Recently, Southern Living at HOME has partnered with the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence to disseminate the curriculum in every state (see related story).

WOMEN ON WHEELS:
TWF board members convened area service providers of programs for girls and teens, women of the world, and women of wisdom in 2003 to determine the most critical needs in services for girls and women. After an extensive research process, the advisory board elected to address the need for medically related transportation for elderly women (who outnumber elderly men 7 to 1). Sadly, Alabama does not fund public transportation. With baby boomers aging, our community will not be prepared when many, many more elderly people are without transportation. The Women’s Fund stepped out to lead the others in addressing this need. United Way of Central Alabama’s Community Initiatives Division submitted the successful proposal that included a transportation resource center and volunteer-based on-the-ground service. It was successfully piloted during 2006. See related story and download the how-to manual  to start the service in your church or volunteer-based organization.

LINLY HEFLIN UNIT:
TWF is proud to contribute to the Linly Heflin Unit’s efforts to support Alabama women who are attending (accredited) Alabama colleges. With the remainder of the Nine West funds, TWF is endowing two scholarships as well as supporting five women who have ability and need as they attend college or graduate school.