Let’s Work Together for the Future that We All Want!
Greetings WFO Community,
Election season is upon us and we want to share a message about hope, action and community. We know that many of you, like many of us, are feeling stressed, cautiously optimistic, worried, anxious and overwhelmed or maybe you are feeling apathetic, disgruntled or angry. You may be feeling all of those emotions all at once! Whatever you may be feeling, please know that you are not alone. If we have learned anything over the past four years, it is that we need to work alongside one another, we have to keep fighting for our rights and the rights of others, and that we can achieve great things when we join together. The Women’s Foundation of Oregon uses a three pronged strategy to achieve justice. We do this through direct grants, research, and policy advocacy (details below).
We are always looking for new individuals to join us as we support communities, programs, and individuals that improve the lives and opportunities of women and girls. If you or someone you know is interested in joining our work Click here to become a member of WFO.
In solidarity,
The WFO Team
Grants - Opportunity Now Open!
Our, “In the Moment” Grant is open now until October 21st. Please share this opportunity with nonprofit organizations who align with our mission. Follow us on social media for updates and future opportunities!
Our, “In the Moment” Grants support organizations through urgent and unexpected needs by providing smaller, low-barrier, grants with a fast turnaround. Our goal is that these grants have a big impact by meeting the organizations where they are.
We have four awards for $10,000 each. For more information please visit: https://www.womensfoundationoforegon.org/grants or reach out to grants@w-for.org with any questions.
Research Committee - Join us!
We have an incredible research committee who has been working on the update to 2017’s Count Her In report. We envision an Oregon that achieves gender justice through work that is informed and supported by data and lived experiences. We strive to provide research and information that contributes to systems-level change, whereby inequities due to sexual orientation or gender-based discrimination are improved and / or eliminated.
Our purpose is to develop a methodologically sound, anti-sexist, systems-focused resource / tool (format to be determined) on the current state of the ways in which sexist and gender-based disparities affect the lives of people in Oregon, such that it can be used to create and support systems-level change in Oregon.
If you are interested in being part of the Women’s Foundation of Oregon’s research committee, or would like to learn more, please reach out to us: research@w-for.org .
Policy Committee - Get Informed!
We are thrilled to share some exciting news with you! Our organization is officially endorsing Measure 117, which proposes the implementation of ranked choice voting across Oregon.
Why We Support Measure 117:
Our communities will have more choice and more voice in our elections. Measure 117 gives us the option to rank candidates in order of preference: 1st choice, 2nd choice, 3rd choice, etc. By allowing us to select backup choices, Measure 117 gives us more power to vote for who we want, how we want, without fear of wasting our vote.
We’ll have representatives that actually reflect our communities. Measure 117 opens the playing field for candidates to run on issues that matter to us, not special interests, creating more reflective outcomes. Research demonstrates that more women, people of color, young people, and first time candidates run and win in ranked choice voting elections.
Candidates will have to win broad support from voters. We want to have our voices heard and elect leaders who represent us and our values. Unfortunately, under our current system, a candidate can win with just a narrow base of support, even if the majority of voters want someone else. Measure 117 fixes that by guaranteeing that our elected leaders are supported by a majority of Oregonians.
Want to learn more about Measure 117? Explore their website and follow Yes on Measure 117 on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X).