In 1990, a small group of visionary women recognized that women’s issues and programs were not receiving sufficient funding locally. Thus, the Women’s Fund of Omaha was created. These leaders originally established the Women’s Fund within the Omaha Community Foundation through a grant from the Ford/MacArthur Foundation with a goal to empower women to achieve full partnership in the Omaha community.
At the beginning, the work was focused on a few key areas—affordable child care, support for those experiencing domestic violence and women in leadership.
Some key highlights from our past:
- 1993 – The Women’s Fund recognized the need for quality child care and in response, the Outstanding Child Care Provider Awards were initiated and continued for five years.
- 1995 – A research report produced by the Women’s Fund, “Can We Stop the Violence?”, laid the groundwork for the Domestic Violence Coordinating Council.
- 1996 – The first-ever “Women & Leadership” report was produced, and the Women’s Fund reached its initial endowment goal of $1.5 million.
- 2001 – The Women’s Fund became an independent charitable organization and hosted the first annual fall luncheon.
- 2005 – The first Ready to Run Candidate school, held in partnership with the Lincoln Lancaster Women’s Commission, featured 50 hopefuls.
- 2007 – The “Women & Leadership in Omaha” report was released comparing data with research from the previous decade.
- 2010 – The amount invested in local initiatives exceeded $2.5 million.
- 2011 – Women’s Fund Circles was launched.
- 2014 – The Adolescent Health Project (AHP) was launched to create sustainable community-wide changes on the sexual and reproductive health outcomes for young people.
- 2016 – The Women’s Fund and Domestic Violence Council (DVC) merged efforts to continue to strengthen the work to create communities free from gender-based violence.
- 2018 – The Women’s Fund provided $10.5 million in grants, including funding for the first community of practice on sex trafficking in the metro, and began serving as the fiscal sponsor for I Be Black Girl.
- 2020 – Celebrate the passage of ballot initiative 428 to end predatory payday lending and re-launched our Adolescent Health Project as Access Granted.
- 2023 – Defeated a six-week abortion ban at the Nebraska Legislature.
While great progress has been made over the decades, the Women’s Fund remains committed to utilizing current research, funding solutions and advocating for effective public policy to create a bold impact. Our work is now focused in four key areas—economic security, freedom from violence, sexual literacy and leadership. We have provided more than $59 million in grants to programs working on addressing the most critical issues for those experiencing gender-based oppression. And we remain rooted in our values of equity, bold impact, collaboration, community voice, intersectionality, bodily autonomy and rest.
Growing from a one-person staff to a team of 12, full-time employees, we’re focused on taking the necessary steps to keep our important work moving forward while centering the needs of those most impacted.
This milestone for our organization is made possible by the generous and ongoing support of community members. Together, we have boldly advanced community-driven initiatives and impacted the lives of women and girls locally. And we aren’t done yet!
While the work has never gotten easier, the fight for gender equity is as urgent as ever. Your investment allows us to continue to push open doors, remove barriers and innovate to create real and lasting change for all those who experience gender-based oppression.
To fuel our ongoing work, we invite you to become one of 35 new donors giving $35 or more per month to sustain our work. Donations of $500 or more will be matched by an anonymous donor. Support our ongoing efforts to meet the moment and boldly continue our work by investing in gender equity now.
Together, we continue to move forward to achieve our vision of gender equity.