WHO WE ARE

Our History

Much like WGA today, the women who founded the Women's Giving Alliance were of varied ages and economic means.

They lived in different parts of Northeast Florida and held divergent political views and charitable interests. United in the belief that philanthropy should be accessible to everyone, and passionate about women and girls, they founded WGA in 2001. Setting out to attract 50 members in their first year, they recruited 163. Today, WGA has more than 470 Members, over 80 Legacy Members and endowment funds of $5.9 million.

Committee Work never ends! Just ask Jana Ertrachter, Lee Buchanan, Judy Herrin, Sandy Cook, Gail Sterman, Carla Marlier, and Joan Van Vleck (deceased) (2006 Planning Committee)

Early History

In 1999, Jacksonville resident Courtenay Wilson was on an airplane. Flipping through the pages of People Magazine, she landed on an article entitled “Charity Belle”. The article profiled a Seattle resident named Colleen Willoughby. Colleen had noticed that women in her community – ones with important jobs at companies like Amazon, Starbucks and Microsoft – weren’t being called on to assume philanthropic leadership. Thinking this a missed opportunity, Colleen founded The Washington Women’s Fund, a “collective giving circle” to encourage Seattle women to become strategic philanthropists.

Courtenay thought Colleen’s idea was worth bringing to Jacksonville. Arriving home, she shared the idea with Andy Bell, President of The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, and four of her friends: Ann Baker, Doris Carson, Helen Lane and Delores Barr Weaver.

Dale Clifford, Lindsay Helms, Helen Short look at grants in November 2009

"My hopes and dreams were fulfilled both then and now, women taking charge of their charitable giving to benefit a group close to our hearts, women and girls."

Delores Barr Weaver, Founder

Past WGA Presidents

These leaders made it happen! (left to right at a 2020 gathering) (first row) Joan Van Vleck (2007-08) (deceased), Paula Liang (2015-16), Helen Lane (Founder); (second row) Ellen Wiss (2017-18), Julia Taylor (2013-14), Susan Schantz (2011-12), Barbara Harrell (2009-10), Courtenay Wilson (Founder and President 2002-04), Mary Pietan (2019-20); (not pictured) Sandy Cook (2005-06), Delores Barr Weaver (Founder), Jan Healy (2021-22), Sheila Collier (2023-24), Sabeen Perwaiz (2025-present).

Timeline

2024

WGA Reaches New Heights with New Strategic Focus Area

Under the leadership of President Sheila Collier, we took action to assure sustainability and success for WGA by strengthening operations. Members adopted a new strategic focus area for our grantmaking and community efforts beginning in 2025 and beyond – Addressing Violence Against Women & Girls.

2023

Growing Our Impact Through Technology

Through our innovative “Friendraising” campaign, WGA became a force of 470 philanthropic-minded women, a 39% increase in membership. Our website was upgraded to a mobile-friendly design with new content, and a member-led task force began a research-based effort to select a new strategic focus area.

2022

Largest single year grant distribution to date

WGA made its largest grants distribution in a single year to date. Our strategic investment of $660,000 for core mission funding at a time of high inflation and increasing demand for grantees’ services was made to 17 nonprofits to transform the lives of women and girls in NEFL communities.

2021

WGA Celebrates 20 Years; Adds DEI as standing committee

Celebrating 20 years of community impact, WGA honored and strengthened our commitment to our mission, members, and agency partners still reeling from the pandemic. Under President Jan Healy, diversity, equity and inclusion principles guided our grantmaking and growth strategies.

2020

Resiliency as WGA and grantees confront pandemic

COVID-19, stay-at-home directives, grim economic consequences (especially for women), and racial unrest made for a challenging year. Both the agencies we work with and WGA were successful in pivoting to the new reality: Zoom, DEl, and trust-based philanthropy entered our vocabularies.

2019

Grants calendar altered based on agency feedback

Under President Mary Pietan, WGA continued its focus on Breaking the Cycle of Female Poverty. The grants calendar was changed to announce grants in May, rather than October, aligning with many nonprofits’ fiscal year. WGA published the final impact Report of WA's Mental Health Strategic Focus (2012-2018).

2018

WGA's 15th Anniversary Year

Under President Ellen Wiss, WGA launched its new focus on Breaking the Cycle of Female Poverty. The first commissioned research report was released on the Status of Women in Florida. Membership grew 15%, including the launch of the Delores Barr Weaver 4Sight Program to continue to attract women age 40 and under.

2017

Shift to a new focus area

WGA finished five years of making grants to improve the mental health of women and girls in Northeast Florida. Driven by research and member input, WGA announced a new focus: Breaking the Cycle of Female Poverty. WGA also hosted the sixth national forum for the Women's Collective Giving Grantmakers Network (now known as Philanos).

2016

WGA conducts 3rd generation of research

Voices of Hope is published as part of the groundwork for transitioning to a new focus area. WGA members traveled to Tallahassee to speak to legislators about creating a pilot network of social services for children rescued from sex trafficking.

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2015

Sub Label

Helping lead a wider circle of giving

Under President Paula Liang, a giving circle in Central Florida modeled its legacy program after WGA, and WGA became a founding member of the Florida Women's Funding Alliance, an affinity group of the Florida Philanthropic Network.

2014

Creation of the Delores Barr Weaver Fellowship program

Julia Taylor, the sixth President, announced the creation of The Delores Barr Weaver Fellowship Program to attract women under 40 to WGA. The membership climbed to 335, officially doubling the number of members since inception.

2012

'Stronger Voices, Better Lives' is published

In honor of its tenth Anniversary, WGA updated its research, releasing an Executive Summary entitled "Stronger Voices. Better Lives.”

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2011

WGA adopts Mental Health as a single focus

Under President Susan Schantz, WGA became the first women's giving circle to adopt a single area of focus for grantmaking: Improving the mental health of women and girls in Northeast Florida.

2010

WGA endowment reaches milestone

Endowment reaches $1 million

2009

Legacy Memberships are introduced

Legacy Memberships, the brainchild of President Barbara Harrell and Nina Waters, President of TCF, were introduced.

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2007

WGA initiates Neighborhood Connectors

Neighborhood Connectors were introduced to the membership, creating a smaller neighborhood group feel, and facilitating better communication. Joan Van Vleck was elected president.

2005

WGA surpasses 200 members

With the completion of the Quality Education for All Advised Fund, a Public Education Endowment is established for annual investment in Duval County Schools

2004

WGA underwrites it's first research

WGA, under the leadership of Sandy Cook, undertook its first community research project, and published a report entitled "Voices Heard."

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2002

The work begins

Courtenay Wilson was selected as the first president of WGA, and the first grants were awarded.

2001

Women's Giving Alliance is formed

After much dialogue between The Community Foundation and Colleen, the Women’s Giving Alliance was officially formed as an initiative of The Community Foundation. Each of the five founders set out to get 10 friends to join. By year-end, they had 163 members, exceeding their goal by a factor of three.

Early 1999

An idea is born!

An article about Colleen Willoughby and the Washington Women's Fund piqued Courtenay Wilson's curiosity. She approached Ann Baker, Doris Carson, Helen Lane and Delores Barr Weaver with the idea of a women's giving circle. Each had been a trustee of the Community Foundation, so they spoke to Foundation President Andy Bell, who was very supportive.

Our Founders were smart and savvy women who made sure that women and girls in Northeast Florida would receive support forever. Front row (left to right): Helen Lane, Doris Carson (deceased), Delores Barr Weaver; back row: Courtenay Wilson (Founder and President 2002-04), Ann Baker (deceased)

As they discussed the best way to structure WGA, the five women united around their shared experience as trustees of The Community Foundation. They agreed on several key items, which have ensured WGA’s success today:

Support for women and girls in Northeast Florida should be provided forever – From the very beginning, WGA has invested in the future, allocating part of each Annual Membership to an endowment fund.
WGA should have operating support – Enlisting the support of The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida, WGA also sets aside part of each Annual Membership to help defray expenses.
Members are the heart of WGA – In an era when women were relatively private about philanthropy, these five women gave their names to a cause they cared deeply about. They were relentless in personally recruiting new Members.

In 2001, Women’s Giving Alliance was officially formed as an initiative of The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida. They recruited 163 members, and gave their first grants the following year. The rest, as they say, is history.