The Women's Foundation of Colorado

Our 2022 Annual Luncheon Special Guest, Allyson Felix, is breaking new ground once again! As the most decorated woman in Olympic track and field history, Allyson is now launching the first-ever nursery at the Olympic Village for Paris 2024! This initiative, in partnership with Pampers, is a game-changer for balancing family and competition, proving that motherhood is not the end but a powerful chapter in an athlete's journey. We are so proud of Allyson's continued dedication to supporting mothers in sports! Read more about her incredible initiative.

🏅 Tomorrow marks a historic milestone as the Olympic Games open with gender parity for the first time in history! This incredible achievement highlights the growing visibility and impact of women in sports. • For the first time ever, an equal number of men and women will compete in the Paris Games. Team USA's Chari Hawkins calls this a "huge leap forward for women in sports," and we couldn't agree more! • In 1900, women made up only 2.2% of athletes. Fast forward to 2024, and 28 out of 32 sports are fully gender-balanced. This progress shows the power of perseverance and the importance of representation. Kudos to the International Olympic Committee for their dedication to gender equality, making this one of the most important moments in Olympic history. https://lnkd.in/g6pz_6ks

📢 Reminder: Applications are now open for our 2024-2026 WINcome Grantmaking Opportunity! We're excited to build on the successes of the 2021-2023 WINcome initiative and continue supporting economic advancement through trust-based funding. Our new grants offer general operating support and flexible cash assistance for direct service organizations, focusing on gender, racial, and economic equity for women and families in Colorado. Apply now to be part of this transformative work! Applications are due by midnight on August 28. Learn more at www.wfco.org/wincome

Join Our AWESOME Team! We're on the lookout for a passionate Fall Digital Marketing & Communications Intern! Join our team and work closely with our digital marketing manager and VP of communications to support Colorado women and their families. As a Fall intern, you will: ✨ Make a positive impact in the community ✨ Work in a dynamic office setting ✨ Learn and apply integrated digital communication strategies ✨ Gain hands-on project management experience ✨ Explore the nonprofit/foundation sector Ready to dive in with us? Visit www.wfco.org/careers for more details and apply by August 2. Share this post and help us find our next incredible intern!

Today we’re announcing the January 2025 retirement of President and CEO Lauren Y. Casteel, punctuating a rich and impactful 35-year career in philanthropy. Named president and CEO of The Women’s Foundation of Colorado in 2015, Lauren’s tenure is defined by excellence and inclusivity in philanthropy, innovative and values-based grantmaking, as well as substantial growth in revenue and assets. A hallmark of Lauren Y. Casteel’s career has been her commitment to building equitable opportunities for overlooked and underserved Colorado communities. She introduced an intersectional lens to our programs and operations and positioned The Women’s Foundation of Colorado as a full-service statewide community foundation. Today, The Foundation offers community-led grantmaking, holds donor-advised funds, and maximizes donor impact through our gender-lens investments. Our board chair Tania Zeigler said, "We at The Women's Foundation of Colorado have the deepest appreciation for how Lauren’s leadership lifted the trajectory of WFCO, internally and externally. With her bold commitment to gender, racial, and economic equity, Lauren transformed our statewide impact. As the first woman of color to lead The Women's Foundation of Colorado, she took us on a learning journey of how to be an inclusive community foundation and operate from a place of joy and abundance. Her effortless ability to connect and collaborate with diverse communities as well as her powerful speaking will continue to inspire our work as we pursue change on behalf of all Colorado women. Today, our strategies are more relevant, effective, and impactful than ever." Please join our board and staff in thanking Lauren for her tremendous contributions to the Colorado community and in wishing her well in her next adventure! We’ll share more information about what’s next in the coming weeks. Read more at https://lnkd.in/gGcSsUzd

Colorado is the fifth most expensive state for child care, but through advocacy and policy, many are hoping to fuel a change in our state. The Growing Our Future coalition has launched a groundbreaking campaign to raise awareness and support for statewide funding for child care. This campaign highlights the importance of early child care for children's development and our economy. Did you know? - The economic impact of inadequate child care in Colorado is a staggering $2.7 billion! - A two-parent household in Colorado spends, on average, 14% of their income on child care, and single parents spend 41%. - An extensive poll revealed that three in four Coloradans see a need for more funding for child care and early learning, showcasing strong bipartisan support. We are proud to be part of this coalition, advocating for a collective approach to child care solutions. Together, we can make child care accessible and affordable for all Colorado families. Read more about the campaign on CPR News: https://lnkd.in/gm3WYSEC

🌟 Meet our new Database Administrator! 🌟 Join us in welcoming Jen Schwem, bCRE, who stepped into her role at The Women's Foundation of Colorado in April 2024. Beyond her technical skills, Jen is celebrated for her commitment to empowering women and supporting immigrants. Inspired by incredible women leaders before her, Jen embodies resilience and empathetic leadership. Did you know that Jen's childhood joy was riding motorbikes around rural Wisconsin with her dad? Discover more about her passions, favorite activities in Colorado, and her belief in the transformative power of supporting women. 🔗 Read the full profile on our blog and get inspired by Jen’s journey! https://lnkd.in/gAFpKN9Z

Speaking of Renee... guess who’s interviewing our Annual Luncheon special guests!? WFCO Vice President of Development, Renee Ferrufino, will be interviewing Jordan Casteel and Kali Fajardo-Anstine at this year's Annual Luncheon on September 27! You might remember Renee from our 2021 Luncheon where she interviewed Peloton instructor Robin Arzón. With 10 years of experience overseeing our state’s largest fundraiser on behalf of Colorado women, Renee is especially thrilled about this year’s speakers. "As a woman from Sterling, CO, it is thrilling that The Women’s Foundation of Colorado is highlighting two Colorado artists at our luncheon this year. At WFCO, we believe in Colorado women’s and girls’ innate potential to innovate, inspire, and lead. Kali and Jordan embody promise in every way, and the event will be truly special," said Renee. We can't wait for this inspiring event! Get your tickets & sponsorships now at wfco.org/luncheon

🌟🎉 We are thrilled to announce that our very own VP of Development, Renee Ferrufino, has been named one of the Colorado Women's Chamber of Commerce's (CWCC) Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business! 🎉🌟 Renee’s dedication to civic and community engagement, her exceptional leadership, her unwavering passion for promoting women in business, and her perseverance have truly set her apart. We couldn't be prouder of her well-deserved recognition. Join us in celebrating Renee and the incredible impact she’s making at The Women's Foundation of Colorado! The CWCC will honor these 25 phenomenal women at the Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business Gala, hosted at Seawell Ballroom on Thursday, August 22, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets and sponsorships sell out quickly, so secure yours today at CWCC.org!

🎙 🎙 On today's "Bossed Up" podcast our VP of Programs Louise Myrland is interviewed by Emilie Aries, SPHR on how to understand pay transparency and your rights as a job seeker. On Black Women's Equal Pay Day, which brings awareness to the fact that Black women earn .63 cents for every $1 earned by white men, it's more important than ever for women to understand their protections as job seekers and employees. Colorado's equal pay laws are designed to close gender and racial pay gaps, but they won't work if people don't know about them. Please share this with your networks so that together we can narrow, and ultimately close, the #wagegap and #wealthgap. https://lnkd.in/gCaaKdS9