Grants

Grantee Convening Photo

Many social and economic barriers hold back Mississippi women every day, limiting their opportunities to succeed. Our mission is to help them thrive. Because when women thrive, so does our state. That’s why we award grants to programs that drive social change – like helping mothers graduate on time, increasing women’s access to career development opportunities, or improving access to evidenced-based sex education to help young women make informed decisions about their health.

Since 2003, we have invested more than $4 million toward our mission and have sparked real change for Mississippi women in communities across the state. The Foundation works toward social change in Mississippi by advocating, supporting inclusiveness, and promoting accountability and sustainability in all of our work. These values extend to our grantmaking.

To ensure that our grant funds are allocated in a way that maximizes support for women and girls in Mississippi, and to ensure that we are addressing key community needs, we implement a streamlined, yet thorough grant process. This process includes:

Thorough vetting – Our application, follow-up, and reporting processes ensure that we develop partnerships with trusted grantee organizations that share our mission to improve outcomes for Mississippi women. These processes also help us measure the impact of grant support and let us know what’s working.

Inclusion – We help identify organizations working with underrepresented populations and invite them to apply for grants.

Collaboration – Collaboration is at the heart of a Women’s Foundation grant. Our grants are an invitation into a circle of organizations working together, sharing best practices, and moving the needle for women and girls across the state.

Capacity Building – We help organizations develop the capacity needed to raise sustainable funds, connect to supporters, and continue to make a positive impact in Mississippi. As a result, our capacity-building helps create stronger organizations across the state, empowered to create change in the years to come.

With a deep well of staff experience working in this sector and a committed board at the forefront of trends affecting the state, we’re an effective channel for funders looking to make a difference for women and girls in Mississippi.

Access to Opportunity

Women have a greater opportunity for economic security when they have access to degree and skills training programs. Our grants create more opportunities for Mississippi women to get their degrees and access higher education by supporting programs that offer career guidance and access to educational opportunities.

Children’s Defense Fund Project: Southern Rural Black Women’s Initiative

CDF Logo

The Children’s Defense Fund’s Southern Regional Office serves as the Regional Administrator for the Southern Rural Black Women's Initiative for...

Children’s Defense Fund Project: Southern Rural Black Women’s Initiative

CDF Logo

The Children’s Defense Fund’s Southern Regional Office serves as the Regional Administrator for the Southern Rural Black Women’s Initiative for Economic and Social Justice (SRBWI) working to advance programming that will promote women’s leadership and economic security in the Mississippi Delta.

Key program areas include:

  • Leadership development, public policy, and advocacy efforts for women
  • Workforce trainings, skills development, and other strategies aimed at improving economic security for women in low-income areas
  • Support for the Unita Blackwell Young Women’s Leadership Program
  • Expanding SRBWI’s intergenerational network and programming

Grant funds from The Women’s Foundation of Mississippi will allow SRBWI to increase its grassroots organizing and leadership development activities to lift up the voices of rural Black women and facilitate their participation in shaping public policies.

 

MGCCC Foundation, Inc | Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College

Mississippi Gulf Coast

Grants from the Women's Foundation will be used to provide childcare assistance to mothers enrolled in a CTE, Workforce, or...

MGCCC Foundation, Inc | Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College

Mississippi Gulf Coast

Grants from the Women’s Foundation will be used to provide childcare assistance to mothers enrolled in a CTE, Workforce, or Adult Education program at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC).

Single Stop | Hinds Community College

Hinds CC Photo

Raymond, MS

Single Stop is a program offered to students at Hinds Community College who are facing financial insecurity. Single Stop services...

Single Stop | Hinds Community College

Hinds CC Photo

Raymond, MS

Single Stop is a program offered to students at Hinds Community College who are facing financial insecurity. Single Stop services are free and include a wide variety of resources including financial planning, transportation, health insurance, and even mental health care. Grants from The Women’s Foundation helped to support and build out more resources for HCC students.

Healthy Women

One of our top priorities is to improve health outcomes for women in Mississippi. This includes reducing teen and unplanned pregnancy rates, which is estimated to cost our state $155 million a year, through evidence-based sex ed. We also support initiatives that improve resource access for new moms and help build healthier communities.

Resource Pantry for Moms | Magnolia Medical Foundation

MMF logo

Jackson, MS

Grants from the Women's Foundation of Mississippi will further the Magnolia Medical Foundation's community support services. The result of recent community...

Resource Pantry for Moms | Magnolia Medical Foundation

MMF logo

Jackson, MS

Grants from the Women’s Foundation of Mississippi will further the Magnolia Medical Foundation’s community support services.

The result of recent community crises events in Jackson, Mississippi, including the water crisis and post-pandemic system issues, have put a strain on families, particularly Black moms.

Magnolia Medical Foundation will provide essential services like diapers, food, hygienic products, and health care (doulas) for expecting and working moms in the city of Jackson.

Breastfeeding Initiative | IAMH

Bolivar, Coahoma, Hinds, Issaquena, Leflore, Madison, Rankin, and Sunflower counties

Grant funds from the Women's Foundation of Mississippi will support the Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health (IAMH) and...

Breastfeeding Initiative | IAMH

Bolivar, Coahoma, Hinds, Issaquena, Leflore, Madison, Rankin, and Sunflower counties

Grant funds from the Women’s Foundation of Mississippi will support the Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health (IAMH) and the development of their breastfeeding initiative for moms in Mississippi.

The project aims to increase breastfeeding among Black women in the Mississippi Delta and Central regions of the state as well as provide information, resources like diapers and breast pumps, and community support to ensure long-term improvements.

Youth-Friendly Healthcare | Teen Health Mississippi

Jackson, MS

Teen Health Mississippi works to improve the sexual health of Mississippi teens by providing trainings that build community capacity and...

Youth-Friendly Healthcare | Teen Health Mississippi

Jackson, MS

Teen Health Mississippi works to improve the sexual health of Mississippi teens by providing trainings that build community capacity and resource access.

With grants from the Women’s Foundation, Teen Health Mississippi will launch Youth-Friendly Healthcare. Youth-Friendly Healthcare will work in tandem with Teen Health Mississippi’s Training and Technical Assistance Program (T&TA) to help clinicians and health care providers build their capacity to provide youth-friendly reproductive health care services.

The program will also host youth-friendly walkthroughs and programming to help health centers learn how to best support the young people in their community.

MYVoice | Teen Health Mississippi

Statewide

With grants from the Women's Foundation, Teen Health Mississippi will launch MYVoice--a program designed to support youth ages 13 to...

MYVoice | Teen Health Mississippi

Statewide

With grants from the Women’s Foundation, Teen Health Mississippi will launch MYVoice–a program designed to support youth ages 13 to 19 with information about their sexual and reproductive health.

MYVoice provides peer-led sessions both online and in person to connect young people to evidence-based information. The goal is to reduce the teen pregnancy rate in Mississippi, as well as lower STI rates and boost health literacy.  strategies for the peer sex education program.

Empowered Girls, Empowered Women | Spring Initiative

Coahoma County

Spring Initiative creates new opportunities for young people in the Mississippi Delta to overcome disparities and live happy, healthier lives. Through...

Empowered Girls, Empowered Women | Spring Initiative

Coahoma County

Spring Initiative creates new opportunities for young people in the Mississippi Delta to overcome disparities and live happy, healthier lives.

Through grants from the Women’s Foundation, Spring Initiative provides regular, evidence-based sex education across all ages to ensure that students can make informed decisions about their health and feel confident in defining and maintaining the boundaries they choose to set for themselves.

These initiatives are paired with individual conversations where staff members offer emotional and logistical support to ensure that students feel motivated and equipped to access birth control, regular STD tests, medical care, etc.

Health and Hygiene Project | The S.H.E. Project

Jackson, MS

The Health and Hygiene Project seeks to combat issues of social isolation, bullying, and self-esteem by providing education and hygiene...

Health and Hygiene Project | The S.H.E. Project

Jackson, MS

The Health and Hygiene Project seeks to combat issues of social isolation, bullying, and self-esteem by providing education and hygiene toiletries at no cost to students attending elementary, middle, high and colleges in Jackson, MS.

 

The program will address these disparities with educational sessions for proper hygiene. Cultural and age-appropriate information will be provided via onsite workshops in addition to digital/written materials for reference.

 

Secondly, the program will provide an onsite hygiene closet stocked with items such as lotion, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, soap, deodorant, sanitary napkins, brush, comb, and hand sanitizer. Finally, if issues related to reproductive and/or sexual health are identified during the workshops, students will be linked to medical services.

Solid Ground Healthy Relationships | Strategic Solutions for Families, Inc.

Bolivar, Coahoma, Prentiss, Sunflower, Tippah, Union and Washington Counties

Grant funds from the Women's Foundation will go towards supporting Strategic Solutions' "Solid Ground Healthy Relationship" workshops and grants (Solid...

Solid Ground Healthy Relationships | Strategic Solutions for Families, Inc.

Bolivar, Coahoma, Prentiss, Sunflower, Tippah, Union and Washington Counties

Grant funds from the Women’s Foundation will go towards supporting Strategic Solutions’ “Solid Ground Healthy Relationship” workshops and grants (Solid Ground Sexual Risk Avoidance) across the state.

Solid Ground Healthy Relationships classes expand access to evidence-based reproductive health courses in order to help teens (aged 15 to 19) make more informed decisions about their health, reduce the teen pregnancy rate, and lower the rate of sexually transmitted diseases in Bolivar, Coahoma, Prentiss, Sunflower, Tippah, Union and Washington Counties.

Post-partum Relational Health | University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC)

Statewide

Through grants provided by the Women's Foundation, The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) was able to enhance their service...

Post-partum Relational Health | University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC)

Statewide

Through grants provided by the Women’s Foundation, The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) was able to enhance their service program focused on improving post-partum outcomes for Mississippi women.

Utilizing new evidence-based intervention methods, the Newborn Observation System (NBOS) will be implemented in NICUs and wellness visits at UMMC. NBOS aims to reduce depressive symptoms in mothers, educate parents on newborn caregiving, and positively impact the post-birth experience for new moms.

Rapid Response

We fund programs that provide critical support to underserved communities in times of need. Grants focused on rapid response are developed to help build community capacity and address key needs in local communities.

Resource Pantry for Moms | Magnolia Medical Foundation

MMF logo

Jackson, MS

Grants from the Women's Foundation of Mississippi will further the Magnolia Medical Foundation's community support services. The result of recent community...

Resource Pantry for Moms | Magnolia Medical Foundation

MMF logo

Jackson, MS

Grants from the Women’s Foundation of Mississippi will further the Magnolia Medical Foundation’s community support services.

The result of recent community crises events in Jackson, Mississippi, including the water crisis and post-pandemic system issues, have put a strain on families, particularly Black moms.

Magnolia Medical Foundation will provide essential services like diapers, food, hygienic products, and health care (doulas) for expecting and working moms in the city of Jackson.

Extra Table

ET Photo

Hattiesburg, MS

Since 2009, Extra Table has worked to provide healthy food in bulk to food pantries and soup kitchens across Mississippi....

Extra Table

ET Photo

Hattiesburg, MS

Since 2009, Extra Table has worked to provide healthy food in bulk to food pantries and soup kitchens across Mississippi. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Extra Table used Rapid Response funding to help address food shortages and provide supplies to Mississippi families significantly impacted by the pandemic.

Magnolia Medical Foundation

MMF Photo

Jackson, MS | MS Gulf Coast

Since its founding in 2009, Magnolia Medical Foundation (MMF) has provided preventive health services (health screenings, health education,...

Magnolia Medical Foundation

MMF Photo

Jackson, MS | MS Gulf Coast

Since its founding in 2009, Magnolia Medical Foundation (MMF) has provided preventive health services (health screenings, health education, promotion, chronic disease management services, i.e., cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke) to high risk and underserved individuals and communities.

During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, MMF used Rapid Response grant funds to help vaccination outreach efforts for women and underserved populations in Jackson, MS. Funds were also used to help provide food and care items to Hispanic families across the Gulf Coast. 

Institute to for the Advancement of Minority Health

Hinds County, MS

Since its founding in 2019, IAMH has worked with the Women’s Foundation to expand access to health services and information...

Institute to for the Advancement of Minority Health

Hinds County, MS

Since its founding in 2019, IAMH has worked with the Women’s Foundation to expand access to health services and information for minorities in underserved communities across Mississippi.

In 2020, the Institute utilized grants from the Women’s Foundation to identify communities in need, and to provide supplies, testing, and vaccines to communities severely impacted by COVID-19.

Two-Generation: Better Futures

The Women’s Foundation uses a two-generation approach to provide opportunities for and meet the needs of parents and their children together. We help mothers and guardians further their education and career training, while providing necessary childcare and early education to their children and grandchildren. With opportunity more readily available, multiple generations of Mississippi women can create paths to success.

Mississippi Low-Income Child-Care Initiative

MLICCI logo

Statewide

Grant funding from the Women's Foundation of Mississippi will help power the organizational programming for the Mississippi Low Income Child...

Mississippi Low-Income Child-Care Initiative

MLICCI logo

Statewide

Grant funding from the Women’s Foundation of Mississippi will help power the organizational programming for the Mississippi Low Income Child Care Initiative (MLICCI). MLICCI is a statewide nonprofit that focuses on the needs of working moms, prioritizing public policy advocacy as one solution to income inequalities in the state.

Their goal is to strengthen women’s economic security in Mississippi by making child care affordable for low-income working moms, achieving gender and racial equity in the workforce, and making the safety net work for women.

MS Coalition Against Domestic Violence

MCDAV logo

Statewide

Funds from The Women's Foundation of Mississippi will go towards advancing organizational priorities by the Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence...

MS Coalition Against Domestic Violence

MCDAV logo

Statewide

Funds from The Women’s Foundation of Mississippi will go towards advancing organizational priorities by the Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence (MCADV). This includes a series of legislative meetings and advocacy work with state legislators, industries, and other community stakeholders to garner support for state-level funding increases to off-set the financial shortfall experienced by the state’s certified domestic violence shelter programs.

Parents As Teachers | St. Gabriel Mercy Center, Inc.

Mississippi Delta

The Parents As Teachers (PAT) Program is an international organization that follows specific outlined structures and procedures that entails the...

Parents As Teachers | St. Gabriel Mercy Center, Inc.

Mississippi Delta

The Parents As Teachers (PAT) Program is an international organization that follows specific outlined structures and procedures that entails the optimal early development, learning and health of young children by supporting and engaging their parents or caregivers.

With grants from the Women’s Foundation, Parents As Teachers will provide continued certifications for caregivers wanting to become Parent Educators. Funds will also be used to support the yearly PAT Conference, and offer license for Visit Tracker, a data collection software required by the International Program, and program supplies and materials for caregivers undergoing certification. Funds will also go toward monthly in-person group meetings, home visits, and childcare supplies for parents.

The Gradus Project

Mississippi Delta

Grant funds from the Women's Foundation of Mississippi will provide organizational support for The Gradus Project. "Gradus," meaning "another step" in...

The Gradus Project

Mississippi Delta

Grant funds from the Women’s Foundation of Mississippi will provide organizational support for The Gradus Project.

“Gradus,” meaning “another step” in Latin, evokes the mission and goals of The Gradus Project: creating opportunities for women who are at risk for or have experienced domestic violence (DV), their families, and autistic youth to find economic security and secure better futures.

Mommy-N-Me | Strategic Solutions for Families, Inc.

Statewide

Based in Booneville, MS, Strategic Solutions for Families, Inc. provides resources, programs, and activities that empower children, teens, adults, and...

Mommy-N-Me | Strategic Solutions for Families, Inc.

Statewide

Based in Booneville, MS, Strategic Solutions for Families, Inc. provides resources, programs, and activities that empower children, teens, adults, and community-focused organizations in order to promote economic stability across the state.

With grant funds from the Women’s Foundation of Mississippi, Strategic Solutions was able to create Mommy-N-Me, an initiative centered on providing parents and caregivers the tools they need to support their families. This program will provide workshops in Bolivar, Coahoma, Union, Prentiss, Sunflower, Tippah, Union, and Washington counties, that will help participants build financial literacy and access local resources.

Midtown Partners

Statewide

Grants from the Women's Foundation will be used to support Midtown Partners general operations, including strategic planning and staff capacity...

Midtown Partners

Statewide

Grants from the Women’s Foundation will be used to support Midtown Partners general operations, including strategic planning and staff capacity building to allow for increase programming for Mississippi’s women and girls.

Midtown Partners has supported campaigns like Better Together, which provided opportunities for women in the Jackson-area the opportunity to receive their Child Development Associate (CDA) credentials as well as providing them with on-site training in high quality teaching practices, appropriate methods of engaging with families, real-world classroom teaching experience, and job placement.

Two-Generation: Community College

Many Mississippi women face dire social and economic barriers every day, limiting their opportunities and derailing their paths to success. We want to open more doors for more women by funding programs that offer career guidance and access to educational opportunities needed to pursue those careers. Our research-based methods have already helped hundreds of women reach a brighter future.

Making WAVES | Pearl River Community College

Pearl River Community College

The goal of Making WAVES (Women Achieving Victories and Educational Success) at Pearl River Community College, is to recruit and...

Making WAVES | Pearl River Community College

Pearl River Community College

The goal of Making WAVES (Women Achieving Victories and Educational Success) at Pearl River Community College, is to recruit and equip non-traditional and economically vulnerable families, from within the six-county service area, by providing two-generation educational programs which afford opportunities that meet the needs of parents and children.

The primary focus of this workforce development project will be to help students in need overcome barriers prior to entering the nursing workforce. Support will be awarded based on need and may provide for wrap-around services in the form of emergency funds for additional coursework expenses, healthcare licensing testing fees (required for securing employment), or mentoring programs.

Connect2MCC | Meridian Community College

Meridian, MS

Connect2MCC is a program generated with a two-generation approach in order to help female MCC students with children access the...

Connect2MCC | Meridian Community College

Meridian, MS

Connect2MCC is a program generated with a two-generation approach in order to help female MCC students with children access the tools they need to graduate on time. Connect2MCC pairs students with a supportive mentor and also gives students a $250 stipend to cover childcare, textbooks, or other supplies.

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