Earn to Learn FL

The programs of the Women’s Foundation tie into the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and support the general well-being of women and girls in Southwest Florida from many different angles – economic opportunities, educational achievement, and preventing violence against women. The solutions created at the Women’s Foundation are effective and creative, and are implemented with persistence and consideration. As a recent graduate, I have found the mentoring and support of other staff members to be unparalleled.

The Women's Foundation commitment to ensuring the economic security of women is something they put into action every day. Through the Foundation, I was able to secure a $10,000 interest-free loan to grow my business and connect with a network of women who are committed to elevating one another. I am so grateful for the Foundation's work and commitment to SWFL women and girls.

The Woman Foundation has a very clear and noteworthy mission focused on improving the quality of life for women and girls. As an engaged volunteer, I have first-hand knowledge of the dedication and creativity of the organization's leadership and their passion to provide meaningful solutions to those in need.

Whether it is to create avenues for interest-free loans for women entrepreneurs, to offer educational pathways with financial stability, or to promote awareness on the perils of human trafficking, the Women's Foundation is actively engaged. Their leadership and scores of volunteers have elevated these issues by offering concrete solutions and initiating meaningful community conversation. In a short period of time, the Women's Foundation has earned a respected voice at the table and is perceived to be a leader when advocating opportunities for women and girls.

Noreen Thomas, Ed.D
National American University

Access to capital is an obstacle to starting or growing a business. The Women's Fund of SWFL is dedicated to supporting woman owned businesses in our community by partnering with funding organizations that give women the opportunities they need to be successful and financially independent. I was recently supported and promoted by the Women's Fund to secure an interest free loan through the KIVA Zip Loan Organization, a crowd funding platform. They supported me and guided me through the process and I received a $5000.00 loan in a very short amount of time. I am using the funds to purchase additional equipment to expand my business and give PhotoMagicEvents a competitive advantage. I am also impressed by the Women's Fund of SWFL's dedication to helping to eradicate human trafficking in SWFL.

The Women's Fund is the organization in Southwest Florida focused exclusively on issues most important to women and girls. The long term investments made by The Women's Fund to address modern slavery and economic security will have a significant and measurable impact over time. The joy and privilege of engaging with other like minded women and men in our region is a great bonus.

I began to engage with The Women's Fund of Southwest Florida in 2013. I was intrigued by the integrity and intensions of both the President Brenda Tate and the Board as a whole. As a single mother of a daughter, I'm committed to making the Southwest Florida region an area I'm proud to be a member of and raise my family. The fact that this organization started with researching the region in collaboration with RERI at FGCU and determining what areas lack either services or data as a foundation to crafting the objectives was of utmost importance to me. As TWF moves forward and launches programs targeting financial education, micro loans to women businesses and supporting a trafficking center at FGCU I'm proud to be an advocate. The people I meet who have such a passion for supporting and seeing women succeed are inspiring.

The Regional Economic Research Institute (RERI), of the Lutgert College of Business, at Florida Gulf Coast University has worked with The Women Fund of Southwest Florida (TWF) from their inception. Our initial collaboration with the TWF was in November, 2011, when the RERI responded to a request for proposal to conduct a comprehensive study of the status of women and girls in Southwest Florida. The report: The Status of Women in Southwest Florida was completed in August 2012 and represented the first comprehensive study of women and girls in our region.

Since completing this report, RERI has continued its collaboration with TWF. We have served as a friend and sounding board for TWF as they worked on varied programs from addressing the issue of the sex trade and human slavery via a partnership with FGCU, Institute for Justice Studies and the State’s Attorney Office, to promoting opportunities for women in the workplace. Currently, we are working with TWF to provide annual updates to the “The Status of Women in Southwest Florida” report, and to assist them in mission driven efforts to provide a healthier and safer environment for women and girls in our region.

In summary, over the last decade RERI was worked with many public and private organizations and agencies in the region. In all the studies and reports that we have produced and all the alliances we have forged, our work and our collaboration with TWF has been one of the most satisfying and rewarding. They are truly a unique organization, led by a group of competent, committed, professionals who are dedicated to creating better lives and more opportunities for women and girls throughout our region.

The Women's Fund of Southwest Florida focuses on issues affecting the quality of life and financial well-being of women and girls in Southwest Florida. There is no other organization in this area which focuses on these issues for the betterment of women, so the Women's Fund fills a huge gap in this area of need. Three specific projects of the Fund are human trafficking, financing of women entrepreneurs and a matched savings program.
Women and children represent the greater number of victims of human trafficking. The Fund has donated sufficient start up funds to operate a human trafficking center at Florida Gulf Coast University to help coordinate a variety of resources for law enforcement, prosecutors and social service workers to combat human trafficking and to help its victims. Before the start up of the center, there was not sufficient cooperation among the various agencies to protect and help these victims.
The loan program permits women entrepreneurs to secure financing to launch and operate their businesses and the matched savings program helps women build a savings account for their education or to help build their businesses. The Fund helps women help themselves for a better future.