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Scarcity doesn’t just change budgets. It impacts people. Behind the numbers are grassroots leaders carrying immense emotional, cultural, and financial burdens while continuing to show up for their communities every day. Our research report, Carrying the Weight, Leading the Change, highlights the human cost of chronic underfunding for grassroots organizations led by women and gender-expansive people of color across Greater Boston. RSVP today to learn more about this in Session

Nonprofit burnout among women of color leaders isn’t a personal failing—it’s a structural one. New research shows what funders must do differently to support equitable grantmaking practices. Carrying the Weight, Leading the Change, a new research report from the Boston Women’s Fund, shows that women and gender-expansive nonprofit leaders of color are paying the cost of philanthropic inequities with their bodies. The report’s focus group participants expressed that insufficien

In Greater Boston, access isn’t evenly distributed. Behind many funding decisions are systems and networks that determine who gets visibility and who gets overlooked entirely. Dive into this issue in Session 2 of “From Insight to Impact," a five-part community learning and action webinar series grounded in building a shared understanding of how charitable giving shapes equity in our region. Friday, May 22 12:00–12:45 PM Virtual Free! Our research report, “Carrying the Weight,

The Boston Women’s Fund and New Commonwealth Fund are excited to invite you to a powerful and intimate evening with renowned midwife Mama Shafia in celebration of her debut book, Mothering the Mother.   This is not just a book talk: it’s an invitation into a deeper understanding of care, healing, and what it truly means to support mothers during one of the most vulnerable and transformative periods of their lives. Thursday, May 21 6:00-8:00 pm Free Street Theory Collectiv

Boston Women's Fund's CEO, Natanja Craig Oquendo and Researcher Jessica Martin sits with WCVB to discuss "Carrying the Weight, Leading the Change." WCVB CityLine: Supporting Women and Girls of Color New data shows just 0.2% of Greater Boston nonprofits focus on women and girls of color. Natanja Craig Oquendo, CEO of the Boston Women's Fund, and Jessica Martin, the research consultant for the study, lay out the resources needed to change current inequities. "When we talk about

Learn how charitable giving shapes equity for women, girls, and gender-expansive people in Boston — and how we can shift what’s possible. Join us for our free webinar series, "From Insight to Impact," kicking off on May 1! Charitable giving shapes our city in powerful ways — often in ways we don’t see. Our recent research report, Carrying the Weight, Leading the Change, shows that in Greater Boston, only a small fraction of charitable dollars reach organizations led by and se

Summit Spotlight with Natanja Craig Oquendo, Founder of the Boston Women's Fund - Boston Globe Media During the Working Mothers Summit hosted by The Boston Globe, Natanja Craig Oquendo, CEO of the Boston Women’s Fund, offered a powerful reflection on leadership, care, and systemic change. Grounded in her experience advancing community-led philanthropy, her remarks challenged narratives around productivity and success, urging a shift toward models that support the full reali

This year, Horizon Collective welcomed 14 leaders to our fifth cohort! Our leaders come from all across Greater Boston, and bring a broad range of professional backgrounds and expertise. As we look ahead to the second half of our sessions, we’ll continue building practices and cultures of collective care.

This summer, Boston Women’s Fund announced over $475,000 in grants to organizations supporting women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals in Greater Boston. Among those awards were our 2025 Movement Building grants supporting three grassroots organizations led by BIPOC women advancing immigrant justice. With the leadership of our Allocations Committee , BWF awarded Matahari Women Workers Center, Somali Parents Advocacy Center for Education, and Student Immigration Moveme

The Boston Women's Fund and the Equality Fund at the Boston Foundation stand with Giselle Byrd. Here’s how we can all show up — right now.

Boston Women's Fund is sending a huge thank you to everyone who attended our Research Unveiling & Dialogue Event! This event was only the beginning. We hope that you'll keep the momentum going and choose a way to stay involved in furthering the movement. Not sure where to start? Here are a few suggestions.

Boston Women’s Fund is excited to announce our 2025 grantee partners! Amid a year of unprecedented uncertainty for non-profit...

We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Ellice Patterson , Founder and Executive & Artistic Director of Abilities Dance Boston ...

Recently, we sat down with Tre’Andre Carmel Valentine , Executive Director of the Massachusetts Trans Political Coalition (MTPC) , for a...

The Boston Women’s Fund is both saddened and enraged by the Supreme Court’s decision in U.S. v. Skrmetti to uphold Tennessee’s ban on...

Through our work interviewing the leaders of over 30 organizations and the immigrants and migrants they serve, and reconnecting with our existing grantee partners, the stories we’ve gathered have been critical to our understanding of the current moment. Here’s what we’ve learned as a trusted partner of grassroots organizations in Greater Boston.

BWF is thrilled to welcome Aditi Dholakia (she/they) to the team as our new Senior Director of Program & Strategy!

Today, we’re proud to announce Horizon Collective, a fresh identity for Boston Women’s Fund’s leadership program!

There’s no other way to say it. The first weeks of this administration have left us furious at our government’s complete disregard for...

The Boston Women's Fund recently added new leaders to our incredible Board of Directors! Meet Qwin Mbabazi (she/any)! Qwin is currently...