History

The inspiration for The Women's Fund of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, Inc. came from the 75th Anniversary of Women's Right to Vote, in 1995. After attending the national celebration in Seneca Falls, Ann Allen had the idea of forming a women's organization in Herkimer and Oneida Counties to assist women and girls in a time of crisis. She invited a number of friends and acquaintances who were willing to each donate $1,000 or more to establish a fund for this purpose. These women became the founders of The Women's Fund. After many long hours and the selfless dedication of our founders, The Women's Fund of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, Inc. became a reality in 1997!

The Women's Fund at its beginnings had two main components - first to raise money and secondly to decide where to grant the funds raised. All local not-for-profit organizations that provide services and programs for women and girls are eligible to be considered to receive funding. The first grant was made to The House of the Good Shepherd for "Smart Start", an early intervention program working with new mothers. Since that time, we have granted hundreds of thousands of dollars and made a positive difference for countless women and families in our area.

As we grew and became better known in the community as a source of help and hope, the late Richard Hanna, an area businessman and former congressman, came to us with a proposal to create a fund to help individual women in temporary but immediate crisis situations. With Mr. Hanna's financial support, Annie's Fund was established in 2005. It was then necessary to find "Partner Agencies" to identify women in need and to front monies to them which would be reimbursed by The Women's Fund. Our first gift was simple but life changing - $50 for a woman to renew her nursing license. Without this support, she would not have been able to continue in her career and provide for her family. We partner with more than a dozen local agencies and will add organizations as needs continue to arise.

In 2018, Isla's Fund was established with a generous donation from one of our board members to help women in need of financial assistance to further their education and remain in school. We believe that education is the most powerful tool in helping women escape the confines of poverty. But…emergencies happen, and this stop-gap measure of a grant from Isla's Fund can make a significant impact on a woman's ability to move forward today and for a more positive future. Our first partner college was Mohawk Valley Community College, and we work with the staff to identify female students in need. We also provide for female students through Young Scholars, and the Education Committee of The Women's Fund continually works to consider and add other institutions to further our reach within the community.

The Women's Fund is a volunteer driven agency sustained solely by donor contributions and led by women who are committed to creating a movement to change the lives of women and girls in our area. We support women in overcoming the obstacles they face due to poverty, violence or other lifechanging situations.

    Since 1997, we have awarded:
  • $427,000 in program grants to promote the health and well-being of women and girls in our community, empowering them to achieve independence and success in life.
  • $200,000 to hundreds of women through Annie's Fund
  • $8,000 through Isla's Fund in partnership with Mohawk Valley Community College and Young Scholars. Additional partner colleges in our area continue to be added.

2022 marks our 25th Anniversary and while we are proud of our history, we are always looking for innovative ways to assist women and girls to become strong and successful. We are dedicated to the vision of our founders and will continue to work together to make a difference and Empower Women and Girls in our community.