Sisters Open Giving Fund Focused on Racial, Climate Justice
POG Hill Giving Fund Is A Long-Term Giving Vehicle for Shapiro Family
Wanting to become more politically engaged and inspired by the annual giving modeled by their parents, sisters Hazel and Lily Shapiro – with Lily’s husband Matt Stevenson – opened their own giving fund at WFCO in 2020 with a specific focus in mind.
“The overarching intention of the fund is to work toward justice,” said Lily. “Climate and racial justice are intertwined.”
Guided by this belief, in their first year as donor-advised fund holders, they granted to Alliance for Global Justice/Movement for Black Lives, the Women’s Impact Investing Giving Circle at WFCO, Chinook Fund’s “Another World is Possible” Fund, and nonprofits focused on the environment.
In the future, the sisters plan to make most of their grants individually as they have different passions and priorities. For instance, Lily and Matt feel it’s important to support local organizations where they live in Seattle. However, they also plan to gather annually as a family to decide upon causes and organizations to support jointly.
The overarching intention is to work toward justice. Climate and racial justice are intertwined. – Lily Shapiro
POG Hill Opened to Create Change Over 20 to 30 Years
In partnership with WFCO, Hazel, Lily, and Matt plan to use their donor-advised fund strategically to make lasting change. “The fact that we all have slightly different perspectives means this will be an ongoing conversation. We’re just at the beginning of this,” said Hazel. “It’s not a one or two-year thing. It will be a journey over 20 or 30 years.”
Hazel first joined WFCO’s community of giving in 2019. She wanted to dip her toes in the water on impact investing and joined the Women’s Impact Investing Giving Circle – the first of its kind in the country. Through conversations with other members of the giving circle, Hazel learned that WFCO holds dozens of donor-advised funds. She recruited Lily and Matt to open a family fund with her. She was drawn to the personal touch and community offered by WFCO that includes education events and fund holder gatherings.
A sense of community and personal connection drew them to WFCO
“The idea of opening a donor-advised fund had been on my mind for a while,” said Hazel. “While I did look at other institutions, the sense of community and personal connection drew me to The Women’s Foundation.”
Fittingly, the name of their donor-advised fund itself symbolizes connection. “POG Hill” is how they affectionately refer to their grandparents’ home in Wisconsin. It holds sentimental value for Hazel and Lily and also represents the intergenerational family connection they hope to continue with the POG Hill Giving Fund.
Benefits of a donor-advised fund
Read more about other donor-advised funds at WFCO including the Burn Bright Fund, the A&A Abarca Fund, and the Klinge/McArthur Fund for Women & Girls. Fund holders at WFCO have access to the following benefits:
- Making contributions and receiving an income tax charitable deduction in the year they make them
- Naming beneficiary advisors to extend their philanthropic legacy to the next generation
- Granting to any 501(c)3 in the U.S.
- Exploring WFCO’s unique opportunities to align their values with their investments.
To learn more about opening a donor-advised fund at The Women’s Foundation of Colorado, contact Vice President of Development Renee Ferrufino at reneef@wfco.org.
