What I’ve Learned In My First 30 Days
Community is the antidote to the potential spiral of hopelessness we can find ourselves in now
It’s where we mend, mobilize, and double down
I am honored to serve this community in a new capacity as president & CEO of The Women’s Foundation of Colorado. It is a unique privilege to lead a foundation that supports the cultivation of philanthropy by and for women.
I spent my formative philanthropic years in fundraising, eight of them leading WFCO’s development team. For this reason, I am intimately familiar with two numbers that explain why the volume and velocity of threats by the new administration directed at programs advancing gender, racial, and economic equity are alarming:
- U.S. charitable giving to organizations serving women and girls has been stuck for years at a paltry 1.9%.
- U.S. foundation giving to women and girls of color barely registers on a pie chart at .5%.
Women’s foundations will always be necessary because our rights and freedoms are subject to erosion at any moment
Although The Women’s Foundation of Colorado does not rely on federal funding, a federal funding freeze will incapacitate many of our grantee partners – especially those providing essential services to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Much of their funding comes from the Office of Violence Against Women and Office for Victims of Crime.
Beyond the numbers, we are extremely troubled by President Trump’s executive orders and actions to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts and deny access to opportunity for immigrants and gender-expansive individuals. Not only do they stand in direct opposition to our mission, vision, and values, they will have detrimental community-wide consequences we are only beginning to comprehend – from housing to safety to health.
Sadly, these orders also illustrate why a community foundation that exists to safeguard and advance women’s hard-fought wins will always be necessary: Despite all our progress, women’s rights and freedoms rest on fragile ground, subject to erosion at any moment. It can take just days to topple critical programs and systems, but it takes years to rebuild the lives they impact.
This precarious reality demands more than hope – it demands all of us asking ourselves how we will care for each other. The Women’s Foundation is working to understand the funding gaps of critical community partners who are being impacted, identify how we can free up more money, and examine with other funders how philanthropy can step up to address the needs of our statewide community.
The Women’s Foundation of Colorado is your community foundation where we can mend, mobilize, and double down on our movement to create a future where women and girls of every background and identity prosper.
“Community works quicker than any system set up to support us”
Recently a LinkedIn post by one of our grantee partners stopped me mid-scroll. Tara Jae, executive director of YouthSeen, a Women & Girls of Color Fund grantee partner, wrote, “Community works quicker than any system set up to support us.”
As we watch years of hard-fought victories for just policies, social progress, and equitable systems be erased or threatened, let’s remember the power of community. Love of community, being in community, and caring for all humans who make up our community is the antidote to the potential spiral of hopelessness we can find ourselves in now.
Our community is your sanctuary for authentic expression and fearless curiosity
But let me be crystal clear about this community: The Women’s Foundation of Colorado is your sanctuary for authentic expression and fearless curiosity. We don’t just welcome your voice – we need it! Challenge us with your questions. Voice your deepest concerns. Call us in when something doesn’t add up. Celebrate with us when something resonates.
Your perspective isn’t just valuable – it’s vital to our shared mission of creating lasting change. This is your space to speak your truth. And we’re listening.
I invite you to join me and our board and staff for three empowering community events in March and April:
Chat4Change: Choose Your Own Adventure in Civic Engagement
March 4, 4:30-7:30 pm at the Chambers Center
Join us for a Chat4Change conversation with Emily Amick, NYT bestselling author of Democracy in Retrograde, about rethinking civic engagement as a form of self-care. As we navigate a new landscape in 2025, Emily will explain how to feel better connected to community, escape the hopelessness spiral, and use action as an antidote to despair. Through interactive exercises with other attendees led by WFCO staff, you’ll leave this event knowing your unique civic personality and with an outline of civic activities that draws upon your strengths. If you can’t join us in-person, a virtual option is available.
2025 Advocacy Day at The Capitol
March 12, 8:00 am – Noon, State Capitol
Make your voice heard at the State Capitol! When you join us for our annual advocacy day, you’ll get an inside look at how the legislative process works, advocate for issues that matter to you, and connect directly with your state representatives. This is about getting comfortable at the Capitol and exercising your right as a Colorado resident. Believe it or not, your representatives want to hear from you! We take the guesswork out of how to make that happen and provide guidance on how to speak up about the issues that matter to you. Experts and legislators will paint the picture for us about challenges the General Assembly faces in 2025 and where the greatest opportunities are to advance and accelerate Colorado women and families!
Leading With Community: Meet Our New President & CEO
April 24, 6:00 – 8:30 pm, Mexican Cultural Center
Join us in welcoming Renee Ferrufino as The Women’s Foundation of Colorado’s president and CEO! “Leading with Community” is a special gathering for our statewide community of supporters, partners, and advocates in Denver’s vibrant and unique Mexican Cultural Center. We invite those who have been with us along the way and anyone who is new to The Foundation and is curious about what we do! Connect, engage, and hear Renee’s vision for WFCO. Together, we’ll celebrate the power of community and collaboration as we build a stronger, more inclusive future for all Colorado women and families. Help us meet this moment, join fellow changemakers, and give a warm WFCO welcome to our new leader!
