Grants

Many social and economic barriers hold back Mississippi women every day, limiting their opportunities to succeed. Our mission is to help them thrive. Because when women thrive, so does our state. That’s why we award grants to programs that drive social change – like decreasing unplanned pregnancies through medically accurate, evidence-based sexual education, or helping mothers graduate in order to provide a better quality of life for their children.

Since 2012, we’ve given $2.2 million in total grants to local organizations across the state, changing the lives of thousands of women and girls and sparking real change in our communities.

We streamline the grant process to realize the maximum benefit for philanthropy that benefits women and girls in Mississippi. With a deep well of staff experience working in this sector and a committed board at the forefront of trends affecting the state, we’re an effective channel for funders looking to make a difference for women and girls in Mississippi.

Thorough vetting – Through the application and follow-up reporting processes, we develop partnerships with trusted grantee organizations and measure impact to know what’s working.

Inclusion – We help identify organizations working with underrepresented populations and invite them to apply for grants.

Collaborate – A grant from the Women’s Foundation of Mississippi isn’t just a check. It’s an invitation to a circle of organizations working together, sharing best practices, and moving the needle for women and girls.

Build capacity – Through support, we help organizations develop the capacity needed to raise sustainable funds, connect to supporters, and continue making a positive impact in Mississippi.

Recent Grants
Complete Grants History

Healthy Women

One of our top priorities is to reduce teen and unplanned pregnancy rates through real sexual education that is evidence-based and medically accurate. Not only do these unplanned pregnancies handicap future generations, they cost our state $155 million in lost economic potential every year. By ensuring teens have access to pregnancy prevention programs, we can keep young women on track to finish their education and achieve their dreams. We’re proud to say our efforts have already helped lower Mississippi’s teen birth rate, but we still have a long way to go.

Healthy Girls, Powerful Women, Strong Communities | Spring Initiative

Spring (Healthy girls)

Mississippi Delta

The proposed project - Healthy Girls, Powerful Women, Strong Communities - will build on the impactful work Spring has established...

Healthy Girls, Powerful Women, Strong Communities | Spring Initiative

Spring (Healthy girls)

Mississippi Delta

The proposed project – Healthy Girls, Powerful Women, Strong Communities – will build on the impactful work Spring has established in the last 8 years while further enhancing its effectiveness. The intervention efforts Spring students receive on a daily and long-term basis are designed to provide them with access to opportunity, a vision for a positive future, access to preventive health care services, and high-quality sex education, regardless of what obstacles they are facing. Spring provides regular, evidence-based sex education across all ages to ensure that students understand for themselves why it is important to value and protect their bodies, and feel confident in defining and maintaining the boundaries they choose to set for themselves.

Spring Initiative will:

  • Ensure that Junior Spring and Big Spring students benefit from the evidence-based “Making Proud Choices!” sexual and reproductive health curriculum, demonstrating increased self-awareness and self-confidence as a result of their participation in the sessions, particularly as it relates to their choices around sexual activities.
  • Provide high-quality, bi-weekly boys and girls time at Junior and Big Spring to bring about growth in areas such as self-esteem, understanding and valuing of boundaries, motivation to invest in one’s future, etc.
  • Provide consistent individual support to students around areas of sexual and reproductive health, including one-on-one conversations, referrals, and offering logistical support.
  • Thirty-five (35) Spring students will benefit from therapy on a weekly basis, 20 of whom are girls, and students will be able to access group therapy whenever needed to help resolve any conflicts or difficult situations at a cohort or small group level.
  • Ensure that Mini Spring and Little Spring students benefit from the evidence-based “Promoting Health!” relationship-building and boundary-setting curriculum, demonstrating increased self-awareness and self-confidence as a result of their participation in the sessions.

EmpowerHER | MSU Health Promotion & Wellness

MSU Health Promotion & Wellness

Starkville, MS

The Department of Health Promotion and Wellness proposes a sexual health empowerment program to meet the needs of our college...

EmpowerHER | MSU Health Promotion & Wellness

MSU Health Promotion & Wellness

Starkville, MS

The Department of Health Promotion and Wellness proposes a sexual health empowerment program to meet the needs of our college students by providing campaigns, programs, lunch and learns, workshops, and free and/or reduced STI testing. The program would include health service volunteers, graduate assistants, student association health and wellness council, Greek life council, and athletes to assist with the campaigns. Health Promotion and Wellness will utilize students to help
promote the initiatives. MSU proposed to:

  • Increase the number of Mississippi State University students that participate in reduced cost sexually transmitted infection testing events each semester. Students will be tested for gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, and HIV.
  • Increase the knowledge of reproductive health among female Mississippi State University students.
  • Health Promotion and Wellness will host a “Ladies Night Out” event that would have wellness seminars on topics that center around reproductive health.
  • Health Promotion and Wellness will host a "Gentlemen Night Out” event that would have wellness seminars on topics that center around reproductive health.
  • Increase the knowledge of reproductive health among female Mississippi State University employees.
  • Increase the awareness of the availability of free condoms on Mississippi State University campus for students.

Mobile Reproductive Health in Mississippi Delta | Plan A Health

Plan A Health

Mississippi Delta

Plan A mobile clinics bring health care directly to underserved communities, with an emphasis on improving sexual and reproductive health. The...

Mobile Reproductive Health in Mississippi Delta | Plan A Health

Plan A Health

Mississippi Delta

Plan A mobile clinics bring health care directly to underserved communities, with an emphasis on improving sexual and
reproductive health. The clinics will serve all people, regardless of insurance status, income, or location, and ensure access to affordable, quality, and compassionate care. The first Plan A mobile health clinic will serve the Mississippi Delta region, beginning with five counties: Sunflower, Leflore, Holmes, Bolivar, and Washington. The Plan A mobile clinics are primarily focused on providing care to women aged 16-44 in the targeted communities. Plan A seeks to provide care to uninsured and underinsured community members.

STD Risk Reduction for African American Girls and Women | Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health

Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health

Hinds County, MS

The Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health will: Create two community advisory boards (CAB) of Black females ages 15-19 and...

STD Risk Reduction for African American Girls and Women | Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health

Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health

Hinds County, MS

The Institute for the Advancement of Minority Health will:

Create two community advisory boards (CAB) of Black females ages 15-19 and Black females ages 20-24- to develop strategies for the prevention and reduction of STD’s, HIV and viral hepatitis in Hinds County.

Create a network of community network of health, non-health, and social services providers to facilitate the linkage of Black females ages 15-24 in the target area to HIV/STD, HPV screening, information and referrals, behavioral risk
counseling, and other social support services.

Reduce the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases among Black females ages 15-24 in the target area.

Create culturally sensitive strategically planned communication and marketing campaign designed to provide information about strategies for reducing and preventing STD’s among Black females between the ages of 15-24 years of age in Hinds County.

Evaluate the effectiveness of this evidence-based approach to reducing and preventing STD transmission among Black women ages 15-24 years of age in Hinds County.

The Lighthouse | Black Girl Projects

National Florence Crittenton Mission

The Lighthouse creates programming focused on sexual reproductive health and relationship wellbeing targeted at high-school and college-aged girls/young...

The Lighthouse | Black Girl Projects

National Florence Crittenton Mission

The Lighthouse creates programming focused on sexual reproductive health and relationship wellbeing targeted at high-school and college-aged girls/young women and boys/young men. The organization’s focus is the holistic health of the community and the relationship of the many types of people who live therein.

Two-Generation Better Futures

The Women’s Foundation uses a two-generation approach to provide opportunities for and meet the needs of parents and their children together. We help mothers and guardians further their education and career training, while providing necessary childcare and early education to their children and grandchildren. With opportunity more readily available, multiple generations of Mississippi women can create paths to success.

Families Thriving Through and Post COVID-19 | Spring Initiative

Spring Initiative (Families)

Mississippi Delta

Spring Initiative will: Ensure that the 40 parents of our most regular Spring students, as well as the 60 Baby University...

Families Thriving Through and Post COVID-19 | Spring Initiative

Spring Initiative (Families)

Mississippi Delta

Spring Initiative will:
Ensure that the 40 parents of our most regular Spring students, as well as the 60 Baby University participants over the upcoming three class sessions, receive consistent and individualized support from the Spring staff as they work to make
their family thrive.

Successfully offer a monthly workshop for Spring parents, family members, and other community members. The first three sessions will focus on topics related to coping with Covid-19, such as stress, technology, and overall health – emotional,
mental, and physical. In 2021, Spring will administer a new parent survey to determine topics of highest interest and relevance for parents, which will then inform the topics chosen for the remaining six workshops.

Parents as Teachers | St. Gabriel Mercy Center, Inc.

St. Gabriel (PAT)

Mound Bayou, MS

The Parents As Teachers (PAT) Program is an international organization that follows specific outlined structures and procedures that entails the...

Parents as Teachers | St. Gabriel Mercy Center, Inc.

St. Gabriel (PAT)

Mound Bayou, MS

The Parents As Teachers (PAT) Program is an international organization that follows specific outlined structures and procedures that entails the optimal early development, learning and health of young children by supporting and engaging their parents or caregivers. The two certified Parent Educators provide in-home services to children and families once a month the first three years of the child’s life to assess the child’s overall development. A ten-week parenting curriculum will be implemented. Saturday classes will be offered once a month; speakers will offer self-esteem, nutritional, anger management, and adult and teen parenting classes. Due to the lack of a support systems, St. Gabriel is proposing to open a Children’s Learning Lab. The Lab will allow the child(ren) of the program to be engaged in learning activities while their parents are attending monthly meetings and Saturday classes.

Two-Generation Community College

Many Mississippi women face dire social and economic barriers every day, limiting their opportunities and derailing their paths to success. We want to open more doors for more women by funding programs that offer career guidance and access to educational opportunities needed to pursue those careers. Our research-based methods have already helped hundreds of women reach a brighter future.

Making WAVES | Pearl River Community College

Making WAVES reading area

Pearl River Community College

The goal of Making WAVES (Women Achieving Victories and Educational Success) at Pearl River Community College, is to recruit and...

Making WAVES | Pearl River Community College

Making WAVES reading area

Pearl River Community College

The goal of Making WAVES (Women Achieving Victories and Educational Success) at Pearl River Community College, is to recruit and equip non-traditional and economically vulnerable families, from within the six-county service area, by providing two-generation educational programs which afford opportunities that meet the needs of parents and children.

Two-Generation Wrap Around Support for Financially Insecure Female Caregivers | 2nd Chance MS

2nd Chance MS degree recipients

Oxford

By providing wrap-around support to low-income, adult students, 2nd Chance MS has been able to help over 1,000 individuals continue...

Two-Generation Wrap Around Support for Financially Insecure Female Caregivers | 2nd Chance MS

2nd Chance MS degree recipients

Oxford

By providing wrap-around support to low-income, adult students, 2nd Chance MS has been able to help over 1,000 individuals continue their educational pathway, including 283 High School Equivalencies and 291 Workforce Certifications.
By enabling adults in Mississippi to finish their education, they are empowering individuals to step out of poverty and into the workforce.

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