COLUMBUS, OH – Catalyst Columbus, in partnership with The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio, is proud to announce the creation of “Empowerment,” a vibrant new large-scale mural, celebrating feminine strength and resilience. The project, located in the heart of Olde Towne East, Columbus, Ohio, is a collaborative effort between artists Lucie Shearer and Paul Giovis, who have transformed the facing walls of 62 and 74 Parsons Avenue into a powerful visual narrative.

The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio, dedicated to empowering women and girls, envisioned this project as a testament to the strength and interconnectedness of women. The mural’s theme, “Empowerment,” resonates deeply with the organization’s mission.

“Art has so much potential to inspire change and spread new ideas which is why we’re proud to support this project,” said Kelley Griesmer, President and CEO of The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio. “We hope these mural shifts viewers’ perspectives on gender and encourages each of us to recognize the strong women in our community.”

Lucie Shearer’s contribution to the mural depicts a captivating scene of women sharing the flame of
empowerment, symbolizing the importance of mentorship and support among women. Paul Giovis’s artwork captures the fluidity and power of water, drawing parallels between the life-giving force of women and the natural world.

“We believe that public facing art has the power to inspire, transform and strengthen the economic vitality of communities,” said Brian Suiter of Catalyst Columbus. “This mural is a visual representation of the strength, resilience, and interconnectedness of women, and we are honored to have played a role in bringing it to life.”

The project was made possible through the generous support of The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio, the Catalyst Fund and GCAC. Building owner Henry Schwartz provided the canvas for this inspiring artwork, and Compton Construction donated essential equipment, ensuring the artists had the resources to realize their vision.

“Empowerment” was completed at the end of August, and the community is encouraged to visit Olde Towne East to witness the mural and experience its powerful message firsthand.

To further the conversation around empowerment and gender equity, The Women’s Fund is hosting a special Big Table community conversation on Wednesday, September 25, from 5:30-7:30 PM. Held amidst the backdrop of the “Empowerment” mural, this unique gathering, presented in partnership with The Columbus Foundation, will feature the unveiling of the mural and a discussion on how we can collectively achieve gender equity in Central Ohio and beyond.

About Catalyst Columbus: Catalyst Columbus is a non-profit organization dedicated to elevating
communities through inspired, large-scale contemporary murals.

About The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio: The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio is committed to
transforming the lives of women and girls through research, grantmaking, and advocacy.

A major component of trust-based philanthropy is multi-year, unrestricted funding. We take our responsibility to be a different kind of funder seriously, and so do our donors. That’s why Carol Andreae, a Women’s Fund founder and longtime Grants Committee member, is stepping up to help us pilot this new program. These multi-year grants focus on investing in women’s voices and leadership to build a brighter future for women and girls in Central Ohio.

Without further ado, please meet our two inaugural partners: LEAD Ohio Foundation and Justice for Migrant Women! Both of these organizations are receiving $30,000 per year for the next two years. This funding will allow these organizations to plan ahead and build sustainability for their innovative and crucial programs.

Meet the partners

LEAD Ohio Foundation – Women LEADing Ohio
The LEAD Ohio Foundation exists to recruit, train, connect, and support individuals, especially those from communities that are underserved and underrepresented, who want to build a more equitable Ohio through progressive change. Women LEADing Ohio helps to identify, train, and support women who are focused on growing the number of women in government office, whether they are working on a campaign or are candidates themselves. By increasing the number of women in the political process in Ohio, they ensure the needs and voices of women and families are represented in our government.

Justice for Migrant Women – Channeling the Power of Migrant Women
Justice for Migrant Women channels the power of migrant women in Central Ohio to advocate for gender equity through policy change. In the next year, they will work alongside migrant women to raise awareness of and shift engagement in the priority issues Justice for Migrant Women will collaboratively identify with these women, who are too often excluded from places of power and missing from the public policy decisions that impact their lives. They work toward policy changes that improve pay equity, increase migrant women’s protections from workplace harm and exploitation, and increase access to justice for survivors of sexual violence.

Stay tuned for updates about this pilot and how you can join Carol to support future multi-year grantmaking efforts!

At The Women’s Fund, we believe in trust-based philanthropy. And that means unrestricted investments in the leadership and vision of women, especially women of color. We’re thrilled to announce the next round of investments from the Enduring Progress Initiative (EPI), our program designed to tackle the funding gaps that women of color uniquely face. Each of the following organizations will receive $50,000 to support their leadership and capacity building.

The Women’s Center for Economic Opportunity, led by Keena Smith

The Women’s Center for Economic Opportunity equips, elevates, and empowers African American women and other women of color. They provide access to knowledge and resources for women of color to create generational wealth and a legacy of economic impact while staying well. Through their programming, they are advancing economic equity, inclusion, and justice for women of color. Learn more at www.womensceo.org.

Femergy, led by Maylin Sambois and Christina Vera

For the past ten years, Femergy® has provided girls and women with skills to overcome gender barriers in public and private spheres. They recently opened The Femergy® Restorative Center in downtown Columbus to expand their work in providing holistic programming in the areas of education, leadership, health, and wellness. The new facility is also available for community use! To learn more or schedule a tour, please visit www.femergy.org.

Why EPI is more than just a grant

When we invite partners to pitch for EPI funding, we want them to have their best shot at success.

That’s why we partnered with Drew Alexander Consulting to provide this round of EPI applicants with training, resources, and dedicated coaching to make their pitch the best it can be. We helped them build and strengthen their skills to support their success in our process and, importantly, their success when pitching to other funders as they continue to grow.

The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio is investing $249,000 in the following 19 partner organizations focused on women and girls in Central Ohio. 68% of these partners specifically focus on women and girls of color; 32% are programs that have not been funded by The Women’s Fund before; and 58% support women and girls in counties other than Franklin. We’re thrilled to stand with them in 2023 to create social change and build a more equitable world.

⭐ = made possible in part by the Monica Terez Girl Power Fund
👕 = made possible in part by HOMAGE Works

Accompanying Returning Citizens with Hope (ARCH)
Be the Change
Be the Change is a leadership program developed with ARCH and Horizon Prison Initiative to provide incarcerated women with leadership skills and education on civic issues. Through the program, women learn how to use their voices effectively to address policy issues that are important to their successful reintegration.

Central Community House ⭐👕
TRANSIT ARTS Black Girls Glow+
TRANSIT ARTS, a program of Central Community House, will expand the Black Girls Glow program to include Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) girls. The program helps girls build self-esteem and leadership skills and develop a promising future through arts and mental wellness activities. Three cohorts will experience self-growth through intensive, intimate workshops. As participants discover their strengths and talents, they will continue their artistic journey, gain professional experience, and receive ongoing mentorship and access to mental health resources through ongoing TRANSIT ARTS programs.

Equality Ohio Education Fund
Supporting Trans Girls in Sports through the Ohio Can Play Project
Transgender youth are being marginalized by policy-makers. Eighteen states have banned transgender girls from playing sports on teams matching their gender identity; similar bills are pending in Ohio (as of fall of 2022). This directly harms transgender girls by increasing suicidal ideation and stigmatizing an already misunderstood group. This program seeks to advance its educational work so transgender girls continue to have access to sports respecting their gender identity. We seek to expand the power of #OhioCanPlay in Central Ohio to elevate the voices of transgender girls and those who support them.

Femergy
GHRO Your Future
GHRO Your Future is a life-skills development and mentoring program for girls ages 12-18. Each participant is matched with a strong female leader from the community to discuss personal goals and ambitions and receive social-emotional support. In workshops, participants engage in hands-on activities in the areas of academic support, career exploration, workforce readiness, leadership development, mental wellness, and confidence building. GHRO operates in schools for limited, targeted programming, and as a community-based program where girls connect with mentors at least once per month, attend two monthly life-skills workshops, and attend a two-day conference.

Freedom a la Cart
Pioneering a Road to Economic Recovery for Survivors of Human Trafficking
Freedom a la Cart’s workforce development program effectively empowers survivors of human trafficking to lead new lives of personal and economic self-sufficiency. Moving human trafficking survivors out of vulnerability and poverty and into stability and economic self-sufficiency requires more than just a job. The program melds case management, trauma counseling, workforce development, career coaching + mentorship, financial literacy training, and savings incentives. By walking alongside women on the road of recovery and providing them with resources, community, and employment, women are empowered to build a life of independence, advance into fulfilling careers, and build wealth.

Girls L.E.A.P. ⭐
Girls LEAP STEM Program
Girls LEAP STEM Program is a year-long monthly educational program that includes summer camp. It is built upon the successes of a week-long STEAM Camp held in 2021 and 2022, during which the girls learned how to code by creating their own unique characters that “talked”, built websites, and created robots using basic materials like cardboard for propeller cars. These experiences allowed for an increased interest in technology-based careers, curiosity in STEM, and confidence in their ability to learn technical subjects. The program will empower girls from under-served communities that experience more disadvantages at home and school.

Groundwork Ohio
Strong Voices make a Strong Community – Advocacy Day
Decisions deeply impacting the lives of women and young children are often made without their voices being heard. Public policy plays a critical role in our society but can perpetuate structural inequities that prevent certain populations from leading healthy lives.

Groundwork Ohio is an advocacy organization informing early learning and healthy development policies for Ohio’s young children. We will train and engage women and families in the process of using their voices to support policies that most influence the positive life trajectories of young children: maternal and young child health and access to quality early learning.

ICE Mentors (Eryn PiNK) ⭐
She’s Gold Leadership Program
The concept of Eryn PiNK is based on a fictional, 12-year-old African American animated girl who illustrates what it means to be an empowered leader. Her real-life experiences underscore the needs our organization addresses and steer our curriculum.

Eryn PiNK Girl Empowerment is dedicated to the development of girls, with a targeted emphasis on creating pathways of advancement for girls of color to thrive. Led by a dedicated team of “role models,” our programs implement culturally relevant solutions to develop leadership skills, increase confidence, and provide opportunities so they may amplify their voices through our in-school and community programs.

Justice for Migrant Women
Channeling the Power of Migrant Women to Advance Gender Equity
Justice for Migrant Women will channel the power of migrant women in Central Ohio to advocate for gender equity through policy change. In the next year, we will work alongside migrant women to raise awareness of and shift engagement in the priority issues we collaboratively identify with these women, who are too often excluded from places of power and missing from the public policy decisions that impact their lives. We will work toward policy changes that improve pay equity, increase migrant women’s protections from workplace harm and exploitation, and increase access to justice for survivors of sexual violence.

LifeCare Alliance
We Are Worth Defending
IMPACT Safety’s “We Are Worth Defending” initiative aims to make the proven and tested methodology of empowerment self-defense (ESD) easily available, affordable, culturally relevant, and accessible. Additionally, programs will be implemented by women of color for women and girls of color. The initiative includes ongoing research, training, instructor certification, community advocacy, and violence prevention awareness in Franklin County and contiguous communities.

MY Project USA ⭐
Expansion of Leadership and Empowerment Program for Immigrant and Refugee Girls
The Girls’ Leadership and Empowerment Program is a safe space for young women to develop as leaders within their community while they build self-esteem, grow their communication skills, and define their hopes and ambitions. Girls will learn to build their power with the Ohio Women’s Alliance, work with local leaders to address violence and other community issues, and provide community service—emphasizing the Muslim tradition of service to fellow human beings. MY Project USA’s staff and volunteers will expand opportunities for young Muslim, Arab, and Hispanic women, ages 14 to 18, to explore who they are and who they will become.

New Directions Career Center
Women’s Advocacy Program
The Women’s Advocacy Program is a leadership and nonprofit board training program for women who have experienced life circumstances requiring them to seek local social services. The goal is to ensure that programs and policies designed to support women and families include their voices and perspectives. The Women’s Advocacy Program’s 2023 cohort will receive training in leadership skills, public speaking, advocacy, communications, board responsibilities, and community engagement. Cohort 2022 and Cohort 2023 graduates are placed on boards and board committees across Central Ohio to inform programs and policies that serve women and families.

Ohio Women’s Alliance
The Reproductive Justice Table
The Reproductive Justice Table is a year-long fellowship and campaign training program for women community leaders pursuing positive change in their communities. Applicants must have experience as a community volunteer or leader to apply, which they share in their application. RJ Fellows commit to monthly training sessions that sharpen their skills in community organizing, campaign planning, issue-based advocacy, and organizational financial management. Throughout the year-long fellowship, RJ Fellows collaboratively develop and implement a reproductive justice campaign of their choosing to educate and engage more women across Ohio.

Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio
Ohio Center for Sex Education Peer Education Program
Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio’s education arm, the Ohio Center for Sex Education, runs an innovative Peer Education Program that engages young people by training them on evidence-informed reproductive and sexual health education while strengthening their confidence, leadership, and presentation skills. Because we know that teens often turn to their friends with questions about sexual health, peer educators share their newfound knowledge with peers to improve their understanding of reproductive health and sexuality. Peer educators work to increase protective factors that prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections and combat harmful gender stereotypes in their schools and communities.

Policy Matters Ohio
Economic Security and Opportunity for Women
Policy Matters Ohio’s long-term goals include making childcare affordable for all who need it, paying childcare workers a living wage, and helping women get and keep good jobs. Right now, a single mother of two earning $16/hour spends more than half her income on childcare but makes too much to qualify for public support for childcare. Childcare workers, who are disproportionately Black women, earn poverty-level wages. We will advocate for affordable high-quality childcare, a living wage for childcare workers, and economic security for women and families through research, community education, strategic communications, and coalition building.

Proyecto Mariposas ⭐
Elevating the Voices of Young Latinas (ages 13+)
This Elevating the Brave and Strong Voices of Young Latinas (ages 13+) will focus on preparing young women (former Mariposas participants) to mentor our younger girls in areas of mental health, cultural humility, breaking biases, education, and leadership. Through this program, they will earn a certificate, a letter of recommendation, and a stipend. This program will continue to prepare them to gather data, develop and lead programming, and coach/mentor girls ages 13+.

The Women’s Center for Economic Opportunity
Women’s Rise to Wealth Accelerator
The Women’s Rise to Wealth Accelerator is a money management program offered in a psychologically safe space for women of color to debunk money myths and raise their financial emotional intelligence. Participants learn practical skills to reduce debt, raise credit scores, and deepen their knowledge of investing. Participants learn and practice using the language of money and wealth to negotiate and better navigate a financial system that is not designed to prosper them.

Vote Run Lead
RUN/51: Training Women to Lead Ohio
RUN/51 is Vote Run Lead’s revolutionary campaign to transform state legislatures to be 51% women — reflective of the country’s population.

This first-ever effort to create a majority-women office will not only build a more equitable, more representative government body; it will also create policy impacts that are good for women and girls (research shows that more women at decision-making tables result in policies that support them, such as economic equity, reproductive health, and more). With more women in visible power, RUN/51: Ohio will also help shift a still-held narrative that women cannot or should not lead.

YWCA Columbus
Bright Futures
Bright Futures is a community-based program that empowers girls in middle and high school to understand and disrupt systemic oppression, develop agency, and take up roles of leadership needed to advocate for changing the systems that perpetuate inequities. The program seeks to provide participants with tools for understanding and dismantling the structures of inequity that impact their lived experiences and communities.

Photograph on home page by Shellee Fisher

Recently, The Women’s Fund joined our partners to make a major announcement. Working with Zora’s House, Columbus College of Art and Design, and other community partners, we will be launching an equitable design institute for women of color. This collaboration has been years in the making and will transform the way that women of color are integrated into structures of power in Columbus.

“Allowing women of color to address the wealth barriers they face by designing economic solutions that imbed their lived experiences will help eliminate stark disparities that have existed for centuries,” said Kelley Griesmer, President and CEO of The Women’s Fund.

Funded by a $1.5 million investment by JPMorgan Chase, this new equity design institute will empower women of color to generate innovative solutions to the economic barriers they face. The women will come together in cohorts and participate in design sprints to co-create solutions that can be scaled and implemented in Central Ohio and beyond.

“Without women of color engaged in creating solutions, ineffective programs and policies are funded and implemented. This is a true systems-change investment that will start at the root cause of how decisions are made, and is a critical step toward designing a city that hears, responds to, and implements a vision of economic prosperity designed by those most impacted by obstacles,” said LC Johnson, Founder & CEO of Zora’s House.

The institute will be headquartered at Zora’s House. Other community organizations participating in this collaborative effort include the Affordable Housing Trust, the Columbus Urban League, the Women’s Center for Economic Opportunity, and YWCA Columbus.

The Women’s Fund is thrilled to be a part of this groundbreaking initiative that is a culmination of over a year of hard work and dedication to uplifting women’s voices in our community.

Read more about this new initiative in The Columbus Dispatch and Columbus Business First.