Enduring Progress Initiative Funds Visionary Leadership
Through the Enduring Progress Initiative, the Women’s Fund of Central Ohio addresses significant funding gaps by making unrestricted investments of at least $50,000 in organizations led by and for women and girls of color. Women of color know best what their communities need to thrive, so we provide them with the trust-based capital they need and deserve. We are thrilled to announce Empowering Latinas Leadership Academy (ELLA) as our 2026 partner!
“The Enduring Progress Initiative is a powerful reminder that our work matters. For ELLA, this investment gives us the ability to grow sustainably, strengthen our leadership, and expand the support we provide to Latinas navigating their personal and professional journeys. Mentorship is how we build the future we deserve, and at ELLA, we see every day that when women of color rise, they lift entire communities with them.”
-Lillian Morales-Laster, Executive Director of ELLA
Meet Empowering Latinas Leadership Academy
Empowering Latinas Leadership Academy (ELLA) was established in 2010 to address the unmet and ever-evolving needs of Latina professionals in Central Ohio. Since then, ELLA has empowered over 150 Latinas to find their voice, confidence, and community through 100 mentors (Madrinas) committed to supporting the next generation of Latina leaders. ELLA is a six-month program that brings together Latinas at various career stages for a unique professional development experience. Mentees engage in a retreat, attend professional development sessions, hold mentor meetings, present a community impact project, and conclude their experience with a reflective graduation ceremony.
Below are two examples of the incredible work happening at ELLA!
ELLA’s mentoring aims to empower mentees by offering tailored support, accountability, and guidance as they pursue their professional, academic, and personal development. Learn more about the mentoring program.
The ELLA Community Impact Project is the culminating experience of the Empowering Latinas Leadership Academy, designed to give mentees a platform to apply their leadership skills in a real-world context.
ELLA empowers Latinas by providing the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary for leadership and professional success. This unrestricted grant will support ELLA’s leadership and capacity-building efforts.
Research Drives Lasting Change for Women and Girls
For women in Central Ohio, wealth is about more than just finances. Our 2025 research report, Making Women Wealthy and Free, found that wealth is about community and connection, equity and empowerment, health and wellbeing, and freedom and abundance. We also know that women of color face unique barriers to securing funding for their critical work, which is why we founded the research-backed Enduring Progress Initiative. Empowering women and girls to build and sustain wealth is essential for making them wealthy and free. Through ELLA’s work, they are transforming the lives of women and girls and helping them determine their own futures—futures in which they can build wealth, thrive, and make their own choices about their lives.