Women’s Gain: Fund-Raising and Fund Allocation as an Evolving Social Movement Strategy

Abstract

Formal social movement organizations became significant phenomena in the late 20th century. This article is part of a large national study that examines the historical evolution of one such organization, the Women's Funding Network (WFN), which is connected to an "industry" of social change funds. WFN includes over 70 women's funds across the United States and Canada that define fund-raising and fund allocation as a strategy for empowering women and achieving social change. Using the resource mobilization framework of Zald and McCarthy, the author considers critical issues that women's funds have faced since their emergence as a network (1985) dedicated to social movement goals. Examples from case studies, surveys, and participant observation are used to compare individual funds and to analyze the impact of increasing institutionalization on mission, structure, resource mobilization, leadership, and programmatic activities of WFN as a social movement organization.All of us don't have to take on every single issue in the world, but wherever we do our work, what ever issue-however local-must be situated within a larger framework [so that] building a battered woman's shelter [is seen as] ending violence in America.-Panel discussant, Women's Funding Network

The Changing Identity of Federated Community Service Organizations

“…United Funds generally had monopoly access in corporate workplaces, and the use of the check-off for worker donations also accelerated. However, the issue of inclusiveness in employee campaigns became increasingly troublesome through the next decades (Brilliant, 1990;Glaser, 1993).…”

Constancy and Change in the Women’s Funding Network: International Horizons and Core Values

“…By then the NNWF had moved its central office to Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn., where Mollner lived. With support from some original founders and foundations, it soon had a small staff (Brilliant, 2000). Development: 1992Development: -1999 The second phase of the network's development began with accelerated growth in the number of funds and more ambitious goals.…”

“…Network figures did show a dramatic rise from the previous year: $30.67 million in assets, $16.41 million raised. Those figures were problematic, however; not all funds were included, and the total raised was distorted by a $5 million Ford Foundation grant to the Ms. Foundation for Women (Brilliant, 2000 To aid smaller funds, Mollner provided technical assistance through site visits and conference workshops, and developed a network clearinghouse for information from funds across the country. Many smaller funds had budgets of under $100,000 and gave either very small grants or none at all through the 1990s; startups were fragile and some funds did not survive.…”

“…Diversity in class and racial leadership still appeared to be a hurdle for many funds in the late 1990s; the network also suffered from "founder's syndrome:" (Schein, 1983) founding women continued to influence local decisionmaking even when formal leadership changed. In the mid-1990s, network boards overall were at least 50 percent white and executive officers were reported to be predominantly white (WFN, 1996;Brilliant, 2000). By this time some members were expressing dissatisfaction with ideologically focused meetings or with what one woman suggested was "navel gazing"; another participant reflected the attitude of fellow conference attendees in stating that she knew enough about diversity and wanted more workshops on raising money more effectively (Brilliant, 2000).…”

“…In the mid-1990s, network boards overall were at least 50 percent white and executive officers were reported to be predominantly white (WFN, 1996;Brilliant, 2000). By this time some members were expressing dissatisfaction with ideologically focused meetings or with what one woman suggested was "navel gazing"; another participant reflected the attitude of fellow conference attendees in stating that she knew enough about diversity and wanted more workshops on raising money more effectively (Brilliant, 2000).…”