The Women's Giving Circle of Southwest Florida

Together.....We Make a Greater Impact

Our Impact

The hallmark of our grantmaking program is understanding community needs and targeting our grants to address these needs. One unique need, or theme, is identified for each grant year. To validate such needs, we consult with the Collier and Lee counties’ community foundations, community leaders, and review publications such as "Together we are building a better, stronger Southwest Florida".

After Careful evaluation and the WGC membership approval, we are pleased to highlight our six grant recipients for 2024-2025.

Collier County Dashboard

Focusing on children and their wellbeing

$15,000

Pine Manor After School & Summer Program

This grant supports CAC's Pine Manor After School and Summer Program. Funds will be used for on-site enrichment activities and for six field trips for children, aged five to 12 years. These children live in the disadvantaged community of Pine Manor and need a safe after school and summer environment.

$20,000

Assessing Foster Children for their Specific Needs

This grant funds a tutoring program for foster children between the ages of five and 23 years. Funds will be used to assess foster children for their specific needs and to pay for their mentors' stipends.

$25,000

The Conscious Discipline Program

The Conscious Discipline Program, a nationally recognized, research-based technique promotes a nurturing and emotionally supportive learning environment for children. Grant funds will be used to train educators to effectively use this program for children ages two weeks to five years, purchase curriculum materials, and host workshops for parents and caregivers.

$25,000

The Serenity, Meditation, Awareness, Respect, and Trust Program

This grant supports migrant children. Funds will be used to pay for the mental health specialist who oversees this year-round program. This program is cost free to K-12 students whose families work in the agricultural field in North Naples. It addresses learning deficits and emotional challenges afflicting 25% of these students related to their migrant lifestyle.

$20,000

The Behavioral Health Initiative

This program, designed to address the need for mental and behavioral health support, is especially important in communities suffering from poverty, such as Immokalee. Funds will be used to expand the training of the teaching staff and for the salary of the behavioral health specialist who currently serves five locations in Immokalee. Ideally, an additional specialist can be hired.

$20,000

Mental Health Navigator Program

Navigators, each responsible for 10 families, provide peer mentoring and support for families whose children face mental health challenges. Funds will be used to support and expand the program and thereby increase access to care and decrease the need for pediatric psychiatric hospitalizations.

Since 2013, WGC has awarded nearly $974,000 in grants to the local community. For a complete list of all WGC SWFL grant awards click here.

Grantee's Letter of Appreciation

Dear Members of The Women's Giving Circle of SWFL,

On behalf of our Board of Directors and Staff at Café of Life, I wish to express our most sincere thanks for your very generous donation of $15,000 for FY 2023 Hurricane Relief. It’s only through the generous support of organizations like yours that we can make a positive difference in the lives of the less fortunate. This donation will go a long way in bringing our services to those impacted by Hurricane Ian. The Café was able to provide nearly 20,000 nutritious meals in 2022 to those struggling with nutritional insecurity while also providing these people in need with take-home food and clothing from our pantries.
Thanks for all you do for the less fortunate.

Jeff Nichols
Executive Director, Café of Life

A Grantee's Story

"As I learned about the WGC, I was impressed with their follow through on grants—research and evaluation and monitoring—It was reassuring and terrific!"

Sharon, five-year member

Maria was a new mother at 16. She came from a long line of migrant workers, was undocumented and was not attending school. She did not speak English. After two years at an organization WGC supported, she was two weeks from high school graduation and her son had just started to walk. Now, she can carry on a basic conversation in English and dreams of going to Fort Myers Technical Institute and getting a certificate in the medical field.

Maria has also been taking parenting classes, learning how to budget her money, and enjoying normal teenage activities like going to the beach, shopping at the mall, and going out to eat with her friends.

This is one of many of WGC's success stories, thanks to our dedicated grantees!

We support our grantees—not only by funding grant programs—but by embracing a lifetime partnership that includes inviting past grantees to our annual professional development and appreciation program, encouraging our members to volunteer with our grantee organizations, and promoting our grantees in our communications. We are connected in many ways!