Women's Giving Network of Wake County

The Women’s Giving Network of Wake County (WGN) is a giving circle of the North Carolina Community Foundation. A giving circle pools together members’ tax-deductible donations to award grants to charitable organizations.

Since it was founded in 2006, WGN has awarded more than $2 million in grants. Together, we make a greater impact.

Join Contact us

The Women’s Giving Network of Wake County provides a range of opportunities to engage as much or as little as you like. One opportunity for engagement is through volunteering on a committee or joining the leadership committee.

Leadership

The leadership committee is comprised of the chair of each committee. Together, the leadership committee develops and implements plans for WGN of Wake County, guided by feedback from all members. They make decisions regarding policies and procedures, and seek out opportunities to engage members. Below is the 2025 Leadership Committee. Please reach out to any of them with questions.

Carolyn Fendelman, President
Laura Brooks, Grants Chair
Willa Allen, Finance Chair
Jenny Eury, Recording Secretary
Rebecca Anderson, Marketing and Communications Chair
Cynthia Rowe, Immediate Past President, At-Large Member
Sarah Senter Décarpentrie, Immediate Past Grants Chair, At-Large Member

Committee descriptions

Interested in learning more or perhaps getting involved, even for a small project? Please reach out to the committee chairperson(s). It is a great way to connect.

Grants Committee

Chair: Laura Brooks

The Grants Committee is responsible for reviewing grant applications, performing due diligence on the applicants, and nominating outstanding projects and organizations for WGN funding. The committee creates a ballot that is presented to the full membership for voting each fall.

The committee consists of about 10 members who serve staggered three-year terms, ensuring that the grantmaking process is interactive and inclusive. Participation in the committee is open to all WGN members as seats become available, and the Grants Chair keeps a list of prospective new committee members. The majority of the work of the Grants Committee is done between May and October each year.

Marketing & Communications Committee

Chair: Rebecca Anderson

The Marketing & Communication Committee is responsible for amplifying our mission and impact to members and a broader audience across channels. We work with other WGN committees to create, obtain and distribute information. Our goal is to make it easy for everyone to raise awareness about WGN’s impact within our community to grow membership. More members mean bigger impact!

If you have an interest, expertise or want to gain some experience, please reach out to Kristen. Projects include newsletters, invitations, and social media support, as well as promotional tools to elevate WGN brand. Another area of focus is strengthening our current strategic relationships like WALTER Magazine and Bank of America.

Grantee Spotlight Information Sessions

The Grantee Spotlights showcase the direct impact that collective giving has in the community. Our primary goal is to provide insight into the needs of the community and how The Women’s Giving Network helps support solutions. Our secondary goal is to inspire members to share the good word about The Women’s Giving Network in the community. By providing insight on the needs of our community and how individuals can make a difference, we hope to grow our membership which then increases our pool of funds to grant in the community. The greater the pool of funds, the greater the impact we can make!

WGN hosts one event per grantee to share the impact of the prior year’s grant funding. In addition to the primary education events, the committee coordinates volunteer days with prior grantees (from the prior year or beyond), to provide members an opportunity to get directly involved in the community.

The Women’s Giving Network of Wake County (WGN) will accept grant applications from June 26, 2026, to NOON eastern time on July 28, 2026. Applications received after this deadline will not be accepted. Funds are available for qualified charitable organizations serving women and/or children in Wake County.

Grants typically range from $25,000 to $50,000 but are not limited to this range. The minimum amount awarded is $10,000. In 2025, WGN awarded $120,000 through this application-based process. Learn more about past grant recipients.

How to apply

The Women’s Giving Network of Wake County is a giving circle of the North Carolina Community Foundation. Organizations must apply using NCCF’s Grant Application Portal.

Read the guidelines before you apply. Applications that do not adhere to guidelines will be ineligible for funding.
If this is your first time applying, follow the instructions in Training Module I to create a profile. If your organization already has an account use your information to log in.
New and existing users should follow the instructions in Training Module II to add a grant application. Once logged in, you can access more information about the application process.

Apply online

WGN of Wake County awards grants to

Organizations serving women and/or children in Wake County that address an emerging community issue and/or a critical community need.
Projects that are measurable with a high probability of successful continuation beyond the grant period.
Areas that are generally not funded include: capital campaigns; endowment campaigns; fraternal organizations; individuals; projects that promote religious or political views; funds for re-granting; travel and conferences.

Eligibility

To be eligible for consideration, an organization must meet the following criteria:

Must provide services to women and/or children in Wake County.
Must be qualified as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code or be classified as a unit of government.
Must not discriminate on the basis of age, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, physical ability, sexual orientation, political affiliation or religious belief nor be a religious organization that serves exclusively sectarian purposes.
Organizations can reapply for funding from WGN each year. However, if a program has been funded by WGN previously, the organization must wait three years before re-applying. For example, if you are applying again in 2026, you must have won your grant award in 2023 or prior.

More information

In most cases, grant decisions are announced about two months after the close of the application cycle.
One tool members uses to guide grant decisions is an annual Community Needs Assessment.
For questions specific to the grant cycle or how to apply please contact Katie Crumpler and read the community grantmaking guidelines.

Watch this overview of the Women’s Giving Network of Wake County and their 20 years of impact.

2025

The 2025 WGN grantees each received $40,000:

Boys & Girls Clubs of Wake County: to support Out-of-School Time Programs that help youth ages 6 to18 build academic success, leadership skills, and healthy lifestyles.

Carroll’s Kitchen: to double the number of women served through its social enterprise restaurant that provides job training and employment for women overcoming crises, including addiction, homelessness, incarceration, and domestic violence.

Wake Smiles: to help launch a new Urgent Care Community Clinic to expand access to its current program that provides quality dental care for thousands of uninsured adults in Wake County.

2024

$40,000 to NAMI of Wake County for the Ending the Silence program. Ending the Silence is offered free of cost to schools and helps audience members learn about the warning signs of mental health conditions and what steps to take if you or a loved one are showing symptoms of a mental health condition.
$40,000 to the No Woman, No Girl Initiative to support the expansion of crisis referrals to respond to the most vulnerable women and children within 48-72 hours. NWNG believes no woman or girl should go without access to everyday essentials to survive a crisis or transition.
$25,000 to the Wake Education Partnership for Partners Read, a literacy and mentorship program where volunteers read weekly with Wake County students. WakeEd Partnership also provides books for students to take home and keep.

2023

$35,000 to CASA (Community Alternatives for Supportive Abodes) for their new King’s Ridge initiative, helping families with children exit homelessness.
$35,000 to the Hope Center at Pullen for their Transition Program, empowering young mothers as they transition out of foster care.
$30,000 to The Women’s Center of Wake County for their Safe Haven Housing initiative.

2022

$15,000 to the Autism Society of North Carolina for women’s weekend and children’s scholarships at Camp Royall
$30,000 to JusticeMatters, Inc., for general operating support for their Wake County family law office
$25,000 to Learning Together for general operating support for expansion of classrooms
$25,000 to Seasons Village for Pathways to Prosperity (P2P)

2021

$45,000 to Diaper Bank of North Carolina
$40,000 to New Leaf Behavioral Health
$20,000 to The Carying Place

2020

$36,500 to Alliance Medical Ministry
$25,000 to Communities in Schools of Wake County
$36,500 to Haven House Services
$25,000 to PLM Families Together, Inc.

2019

Bloom Here – $14,000 – To provide a group home that offers community, counseling and jobs for women recovering from human trafficking, addiction, and homelessness.
The Green Chair Project – $29,000 – To provide bassinets and cribs to homeless families with infants who are transitioning to homes
StepUp Ministry – $40,000 – To support families who have recently moved from unemployment to employment with a Life Skills class which provides skills and learning to help them change the trajectory of their lives
The Gifted Arts – $20,000 – To expand a middle school art program that has been shown to improve the self-image, school performance and collaboration skills among the students who participate
Read and Feed – $25,000 – To expand the successful program that brings meals and reading tutors into impoverished neighborhoods during the school year. The grant will allow the program to be continued during the summer months when reading skills and access to healthy meals declines due to schools being closed.

2018

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Raleigh – $34,000 – For the Support Circle Program
Kiran, Inc. – $10,000 – For the Kiran Empowerment Project
The Hope Center at Pullen – $45,000 – For strengthening the safety net for young people aging out of foster care in Wake County

2017

Friends of the NC Museum of Natural Sciences – $14,000 – Girls in Science: Future Focus
JusticeMatters, Inc. – $56,800 – For expanding access to legal services to protect women and children in Wake County
Raleigh Wake Partnership to End and Prevent Homelessness – $25,000 – For coordinated entry and assessment – single women’s pilot

2016

IFC – A Lotta Love for Wrenn House renovation – $30,000 – A Lotta Love’s mission is to provide dignity, hope and a sense of home to families, women and children living in temporary environments
Guiding Lights for enhanced Nurse Aide training – $25,000 – Transitions Guidling Lights’ Nurse Aide (NA1) training program provides a pathway out of poverty and entry into a career path
Frankie Lemmon School & Developmental Center – $12,600 – For a playground for 3-year-olds with special needs