Monday, July 20, 2026
WOMEN’S WAY is a Philadelphia area nonprofit organization dedicated to achieving gender equity by building collective power to disrupt oppressive systems and strengthen alternative models centered on love, dignity, and liberation. Through education, research, advocacy, and grantmaking, WOMEN’S WAY envisions a region where security, dignity, freedom, and joy are accessible to all – especially those historically impacted by gender inequities. To learn more, visit womensway.org and follow us on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.
Landmark anniversary event on May 7th marks five decades of the nation’s first women’s umbrella funding federation.
For Immediate Release
PHILADELPHIA, PA (March 31, 2026) — WOMEN’S WAY, the Greater Philadelphia region’s leading nonprofit dedicated to achieving gender equity through education, research, advocacy, and grantmaking, will celebrate its 50th Anniversary with a celebration and fundraising event on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at The Crystal Tea Room in Philadelphia. The event, honoring 50 years of collective action for gender equity, will honor three Pennsylvania Congresswomen and two longtime organizational allies who have advanced the cause of gender equity in the region and beyond.
Founded in 1976, WOMEN’S WAY holds a singular place in American philanthropic and feminist history as the first women’s umbrella funding federation in the country. A pioneering model, WOMEN’S WAY has demonstrated the power of collective action to advance women’s rights and gender equity at a time when this infrastructure barely existed. Over five decades, WOMEN’S WAY has been a cornerstone of the region’s movement for women’s rights and gender equity, mobilizing resources, spurring action, and investing in organizations on the frontlines of change.
“Fifty years ago, WOMEN’S WAY was founded to challenge systems that limited women’s rights, freedom, and power. That mission is just as urgent today. In this moment of heightened inequality and backlash, we are called not just to protect progress, but to accelerate it with bold, unapologetic action,” said Diane Cornman-Levy, WOMEN’S WAY Chief Disruptor. “The work ahead demands that we build collective power, invest in those most impacted, and build an economy and society where all women and marginalized genders can truly thrive.”
2026 HONOREES
This year’s celebration will recognize five honorees whose contributions reflect WOMEN’S WAY’s legacy of collective action:
U.S. Representative Madeleine Dean (Lucretia Mott Honoree): Now in her fourth term representing Berks and Montgomery Counties, Congresswoman Dean ran for Congress in 2018 when Pennsylvania’s 18 Congressional seats had zero women representatives. She serves on the House Appropriations and Foreign Affairs Committees, focused on gun violence prevention, healthcare, and the common good.
U.S. Representative Chrissy Houlahan (Lucretia Mott Honoree): An Air Force veteran, engineer, entrepreneur, and educator, Congresswoman Houlahan is serving her fourth term representing Pennsylvania’s 6th Congressional District. She is the first female veteran named Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee’s Military Personnel Subcommittee and serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
U.S. Representative Mary Gay Scanlon (Lucretia Mott Honoree): Representing Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional District since 2018, Congresswoman Scanlon has dedicated her career to protecting the most vulnerable, championing voting rights, access to justice, education, women’s rights, and ending hunger.
Mary Scout (Mary Scout Legacy Award): A foundational leader of WOMEN’S WAY since 1981, Scout served as Board Chair from 1985 to 1988 and has served as Controller since 1997. Her decades of stewardship across generations of leadership have been central to sustaining the organization’s mission and impact.
Ballard Spahr LLP (Corporate Ally Honoree): A partner to WOMEN’S WAY since its early days, Ballard Spahr provided critical pro bono legal support to establish the organization’s early structure and has maintained a trusted counsel relationship for 50 years.
EVENT DETAILS
WOMEN’S WAY 50th Anniversary Celebration | Thursday, May 7, 2026 | The Crystal Tea Room, Philadelphia | Cocktail Reception, Plated Dinner, and Anniversary Program | Tickets from $150 | womensway.org/celebrate50
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ABOUT WOMEN’S WAY
WOMEN’S WAY is the Greater Philadelphia region’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to achieving gender equity through education, research, advocacy, and grantmaking. Founded in 1976 as the first women’s umbrella funding federation in the country, WOMEN’S WAY has spent five decades building collective action for women, girls, and gender-expansive people in the region and beyond. To learn more, visit womensway.org and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.
CONTACT: Misha Rodriguez, WOMEN’S WAY Director of Communications at mrodriguez@womensway.org or (215) 985-3322, ext. 221.
Philadelphia, PA (August 13, 2025) – WOMEN’S WAY proudly announces the inaugural grantees of its Gender Economic Equity Program (GEEP), a new initiative investing in the local care economy as a strategy to build gender and economic equity.
The care economy refers to the essential work of caregiving, paid and unpaid, that supports families, communities, and the broader economy. This includes childcare, elder care, disability services, and more. Despite its vital role, this work is often undervalued, underpaid, and disproportionately carried out by women and other gender-marginalized people.
Each of the four grantees—Along the Way, Connectedly, Therapy Center of Philadelphia, and Women in Dialogue—will receive $235,000 over a three-year period. This investment supports general operations, staff wellness, and a gender equity pilot. In addition to funding, grantees will also engage in a Community of Practice and a Gender Equity Designer program to build collective knowledge and catalyze systems-level change.
GEEP is made possible through the support of Vanguard.
The 2025 GEEP grantees are:
Along the Way: Supports low-income single mothers through free and low-cost in-home childcare and wraparound services such as legal consultations, case management, and job referrals, empowering women to pursue education and careers.
Connectedly: Strengthens support networks for older adults, especially grandparent caregivers, homebound individuals, and older women living independently. Their programs reduce isolation and increase well-being, with a focus on low-income older women of color in Philadelphia.
Therapy Center of Philadelphia: Provides high-quality, affordable psychotherapy to women, trans, and gender non-conforming individuals. With an intersectional approach, they center healing and liberation in their therapeutic relationships.
Women in Dialogue: Brings women together to advocate for the economic recognition of caregiving work, waged and unwaged. Their work elevates policies and resource allocation that support pay equity, guaranteed care incomes, and community-led change.
“For too long, the care economy has been undervalued and underfunded despite being the backbone of our communities,” said Diane Cornman-Levy, Chief Disruptor at WOMEN’S WAY. “The Gender Economic Equity Program is our strategy to change that. By investing in local leaders who are reimagining care, we are moving toward an economy that values care, advances gender equity, and builds long-term community wealth.”
“Vanguard is proud to support WOMEN’S WAY and the changemakers they champion,” said Aldustus Jordan, Head of Community Stewardship and President, Vanguard Group Foundation. “Our support of this initiative reflects Vanguard’s philanthropic commitment to investing in community-led solutions throughout the region that are building long-term financial stability, fostering economic mobility, and strengthening financial ecosystems in under-resourced communities.”
Launched in 2025, GEEP is part of WOMEN’S WAY’s broader effort to disrupt the root causes of gender and economic inequities and strengthen alternative models centered in love, dignity, and liberation. By investing in local organizations and centering the care economy, GEEP aims to move our region toward long-term, transformative change. For more details, visit womensway.org/geep.
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ABOUT WOMEN’S WAY
WOMEN’S WAY is a Philadelphia area nonprofit organization dedicated to achieving gender equity by building collective power to disrupt oppressive systems and strengthen alternative models centered on love, dignity, and liberation. Through education, research, advocacy, and grantmaking, WOMEN’S WAY envisions a region where security, dignity, freedom, and joy are accessible to all–especially those historically impacted by gender inequities. To learn more, visit womensway.org and follow us on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.
CONTACT: Misha Rodriguez, mrodriguez@womensway.org, (215) 985-3322, ext. 221
WOMEN’S WAY LAUNCHES GENDER ECONOMIC EQUITY PROGRAM TO STRENGTHEN CARE SECTOR
[PHILADELPHIA, P.A., MAY 1, 2025] – WOMEN’S WAY, Philadelphia’s leading nonprofit dedicated to achieving gender equity, is proud to introduce its newest initiative, the Gender Economic Equity Program (GEEP).
This initiative will provide multi-year general operating grants to organizations in the care sector–one of the most essential yet underfunded pillars of the economy. Encompassing child care, elder care, health care, domestic work, and disability care, the care economy relies heavily on women and people of other marginalized genders to shoulder a disproportionate share of both paid and unpaid care work. This imbalance remains a key driver of gender inequity.
“The Gender Economic Equity Program allows us to invest deeply in the care sector and support organizations that are building equitable, inclusive care models,” said Diane Cornman-Levy, Chief Disruptor at WOMEN’S WAY. “Through GEEP, we aim to advance efforts that lead to lasting social transformation by economically empowering women and other gender marginalized people across our region.”
In its inaugural year, 4 grantee organizations will participate. Each grantee organization will receive $235,000 over three years: $50,000 a year in general operating support, $25,000 a year for staff wellness initiatives, and a $10,000 accelerator grant for a gender equity pilot program. In addition to financial support, GEEP is designed to:
-Strengthen grantees’ capacity to integrate gender equity into their operations and workplace culture through participation in a 6-month Gender Equity Designer Program.
-Foster shared learning, collaboration, and support through a community of practice.
-Encourage the prioritization of self-care and wellness.
-Generate a deeper understanding of how to strengthen care models that are inclusive and contribute to long-term social transformation.
-Develop evaluation tools to measure systems-level change and guide sector-wide improvements.
-Encourage policymakers and funders to invest in equitable care systems.
GEEP aligns with WOMEN’S WAY’s ambitious new 2025-2028 Strategic Plan, which centers on creating equitable economic systems that address the root causes of gender inequities. At the heart of this plan is a bold commitment to building capacity for systems transformation and uplifting the leadership of women and other marginalized genders.
“Our new strategic plan is rooted in the understanding that gender inequities are a result of entrenched systems of oppression. To challenge these systems, we need to invest deeply in our partners who are working to build a more equitable future,” said Cornman-Levy. “The Gender Economic Equity Program is one example of how we’re doing that.”
Applications for GEEP were by invitation only. Recipients of the inaugural cohort of grantees will be announced in June 2025. For more information about GEEP and WOMEN’S WAY’s 2025-2028 Strategic Plan, visit womensway.org
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ABOUT WOMEN’S WAY
WOMEN’S WAY is a Philadelphia area nonprofit organization dedicated to achieving gender equity by building collective power to disrupt oppressive systems and strengthen alternative models centered on love, dignity, and liberation. Through education, research, advocacy, and grantmaking, WOMEN’S WAY envisions a region where security, dignity, freedom, and joy are accessible to all – especially those historically impacted by gender inequities. To learn more, visit womensway.org and follow us on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.
For press inquiries, please contact Misha Rodriguez, WOMEN’S WAY Director of Communications at mrodriguez@womensway.org or (215) 985-3322.
For Immediate Release
Philadelphia, PA (January 16, 2025) – WOMEN’S WAY, Philadelphia’s leading nonprofit dedicated to achieving gender equity, is proud to announce the launch of its 2025-2028 Strategic Plan. This transformative 3-year plan positions WOMEN’S WAY to deepen its impact by building collective power and addressing the root causes of gender inequity throughout the Philadelphia region and beyond.
“For too long, efforts to improve the lives of women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals have focused on treating symptoms instead of addressing the systemic barriers at the root of gender inequity,” said Diane Cornman-Levy, Chief Disruptor at WOMEN’S WAY. “This plan is a call to action to tackle these barriers and build a future where security, dignity, freedom, and joy are accessible to all – especially those historically impacted by gender inequities.”
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN
-A Mission Grounded in Gender Equity and Economic Liberation: The plan introduces an updated vision and mission that centers the lived experiences of those most impacted by gender inequities.
-A Refined Theory of Change: WOMEN’S WAY will prioritize dismantling systemic barriers while advancing sustainable community-led solutions.
-Core Values and Guiding Principles: These will shape the organization’s work over the next three years, ensuring alignment with its long-term goals.
-Five New Pathways: These will guide the organization’s programs, initiatives, and decisions.
A Roadmap for Systems-Level Change
The 2025-2028 Strategic Plan builds on nearly 50 years of advocacy while integrating insights from WOMEN’S WAY’s work with 100+ partners over the past seven years. With this plan, WOMEN’S WAY will:
-Empower women and other gender-oppressed people to lead transformative policy and systemic change.
-Expand the capacity of grantees, practitioners, funders, advocates, and policymakers to prioritize equity in their work.
-Support community-led initiatives that improve gender equity and reduce wealth disparities.
-Build collective power by uniting the region to challenge systems of inequity.
-Strengthen its organizational capacity to lead change and support transformative work.
WHY NOW?
The urgency for systems-level change is greater than ever. In an uncertain and ever-changing social and political environment, many are poised and motivated to take action. This plan offers an opportunity to channel this energy into building meaningful, lasting solutions over the next three years.
“WOMEN’S WAY is rising to meet the moment,” said Diane Cornman-Levy, Chief Disruptor at WOMEN’S WAY. “We are creating a future where gender equity is not just a goal but a reality—and we invite everyone to join us in this journey.”
For more information about WOMEN’S WAY’s 2025-2028 Strategic Plan, please visit womensway.org/about. Those interested in learning more can register to attend a virtual information session scheduled for January 23, 2025 at womensway.org/stratplaninfo
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ABOUT WOMEN’S WAY
WOMEN’S WAY is a Philadelphia area nonprofit organization dedicated to achieving gender equity by building collective power to disrupt oppressive systems and strengthen alternative models centered on love, dignity, and liberation. Through education, research, advocacy, and grantmaking, WOMEN’S WAY envisions a region where security, dignity, freedom, and joy are accessible to all – especially those historically impacted by gender inequities. To learn more, visit womensway.org and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.
CONTACT: Misha Rodriguez, mrodriguez@womensway.org, (215) 985-3322, ext. 221
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