Women's Foundation of Minnesota

ECONOMIC	SAFETY &	HEALTH &	HUMAN	POLITICAL

JUSTICE	SECURITY	REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS	RIGHTS	POWER

GRANTMAKING | girlsBEST Fund

In 2002, the Women's Foundation of Minnesota launched the girlsBEST (girls Building Economic Success Together) Fund, a grantmaking and public awareness initiative to build the economic power of girls, ages 10-18. When girls define their priorities and create change in their own lives, they expect more from themselves as adults.

Our grantees knock down roadblocks like low wages and job discrimination, sexist academic and career tracking by schools, poor body image and self-esteem, teen pregnancy, lack of leadership and athletic opportunities, and violence against girls.

Grants go to girl-driven programs that have the support and involvement of women, mentors, community organizations, schools and other organizations serving women and girls, with priority given to underrepresented and underserved girls and communities.

To read about a girlsBEST grantee, click here.

To see the 2009 girlsBEST Convening program, click here.

GRANT SEEKERS>> Implementation Grant Round opens in March 2010.

Grantees

2008

2007

2006

Independant Evaluation: girlsBEST Works!

In 2007, we hired an independent consultant to evaluate the first generation of the program (2002-2007), resulting in the girlsBEST Final Evaluation Report and Executive Summary.

How did the first generation of girlsBEST fare?

1) Findings validate girlsBEST model and program practices. Data have validated the girlsBEST incremental approach and the efficacy of the emphases on mentoring and supporting girls, focusing on cultural identity, experiential leadership and outreach to underrepresented girls. These notable practices work for girls.

2) Girls increase self-confidence. The emphases on nurturing, on opportunities to try, to succeed, to fail, to work with successful women – all have combined to produce one of the initiative’s most stunning accomplishments: The majority of core-group girls show a highly developed sense of self and a strong sense that they can accomplish whatever they aspire to. An overwhelming 93 percent of core group girls believe, “I can accomplish whatever I set out to.”

3) Girls build aspirations for the future. The initiative has also been very successful in creating a sense of future for girls who began the program with little or no sense of aspiration. We know that education is the key to economic well-being. Therefore, it is significant that 96 percent of participating girls plan to graduate from high school, and 94 percent of girls believe that they will attend college.

4) Building activism. The girlsBEST model has been notably successful in creating a sense of public and issue awareness and a sense of agency among the girls that they can take on and make a difference on issues they care about. We were particularly struck that nearly all (95 percent) of survey respondents in 2006 indicated that it is important to work for equal opportunity for girls and women.

“It’s weird to see how much I have changed. I’m stronger,

a little bit wiser about things.

I have more of a positive direction these days.

Back then, I didn’t have any plans or anything, you know?

And now, it’s way different.”

- Nikki Isham

Sisters in Leadership,

Cass Lake &

Leech Lake Reservations, girlsBEST grantee