The Women’s and Girls’ Fund Grant

The Women’s and Girls’ Fund Grant is sponsored by KERN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION. Provides competitive grants to organizations benefiting women and/or girls in Kern County, CA.

Grantmaking - Kern Community Foundation Grantmaking - Kern Community Foundation Through grantmaking, members of The Women’s and Girls’ Fund at Kern Community Foundation become philanthropists and advocates of positive social change. We rely on a commissioned study from Mount St.

Mary’s University ( Report on the Status of Women + Girls in Kern County ) which analyzes data and the participation of community members to identify an area of focus every five years. The focus area selected for 2026 – 2030 is Education + Daily-Life Knowledge .

Priority domains for funding considerations are: Mental Health & Social Emotional Learning (SEL), Life Skills & Economic Mobility, Health Education & Safety, and Priority Populations and Settings. Full descriptions can be found in the 2026 – 2030 Grantmaking Policy . We value social change grantmaking that focuses on long-term solutions to societal problems facing women and girls in all parts of Kern County.

Additional information on the focus area and what we are looking for is available in our grantmaking policy. The Women’s and Girls’ Fund Grantmaking Policy (See link under “Eligibility” below). Read about our past grantees below.

The Women’s and Girls’ Fund past grantees. The Women’s and Girls’ Fund Letter of Intent (LOI) for the 2026 – 2027 Competitive Grant Cycle is now available The Women’s and Girls’ Fund (WGF), a Leadership Initiative of Kern Community Foundation, announces approximately $100,000 for competitive grant allocations in its 20th competitive grant cycle, with the maximum individual award being $25,000.

Organizations interested in applying should have a 501(c)(3) nonprofit designation or a fiscal sponsor. All organizations seeking funds must have a presence in Kern County, benefit women and/or girls in Kern County, and meet Kern Community Foundation’s eligibility guidelines. The Women’s and Girls’ Fund Grantmaking Policy.

Grantees who received WGF grants in the Spring of 2025 may not apply for WGF 2026 funding. Any previous awardees of WGF or other grants from the Foundation that have outstanding follow-up reports must complete those reports before they can apply for WGF funding. Grant Application Window: October 1, 2025 – November 14, 2025 October 1, 2025 — Announcement of Focus Area and LOIs open for Kern nonprofits November 14, 2025 (5:00 p.

m. Pacific Time) — Letters of Intent due online December 11 – 12, 2025 — Invitations / Declinations to Apply are emailed December 15 – 19, 2025 — Potential Grantees required to contact Teems to schedule introduction meeting and interview time January 7, 2026 (noon to 1:30 p. m.)

Grants writing tutorial (Virtual/ Zoom; optional for all writing full proposals). February 6, 2026 (5:00 p. m.

Pacific Time) — Application packets due online March 6, 2026 — Grantees notified (provisional notice, pending WGF & KCF Board approval) March 23, 2026 (approx.) — Signed Grant Agreements Due March 25, 2026 — Grants awarded at Women’s & Girls’ Fund Annual Luncheon (TBD) Download Important Dates Grantmaking Cycle Selected nonprofits may submit full applications on the Foundation’s Online Grant Platform.

If you have any questions about your application, please reach out to Kern Community Foundation at fatima@kernfoundation. org or 661-325-5346. To keep the evaluation process fair, please avoid contacting the voting committee directly.

Your cooperation in following these guidelines is appreciated. Need help getting connected to community resources? One of our Connected Community Network Coordinators will connect you to the resources you request.

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