Women’s Fund Grant Applications

Women's Fund Grant Applications is a competitive grant program offered by the Community Foundation of Greater Rochester that awards tens of thousands of dollars annually to local nonprofits. The fund supports programs and projects that improve the quality of life for residents of Rochester, Rochester Hills, and Oakland Township, Michigan.

Priority areas include initiatives addressing the needs of women and families in the Greater Rochester community. Eligible applicants are 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organizations serving these communities. The application window opens November 2, 2026, with awards distributed following the review cycle.

Grant amounts vary based on project scope and available funding.

Apply for a Grant from the Women's Fund - Community Foundation of Greater Rochester APPLY FOR A GRANT – The Women’s Fund Grant Application Window Opens November 2, 2026. Every year, the Women’s Fund awards tens of thousands of dollars in grant money to local nonprofit organizations for programs and projects that support women. The 2026 Women’s Fund grant application window runs November 2, 2026 to December 2, 2026.

All applications are due to the Foundation by 5pm on Wednesday, December 2, 2026. New this year, the application is a fillable form on the Foundation’s website. Applications in any other format will not be accepted.

The 2026 Women’s Fund grant awards will be announced in mid-December. If you need emergency funding outside of that window, please contact the Community Foundation to discuss options. We are always open and receptive to the needs of the community.

Progress Report for All Grant Recipients The Women’s Fund is a permanently endowed fund owned and administered by the Community Foundation of Greater Rochester, the Women’s Fund was established through the generosity of 100 women, the Fund’s Founders, who each donated $1,000.

Since then, more than 1,200 unique donors have contributed over 6,000 gifts, supporting the funding of $400,000 to local nonprofit programs and projects that help women in need. The United States is the #1 consumer of human trafficking in the world. Trafficking is a $150 billion dollar industry, affecting an estimated 27.

6 million victims worldwide. The founders of Hope Against Trafficking realized there was a lack of long-term, safe, restorative environments for survivors of trafficking. Women who have been rescued or escaped trafficking often lack hope, as they have nowhere to turn and no resources to rebuild their lives.

Hope Against Trafficking provides a comprehensive and dedicated program to help survivors of trafficking thrive, and the success of the program relies heavily on funding sources like the Community Foundation Women's Fund and other public funding sources to continue helping survivors.

Grace Centers of Hope is a faith-based, long-term life skills program for people afflicted by homelessness, chemical dependency, and abuse in southeast Michigan. GCH provides help and hope to those in need, and they operate their programs and shelter without any government funding.

Without funding from the government, organizations like the Women's Fund are critical to helping Grace Centers of Hope provide service and care to our population. ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF SOUTHEASTERN MICHIGAN: Over the years, the Women's Fund has consistently given to the Assistance League of SE MI in support of Assault Survivor Kits. Any time a woman goes to the hospital as the result of reporting an assault, her clothes become evidence.

Each Assault Survivor kit provides new clothing and toiletries for survivors of abuse, domestic violence, and sexual assault. The kits are distributed through the Michigan Trauma Centers that the ALSEMI serves. Assault Survivor Kits provide comfort and dignity in times of crisis.

Nationwide, 81% of women and 43% of men report having experienced some form of sexual harassment and/or assault in their lifetime. One in three female victims of completed or attempted rape experience sexual assault for the first time between the ages of 11 and 17. Almost one in four undergraduate women experience sexual assault or misconduct at 33 of the nation's major universities.

About half (51. 1%) of female victims of rape report being raped by an intimate partner and 40. 8% by an acquaintance.

The estimated lifetime cost of rape is $122,461 per victim.