In mid-2018, under the umbrella of the Suffolk Foundation, a small group of women began to explore how an organization filled with experienced, successful, and community-conscious female members could help to positively impact our neighbors and future leaders. The group developed a mission statement: further facilitate and develop philanthropy among women to address the needs of women and/or children in the City of Suffolk and Western Tidewater.

With this focus the initial group of women officially founded the Suffolk Foundation’s Women’s Impact Fund. Throughout 2018 several concepts were readily adopted: members pay an initial ($1,000) joining fee and a reduced annual ($500) contribution to offset the need for fundraising activities; monies collected are treated as an endowment fund where up to 5% of the average fund balance is distributed to nonprofits within the community; and, the Women’s Impact Fund makes grants to established organizations rather than starting a grass-roots effort themselves.

Because most Members are active and generous in many ways, the Women’s Impact Fund holds no fundraising activities. We have a goal of at least 100 Members and have over 50 Members at this time.

Women’s Impact Fund members are actively seeking philanthropic-minded women in Suffolk and the surrounding area to join our pledge to positively impact the quality of the lives of women and children in our community. WIF offers networking opportunities for women to connect with other female leaders while supporting the development of local resources for women and children to become stronger members of our community and leaders of the future.

Each WIF member determines the level of activity in the Women’s Impact Fund that best suits her availability – from financial support only, to active participant and/or leadership in support of our mission. The Board meets every other month, and Members meet twice annually at two casual and fun informational and networking celebrations.

2025 Board Membership and Leadership

Women’s Impact Fund Grant Recipients

2025 Grantees

In 2025, our membership selected grantees based on those providing support to at-risk women and children in the Suffolk and greater Western Tidewater area. Our list of 2025 grantees is as follows:

• Western Tidewater Free Clinic received a total award of $3700 to support healthcare costs for 2 women in the Suffolk and Western Tidewater region who could not otherwise afford care. Patients receive medical, dental, vision, and mental health services, as well as one on one patient education, medications and pharmacy consultations and access to offsite specialty services, screenings, and surgeries.
• Coalition Against Poverty in Suffolk received a total award of $5000 to provide emergency assistance to keep Suffolk and Western Tidewater residents in their homes. This may include rent/ deposit assistance, assistance with utility bills, or any other type of emergency service to bridge the gap to prevent homelessness.
• Girls on the Run Hampton Roads received a total grant of $2550 to provide program fee assistance to girls from low-income households in Suffolk and Western Tidewater. Their mission is to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident using fun, experience-based curricula that creatively integrates running.
• The Children’s Center received a total grant of $2000 to support an early intervention play group to support and empower mothers and toddlers. The children in this play group are not developing as expected or have a disability. This grant will assist with toys and equipment that must be adaptive for children with special needs.
• Children’s Harbor received a total grant of $2000 to support their emergency voucher program for childcare. The target population for the Emergency Voucher Program are parents of children ages six weeks to twelve years old whose family is experiencing a crisis that prohibits them from keeping their children in quality, stable childcare. Approximately 80% of families applying for the Emergency Voucher Program are low-income according to the Federal Poverty Guidelines. When parents can send their children to childcare, they gain the necessary time to address a crisis.
• Heart of Gold Shelter received a grant for $1,000 for their Empower the Mind program, which assists women with resume development and additional job support skills as well as to support their emergency hotel voucher program, allowing them to provide emergency housing when women in Suffolk and Western Tidewater are fleeing an untenable situation, including domestic violence.
• Suffolk Christian Fellowship Center received a grant for $4500 to expand mini mobile market distributions and increase targeted outreach, bringing food and wraparound services directly to women and children directly where they live and work. Suffolk Christian Fellowship plans to serve food to insecure women and children in Suffolk and Western Tidewater, focusing on families with transportation challenges and living in food deserts.
• The College and Career Academy at Pruden received a total grant of $1650 to provide tuition and supplies support for students enrolled in the Cosmetology Program. The College and Career Academy at Pruden provides students with career opportunities designed to promote personal and professional development.

2024 Grantees

In 2024, our membership selected grantees based on those providing support to at-risk women and children in the Suffolk and greater Western Tidewater area. Our list of 2024 grantees is as follows:

• Tidewater Friends of Foster Care received a total grant of $3500 to provide academic support and tutoring to children in foster care.
• Western Tidewater Free Clinic received a total award of $3700 to provide health and wellness support to women in the region.
• Blakey Weaver Counseling Center received a total grant of $4000 to provide a support program at Kings Fork Middle School in Suffolk focusing on children dealing with trauma and other mental health related issues.
• Girls on the Run Hampton Roads received a total grant of $2100 to provide program benefits to at-risk girls in Franklin.
• The Up Center received a total grant of $3296 to provide a mentoring program at Elephant’s Fork Elementary in Suffolk to help at-risk youth develop leadership skills.

2023 Grantees

The 2023 Grant Focus was on grass roots organizations that concentrate on Navigating Life Skills to Positively Enhance the Future of Women and Children in Suffolk; below is the list of 2023 Grantees:

• Nansemond River Preservation Alliance received $1,500 for two stipends for two scholarships to the 2024 Young Leaders Environmental Internship Program.
• The College and Career Academy Cosmetology Program received $1,500 to cover one module of the Cosmetology Program.
• The College and Career Academy Certified Nurse Aide Program received $4,300 for one full scholarship and several tuition scholarships.

2022 Grantees

In 2022, the Members voted to support two areas of focus Education and Essential Needs. The Education and Essential Needs Committee Members selected the below list of 2022 Grantees:

• Blakey Weaver Counseling Center received $2,000 for the Youth Trauma Program in conjunction with The Genieve Shelter.
• The College and Career Center at Pruden received $1,850 for two scholarships for the CNA Program.
• Nansemond River Preservation Alliance received $1,500 for two stipends for summer internships.

2021 Grantees

In 2021, the Members voted to support two areas of focus: Education and Food Insecurity. The Education and Food Insecurity Committee Members selected the below list of 2021 Grantees:

• Communities in Schools Hampton Roads received $4,000 to establish community gardens in each of four Title I Suffolk Public Schools.
• Nansemond River Preservation Alliance received $1,500 to establish two summer internships for local students.
• Hampton Roads Community Action Program received $500 to support a financial literacy workshop in Suffolk.

2020 Grantees

In 2020, the Members voted to continue supporting two areas of focus: Leadership and Literacy. The Leadership Committee and Literacy Committee Members selected the below list of 2020 Grantees:

• Envision Lead Grow received $1,900 to send middle school-aged girls to the leadership bootcamp that is held each year in Norfolk.
• Suffolk Public Library received $530 for its Healing Kits program.
• REACH, Inc. received $730 to fund The Genieve Shelter’s Moonbeams and Dreams program, as well as other literary programs.
• The College and Career Academy at The Pruden Center received $640 towards its CNA (nursing) Tuition Program.

2019 Grantees

In 2019, the Members voted to support two areas of focus: Literacy and Leadership. The Literacy Committee and Leadership Committee Members selected the below list of 2019 Grantees:

• Envision Lead Grow received $1,250 to support its entrepreneur mentoring program for middle school girls.
• Suffolk Public Library received $377.50 for its Literacy Training Workshop and Stronger Together Stories.
• Suffolk Public Schools received $377.50 in support of Readers for Tomorrow.
• The College and Career Academy at The Pruden Center received $495 towards its CNA (nursing) Tuition Program.

Join Us

Becoming a member of the Women’s Impact Fund of the Suffolk Foundation provides networking opportunities with a dynamic group of women, while at the same time giving members the satisfaction of knowing they are making a difference in the community as well as inspiring other women and young ladies. Not sure yet? Contact the Suffolk Foundation for additional information.

CLICK HERE to make your membership donation to the Women’s Impact Fund. Be sure to select “Women’s Impact Fund” from the drop-down menu for your fund designation. Membership levels for the Women’s Impact Fund start at $500.