Feel Good Friday - The Valentine Foundation

Today is Valentine’s Day so let’s spend a moment learning about the Valentine Foundation.

Well, the first thing I learned is it has nothing to do with the holiday and is named after founder, Phoebe Valentine, but we’re sticking with it. Headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, the Valentine Foundation has been funding social change for women and girls since 1985.

As they explain on their website, “we fund nonprofits in the Philadelphia region focused on racial and gender justice, prioritize leadership in organizations serving women and girls, and align our investments with these goals.” In a world where DEI initiatives are getting cut by many companies, the Valentine Foundation prioritizes organizations led by or focused on BIPOC, women, trans, and gender-expansive people.

Their grants are divided into two areas. Foundation grants support efforts that redefine issues, enhance community engagement, shift policies, or preserve past gains in gender equality. The amount of these grants ranges between $7,000 and $15,000 and can be single, or multi-year. The money can be used for either general operations or project-specific funding. Examples of 2024 recipients include Maternity Care Coalition, Gender Justice Fund and the Women’s Community Revitalization Project.

The second set of grants comes from the Visionary Leadership Fund which was established in 2005. These are targeted to support leadership development for women executives and aspiring leaders in organizations that uplift women and girls in the Greater Philadelphia region. Amounts for these grants average at or around $3,000 per applicant. Examples of 2024 recipients include leaders from the Education Law Center, Girls Inc., and Women Against Abuse.

In 2024, the Valentine Foundation awarded $201,332 to recipients in both categories. You can review the grantee page for details on recipients and grant amounts each year going back to 2000.

Finally, the Valentine Foundation allocates 20% of their endowment to mission aligned investing and provides low interest loans to nonprofits that support community projects.

If you’d like to help the Valentine Foundation achieve their vision of a society where all women and girls can thrive, you can make a donation and amplify their message on social media. Like their Facebook page and follow them on Instagram and LinkedIn. Happy Valentine’s Day!