Visionary Leadership Fund

Empowering Women Leaders in Greater Philadelphia

The Visionary Leadership Fund, managed by the Valentine Foundation, was established in 2005 to support leadership development for women executives and aspiring leaders in organizations that uplift women and girls in the Greater Philadelphia region. Grant amounts typically average at or around $3,000 per applicant.

VLF Mission

  • Strengthen Current Women Leaders

  • Develop the Next Generation of Women Leaders

  • Build a Community of Women Leaders

VLF Vision

We envision a society where all women, girls, and non-binary individuals thrive. By funding leadership development, we aim to close equity gaps across gender, race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, and other dimensions within non-profit leadership.

Important Deadlines

  • December 16th: Virtual Visionary Leadership Fund Q&A Session 1

  • January 14th: Virtual Visionary Leadership Fund Q&A Session 2

  • January 31st: Applicant Section Due

  • February 16th: Final Grant Application Deadline

  • April 30th: Award Announcement and Grants Distrbuted on or Before this Date

Who We Support

We encourage applications from women leaders and aspiring leaders, particularly those from historically underrepresented groups, including Black, Indigenous, People of Color, LGBTQ+, and People with Disabilities.

FAQs

  • Yes.

  • Yes.

  • Yes. In the grant application, you will be asked to describe how a continuation or repeat grant will benefit your organization and the Nominated Individual.

  • The grant is intended to develop individual nonprofit leaders; it is not a Board development grant. Board representatives may be included in the grant as long as they are part of a team that includes at least one professional executive staff member.

  • The Leadership Fund grant application should be completed by a representative of your organization (the “Applicant”) and by the individuals who will be participating in the proposed leadership initiative (the “Nominated Individual(s)”). Generally, the “Applicant” is the person representing the organization. They are responsible for providing a budget and the reason for submitting the grant. Though the two parts of the application are separate, we strongly encourage your Applicant and Nominated Individual(s) to discuss your responses with each other.

  • No. If an individual leader does wish to apply for funding but does not have the support of her current organization, she may contact Valentine Foundation to inquire about other available sources of leadership development.

  • Yes. You are welcome to choose the leadership initiative that is most appropriate for your organization and leaders. You will have the chance to explain why you’ve chosen this particular leadership initiative. Examples of Leadership Development initiatives that have been funded by the Valentine Foundation in the past can be found here — Leadership Development Initiatives.

  • No.

  • No.

  • No, a final written report is not required. However, we do value hearing about the grantee's leadership experience and how it has positively impacted them. Grantees are encouraged to share a brief description of their journey and the benefits they’ve gained from the opportunity.

  • You are welcome to have a whole team participate. Please explain this to us in the grant application question “Why now, and in what ways is this Leadership Development Initiative important for your organization?” Then, choose 3 of the team members to be your Nominated Individuals.

  • An individual in your organization who you believe has leadership potential or who has made a significant contribution to the success of your organization, even if they are not currently in a leadership role.

  • The Valentine Foundation has funded a variety of leadership development initiatives, and we encourage organizations to determine the best fit for their unique needs. Previous grant recipients have used funding for:

  • Yes, while not an exclusive or endorsed list, the Valentine Foundation has compiled a resource of consultants who have previously worked with our grantees. These include:

  • Each VLF Committee member is assigned as a liaison to work directly with a grantee, fostering a connection and supporting the grantee's efforts.

2024 VLF Grantees

  • Sofia Tamimi

    Women’s Campaign International (WCI)

  • Paige Marie Joki, Esq.

    Education Law Center

  • Christine Arnold

    Clery Center

  • Ashley S. Jimenez

    Urban Affairs Coalition/Center for Hope

  • Maritza Padua

    Women Against Abuse

  • Caterina Ramirez

    Women Against Abuse

  • Naomi Laver

    Women's Campaign International (WCI)

  • Cristal Bruce

    Girls, Inc.

VLF Committee

  • Stephanie McWhite, Co-Chair

  • Agatha Butler, Co-Chair

  • Cheryl Carson

  • Jessica Corey

  • Vanessa Lowe

  • Leslie Lieberman

  • Jessica Mertz

  • Lizzy Schmidt, Trustee Liaison