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The Connie Hillman Family Foundation new and increased donations to the women鈥檚 foundation over the next five years, up to $1 million.

Thanks to an outpouring of support from Tucson donors, and the hard work of women鈥檚 foundation fundraising volunteers and board members, the goal was met far earlier than expected, said Dawne Bell, CEO of the Women鈥檚 Foundation of Southern Arizona. Bell announced the achievement during the foundation鈥檚 25th annual fundraising luncheon Wednesday.

鈥淭his is one of the most philanthropic communities in the country,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen we look at how they鈥檙e focusing their giving on women and girls, that鈥檚 something to celebrate.鈥�

The $1 million challenge was supposed to be a 鈥渟tretch goal鈥� to grow the foundation, Bell said after the event, held in the Tucson Convention Center鈥檚 arena.

鈥淭hey just blew it away with their wonderful leaders, their vision of what needs to be done for women,鈥� said Larry Adamson of the Connie Hillman Family Foundation. He said the challenge was designed to boost donations for years to come, not just for the duration of the challenge.

鈥淭he hope is that all the new donors will be continuing donors, and the increased donors will continue at the increased level,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a long-term benefit, not just a flash in the pan.鈥�

More than 1,100 people attended the luncheon, a big leap in size from the foundation鈥檚 first one, held at the Arizona Inn a quarter-century ago.

In the past year, the women鈥檚 foundation awarded $700,000 in grants that helped more than 9,200 women.

In addition to grant-making, the women鈥檚 foundation also provided grant recipients with expert consultants to help make the most of those funds, and to help them calculate and quantify their impact, Bell said.

The foundation estimates that every $1 invested creates $6.62 in benefits for Southern Arizona women.

The tangible outcomes of the foundation鈥檚 grant-making include:

• $2.5 million in increased income for women;
• nearly $1 million in reduced debt;
• housing for 258 women;
• employment secured for 233 women.

The foundation鈥檚 latest initiative, funded by a $150,000 competitive award from the Women鈥檚 Funding Network and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, focuses on 鈥� that focus not just on struggling parents, but their children as well.

Volunteers devoted 1,800 hours to evaluating grant applications made to the women鈥檚 foundation last year, Deb Dale, chair of the women鈥檚 foundation鈥檚 board of trustees, said at the luncheon.

鈥淭he need far outpaces what we can fund,鈥� she said.

The organizations selected for grants include financial-literacy programs, shelter and legal services for survivors of abuse, workforce development and training, homeownership programs, microloans for women entrepreneurs, and programs that help low-income girls and women graduate from high school and college.

鈥淲hen you give to the women鈥檚 foundation, you create a ripple effect,鈥� she said. 鈥淒onors make all of our work possible.鈥�