Concord, NH - On September 1, the Women's Fund of New Hampshire announced that grants totaling over $60,000 had been awarded to organizations working throughout the state to impact the lives of women and girls. According to Marianne Jones, executive director, the Women's Fund received twice as many applications for funding in this grant application round as for the same period in 2007.

"I think the increase in requests is likely due to the current climate of uncertainty and that nonprofits everywhere are looking for funding resources given the expected rise in operating costs as they try to serve their clients," Jones said. "But what it means is that some great projects had to go unfunded."

Organizations that did receive grants include programs serving children who have experienced domestic abuse; teen parents; homeless children and families; and women refugees who are trying to learn new skills to start businesses Several programs mentoring teenage girls were also funded. Individual grants range from $2,000 to $5,000 for each organization.

The following grants were awarded:

SEACOAST AREA

A Safe Place - Seacoast Task Force on Family Violence
Portsmouth, NH –$5000
This grant will support, "After Domestic Violence: A Mother and Child Recovery Program," for addressing the effects on children who have witnessed domestic violence at home, using the curriculum "Children Exposed to Woman Abuse" in concurrently running groups for mothers and children.

Arts in Reach
Dover, NH – $2000
This grant will support the transition from the Founding Director to the New Executive Director during the first year of AIR's new Executive Director.

Girls on the Run
Exeter, NH –$1500
This grant will support the "Girls on the Run Increased Awareness and Scholarship Campaign" for the Portsmouth Area to promote and expand this program to the elementary aged girls in the Portsmouth school district in 2008-2009.

Sexual Assault Support Services
Portsmouth, NH –$4000
This grant will support the "Sexual Violence Education and Awareness Program," a comprehensive program that provides Sexual Violence Education and Awareness Programs to students in grades K-12.

MANCHESTER AREA

NH Task Force on Women and Recovery
Manchester, NH –$2000
This grant will support "Shared Straight/Targeted Prevention for Girls Dissemination" to support dissemination to the public at large, parents, at-risk high school and middle school girls, college youth, juvenile and adult criminal justice, mental health and substance abuse workers, policy makers and others.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Manchester
Manchester, NH –$5000
This grant will support the "Girl Empowerment One-to-One Mentoring Program" in order to increase the number of girls who receive mentoring from 25 girls to 40 girls within the year, and continue to grow the mentoring program.

Rubia, Inc.
Manchester, NH –September $5000
This grant will support the program, "Sewing Confidence among Refugee Women" to establish a sewing center where recently resettled African refugee women will be trained in small business enterprise.

NASHUA AREA

Marguerite's Place, Inc.
Nashua, NH $4000
This grant will support the "Transitional Housing Program" which provides ongoing services and daycare programs for homeless women and their children.

Nashua Pastoral Care Center
Nashua, NH –$5000
This grant will support the "Transitional Housing Program," developed to assist young homeless mothers making permanent life changes that will result in self-sufficiency.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Nashua
Nashua, NH –$5000
This grant will support the Girl's After School Mentoring Program, Girl's Inc. & 21st Century Extended Day Program, to expand to provide mentors to girls in the Nashua's 21st Century Extended Day Program, while continuing to provide mentoring to girls in Girl's Inc., Nashua.

CONCORD AREA

Dress For Success New Hampshire
Concord, NH– $2000
This grant will provide operating support for the new executive director to increase to a 30 hour per week, salaried position.

The New Hampshire Women's Policy Institute
Concord, NH –$5000
This grant will support "Understanding Barriers to Care for Near-Elderly Women in NH" providing new information on the barriers faced by near-elderly (ages 55-64) women in accessing and paying for health care, and the impact that has on economic security for this population.

PLYMOUTH/LAKES REGION

Boys & Girls Club of the Lakes Region
Laconia, NH –$5000
This grant will support "Stepping Stones to Parenthood" a program which addresses the needs of teen parents with education about prenatal care to age 6 for proper care and nurturing of their children.

Circle Program
Plymouth, NH –$5000
This grant will support "Circle Program Mentoring" to recruit and train volunteer adult women mentors and provide them with ongoing support and resources througout the year.

Voices Against Violence
Plymouth, NH –$4739
This grant will support the program, "Pattern Changing" a program providing psycho-educational support groups for abused women.

MONADNOCK REGION

The Family Center of Greater Peterborough
Peterborough, NH –$5000
This grant will support the program "For Parents and Their Babies, For Parents Age 25 and Under, For Parents Age 26 and Over" offering support groups for parents and their babies, through collaboration with other local service providers, over an extended period through early childhood.

The Women's Fund of New Hampshire (WFNH) has moved its offices to shared space at the Delta Dental building at 2 Delta Drive in Concord. The new office opened September 2. The Women's Fund has been a tenant at the United Way of Merrimack County on South Main Street in Concord for the past 10 years.

"We've appreciated the collegial support we've received from the United Way staff and volunteers over the years," Jones said.

The Women's Fund of New Hampshire is a statewide foundation dedicated to encouraging philanthropy among women and girls, improving the lives of women and girls through social change grantmaking and educating the community about the potential of women and girls. The Fund is supported through private gifts and a growing, permanent endowment. Since 1999, we have supported more than 150 programs in the state, with over $450,000 in grant funding. These programs serve women and girls, and also men, boys, families and communities in every county of New Hampshire.