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Celebrating 50 years of collective Action for gender equity

From our founding in 1976 to today, WOMEN’S WAY has played an integral part in Philadelphia's story and our nation’s history.

Fifty years ago, a group of visionary women came together around a bold idea: that by uniting under one banner, they could strengthen their collective voice and drive greater progress.

That idea gave rise to WOMEN’S WAY—the nation’s first umbrella women’s funding federation—and launched a legacy of leadership, community, and impact that continues to shape our region today. For half a century, we’ve inspired, mobilized, and connected organizations and individuals across generations to build collective power for gender equity.

This year, as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary alongside the nation’s 250th, we honor the critical role women and all gender-marginalized people have played and continue to play in shaping our region and pushing for a better future.

Join us throughout the year as we continue to build a legacy of collective action and turn bold ideas into lasting change.

Upcoming Events

March 26, 2026 – Watch a Recording of 50 Years of WOMEN'S WAY: Barriers, Breakthroughs, and What's Next Here

May 7, 2026 – 50th Anniversary Celebration Event

September 2026 – 5th Annual Gender Wealth Summit

October 2026 – The WOMEN'S WAY Book Prize

Additional events will be announced soon – stay tuned for more details and registration.

  MAY 7, 2026 – SIGNATURE ANNIVERSARY EVENT  

50TH aNNIVERSARY celebration event

Join us for an extraordinary evening marking half a century of bold leadership, collective power, and transformational impact for gender equity in Philadelphia and beyond.

Celebrate the legacy and help shape the next chapter.

Date

May 7th, 2026

Location

Crystal Tea Room

Registration

Now Open

RSVP TODAY

50TH aNNIVERSARY FUND

As part of our 50th Anniversary Celebration, the WOMEN’S WAY 50th Anniversary Fund launches the next evolution of our Young Women’s Initiative (YWI)—a philanthropic community dedicated to investing in the leadership, health, safety, and economic security of young women, girls, and gender-nonconforming individuals.

This Fund honors five decades of advancing gender equity while seeding the future by cultivating the next generation of philanthropists and leaders committed to gender equity. Contributions to the 50th Anniversary Fund will strengthen YWI members’ capacity to deepen impact and create a more just and equitable future where all young people have the opportunity to thrive.

Help us reach our $50,000 goal and launch the next chapter of YWI by donating today.

DONATE NOW

Share Your women's way story

"My mom was a co-founder of WOMEN’S WAY back in the ’70s. Since her passing, I’ve been searching for a way to honor her legacy and the fight for gender equity, which was a lifelong goal — something she was striving for even up until the day she died. When the WOMEN’S WAY opportunity [to be on the Board of Directors] presented itself, it was a fortuitous way to channel my mom’s energy and keep her legacy going." Courtney Yeakel, WOMEN'S WAY Board Member

To read the full story, click the image above.

"Four months after I joined WOMEN’S WAY, Roe V. Wade was overturned. There was no quicker onboarding to the threats facing gender equity than that. Despite the terrible timing, this is how I knew I was in the right place. Along with the worry and deep concern for the ripple effects this decision would have (and has now had!) on the lives of people throughout our region and nation, I was inspired to get connected to a community that was dedicated to protecting one another and fighting for a more equitable future. We need this now more than ever. " Misha, WOMEN'S WAY Team Member
"WOMEN'S WAY has deeply shaped how I approach gender equity in our region, grounding my advocacy in research and a clear understanding of the systemic barriers that women and other minority groups face. WOMEN'S WAY's intersectional lens and resources have strengthened my ability to engage business leaders, policymakers, and boards with credibility. WOMEN'S WAY has challenged me to be more precise in my advocacy, more inclusive in my leadership, and more ambitious about what is possible for gender equity across Greater Philadelphia." Meg Pierce, WOMEN'S WAY Board Member
"I’ve always been passionate about gender justice, and I graduated with a double major in Gender Studies (then called Women’s Studies) and Sociology. In a twist of fate, my first job out of college was in finance. The conservative firm where I worked strongly “encouraged” employees to donate to its United Way campaign—and would match our contributions. I took particular pleasure in directing my gifts to reproductive justice organizations, knowing the firm would have to match donations that ran counter to its politics. It wasn’t until recently that I connected the dots that the Donor Choice option I used to direct my giving existed because of WOMEN’S WAY’s advocacy back in 1980—a full-circle moment linking my early values-aligned giving to the work I’m part of today." Jess, WOMEN'S WAY, Chief Operating Officer
"When I joined WOMEN'S WAY's Board of Directors, I believed my commitment to gender equity was enough. I cared deeply about the work. I showed up with good intentions. But what I've learned through our intensive board trainings on racial equity and gender inclusivity is this: impact matters more than intention, and the best intentions can still create harm. What WOMEN'S WAY has taught me is that doing this work well means being willing to be uncomfortable, to make mistakes, and to remain accountable. It means recognizing that our internal culture, how we work together, govern, and lead, must reflect the justice we seek to create externally. We can't ask our grantees and community partners to do transformative work if we're not willing to transform ourselves." Laura Belmont, Board Member

To read the full story, click the image above.

"I'm proud of the work we did together to bring greater community voice into our grantmaking, to expand the number of organizations and causes we were supporting, and to launch advocacy as a core part of our mission so that we could galvanize our supporters to change the underlying systems that made our grants necessary in the first place - work that has expanded boldly and unapologetically since that time." Melissa Weiler Gerber, Former board member; former YWI co-chair; former Executive Director

To read the full story, click the image above.

"That combination — learning through the Change the Narrative Fellowship and receiving rapid funding through IRAF— has shaped how I think about community-led change: it happens when organizations are trusted and resourced to respond with heart, rooted in accountability to the people they serve. WOMEN’S WAY has been a partner in that journey, and I’m grateful for how that partnership has strengthened both my leadership and our collective impact." Dr. Victoria Best, M.Ed

To read the full story, click the image above.

"I was accepted into the WOMEN’S WAY Change The Narrative Fellowship during my time at the Community College of Philadelphia (CCP). This fellowship was amazing in so many ways. I made connections with some wonderful women, and by listening to their stories, I learned a lot about perspectives I likely wouldn’t have been exposed to otherwise. I felt like I mentally grew so much, especially as a young woman surrounded by older, wiser women. Also, the monetary award that came with it is part of why I was able to go to Temple University without loans. It was incredibly helpful for me in saving up enough to go to Temple on my own dime. I am forever thankful for the opportunities WOMEN’S WAY has given me." Christina T.
"Since joining the WOMEN’S WAY community in 2017, I have been transformed. I have met powerful, creative, caring, brilliant people who are relentless in their pursuit of gender justice. They have challenged me, supported me, and shown me what courageous leadership truly looks like. Their unyielding commitment to equity has strengthened my resolve and deepened my belief that change is possible—even when progress feels fragile. In some of the most challenging moments our country has faced, this community has given me strength, hope, and courage. And for that, I am forever grateful to be part of the WOMEN’S WAY family." Diane Cornman-Levy, Chief Disruptor

To read the full story, click the image above.

For 50 years, WOMEN’S WAY has been shaped by people who believe in the power of collective action.

This includes a wide network of supporters, advocates, partners, and community members over the years and today who show up, speak out, and help move gender equity forward in our region.

As we mark this milestone, we’re honoring that legacy by lifting up those stories. Whether you’ve attended an event, funded a bold idea, partnered on systems-changing work, or been inspired to take action, your story is an essential part of our shared history and future!

Explore the stories already submitted to see the many ways people have engaged with WOMEN’S WAY over the decades. Then, add your own voice!

This is an ongoing project. Click below to submit your WOMEN’S WAY story.

Submit Your Story

get involved

A gift to WOMEN’S WAY helps build collective power, invest in bold solutions, and move us closer to a region where everyone has security, dignity, freedom, and joy.

Donate Today

Join us at events and engagements throughout the year where we will highlight our shared history, putting a spotlight on the transformational change that can happen through collective action and amplifying the critical role women and all gender marginalized people have played in pushing our city and nation forward.

Upcoming Events

From hosting landmark convenings that elevated voices like Coretta Scott King and Gloria Steinem to advancing key initiatives targeting gender and economic opportunity, WOMEN’S WAY has spent five decades driving transformational change. We invite you to join us to celebrate this powerful legacy and play an integral role in shaping the next 50 years.

Learn More

Be part of what’s next. Sign up for our eblast to receive weekly updates, and click below to follow us on social media as we mark 50 years of impact and continue building the future together.

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THANK YOU TO OUR 50TH ANNIVERSARY HONORARY COMMITTEE!

AMJ Foundation | Carol Baker | David L. and Rhonda Cohen |  Paula & Jack Crowley | Forum of Executive Women | Jane Golden | Mary & Dennis Helf | Hangley Aronchick Segal Pudlin & Schiller | Elayne Howard | Kitty Kolbert & Joann Hyle | Kreischer Miller | Commissioner Neil Makhija | Jami Wintz McKeon | Allen Model & Roberta Gausas | Eleanor and Johnny Myers | Representative Jennifer O’Mara | Mary Posner | The Honorable Marjorie Rendell | Stephanie Resnick | Cynthia Ritter | Wendy Rose & Bishop Dennis Green  | The Honorable Allyson Y. Schwartz | Mary Scout | Dianne Semingson | Ruth Shaber, MD | Sunita Sheth, MD | Mark Stewart | The Honorable Flora Barth Wolf (Ret.) | Paul M. Yeakel, Jr. | Paul Yeakel and Lynn Yeakel Legacy Foundation | Vanguard Group Foundation

WE GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGE OUR EARLY CORPORATE SPONSORS!

Platinum

Silver

Fox Rothschild LLP, Future Standard, Jefferson Health Plans, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP

Bronze

Cerity Partners LLC, The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Foundation, M&T Bank, NBCUniversal, Rivers Casino, Vanguard, Venerable, Zenith Wealth Partners

Copper 

BLBB Charitable, Conner Strong & Buckelew, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, Independence Blue Cross, Lincoln Financial, Maguire Hayden Real Estate Company, NWON Opportunities

Friends Circle

Bala Law Group, LLC, Maven Communications

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  • WOMEN’S WAY is the Greater Philadelphia region’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to achieving gender equity through education, research, advocacy, and grantmaking,

     

    ***When we refer to women, we mean cis and trans women and femme-identified people (which includes anyone who is not a cis or trans woman but who identifies as feminine), and also those who identify as gender-expansive, nonbinary, and/or gender-nonconforming.

  • contact

    info@womensway.org
    215-985-3322
    1617 John F Kennedy Blvd.

    Suite #2043
    Philadelphia, PA, 19103

    EIN: 23-1989161

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