Women's Foundation of Alabama
Women's Foundation of Alabama is a nonprofit philanthropic foundation headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, and the state's first and only foundation focused solely on addressing the needs of women and girls. Founded in 1996, the organization operates as a public charity (501(c)(3)) and serves as the leading voice and philanthropic engine for women in Alabama. The foundation employs 13 staff members and leverages resources from individuals, nonprofits, corporate partners, and community leaders to drive systemic change.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$11.7M
+8.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.0M
+85.4% YoY
Grant Count
57
+62.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$35K
+13.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Women's Foundation of Alabama is a community-driven foundation impacting the world around us by accelerating economic opportunity for women.
Vision: A society where power and possibility are not limited by gender, race, or place.
Core Values: Insight, Advocacy, Impact, Equity, and Inclusion
The foundation operates through two primary program areas:
Grantmaking: The foundation provides competitive grants supporting high-impact programs and public policy advocacy initiatives proven to accelerate economic opportunity for women. In 2023, the foundation awarded 45 grants impacting over 6,000 women and girls across three focus areas. The foundation provides technical assistance to community colleges and girl-serving organizations, implementing models and curricula created by the foundation. In 2023, ten community colleges across the state were funded to implement the foundation's student parent success model, which aligns career-specific training programs with wraparound support services including childcare, transportation, and coaching.
Advocacy: The foundation leverages public policy advocacy as a strategic tool to address gender inequities. The foundation's 2024 agenda for women urged Alabama lawmakers to advance equity through workplace supports and maternal health, focusing on childcare, maternal health, and workforce opportunities. The foundation successfully increased state investments to scale proven workforce development models and expand funding for childcare.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s:** Typical awards range from $10,000 to $100,000.
Review Cycle
in 2023, awarding 45 grants
How to Apply
** The foundation operates a competitive statewide grant cycle. A Fall 2025 grant cycle is currently open for applications.
Ready to take the next step with Women's Foundation of Alabama?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds initiatives statewide across Alabama, with particular emphasis on expanding economic opportunity for women throughout the state. The foundation has expanded its influence beyond Greater Birmingham to create systemic change across the entire state.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $11,682,938
- Total Revenue: $6,048,717
- Total Expenses: $4,198,811
- Total Giving: $2,057,785
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $10,742,173
- Total Revenue: $5,522,283
- Total Expenses: $3,046,873
Cumulative Impact: The foundation has invested more than $8 million in initiatives, research, and policy to strengthen the community by building equitable opportunities for women.
Tax Status: Tax-exempt since June 2011 (EIN: 45-0952468)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $11,682,938 | $10,742,173 | $5,835,347 |
| Revenue | $6,048,717 | $5,522,283 | $1,934,001 |
| Expenses | $4,198,811 | $3,046,873 | $2,117,252 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $422,288 | $58,722 | $73,966 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
148 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Women's Foundation of Alabama
Girls at the Center Initiative
WOMEN'S FOUNDATION OF ALABAMA
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Student-Parent Success Model (Community College Partnership)
WOMEN'S FOUNDATION OF ALABAMA
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Women's Foundation of Alabama: Competitive Grantmaking
WOMEN'S FOUNDATION OF ALABAMA
Amount
Up to US $50,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Virginia Sweet: Executive Director
- Babs Buchanan: Development Director
- Shun Pinkard: Chief Operating Officer
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELIZABETH COLE GOODRICH | VICE CHAIR | 4 | — |
| LAJUANA TUCKER BRADFORD | CHAIR | 4 | — |
| MAYE HEAD FREI | TREASURER | 4 | — |
| BROOKE COLEMAN | SECRETARY | 4 | — |
| TIFFANY JOHNSON COLE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| PAIGE DANIEL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JESSICA M FRIEDMAN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DAWN HELMS SHARFF | IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR | 4 | — |
| RINA HURST | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ANGELA JARRETT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MARY PAT LAWRENCE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BROOKE REID | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| QUENTIN RIGGINS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| GUIN ROBINSON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| HAMPTON STEPHENS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| NANCY WATTS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CATHY DE LA GARZA | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ELIZABETH DOTTS FLEMING | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LISA HOWARD | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LIBBY LASSITER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CARROLL PHELPS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CHRISTY TAYLOR | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MELANIE BRIDGEFORTH | PRESIDENT/ CEO | 40 | $214,011 |
| LASHUNDRA PINKARD | COO | 40 | $115,296 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation awarded a $50,000 grant to Talladega College to advance female workforce opportunities
Alabama $450K Women''s Foundation Grants 2025: How to ApplyThe Fall 2025 grant cycle is currently open for applications
Apply Now: WFA Fall 2025 Grant Cycle to Empower Women Across the State -In 2024, the foundation championed nonpartisan policy solutions supporting women's economic opportunity, successfully increasing state investments to scale proven workforce development models and expand funding for childcare
Women's Foundation of Alabama awards Talladega ...Contact Information
- Phone: 205.326.4454
- Email: hello@wfalabama.org
- Address: 2213 1st Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35233-2305
- Website: wfalabama.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Similar funders by location and focus area
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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