Our History
Four Founders, One Shared Vision
In 1984, four women leaders in the Chicago philanthropic community working individually—Marjorie Benton, Sunny Fischer, Iris Krieg, and Lucia Woods Lindley—came together around a bold and urgent idea: women and girls deserved greater investment, opportunity, and power to shape their futures.
At the time, just three percent of philanthropic dollars were directed toward issues impacting women. Women were largely excluded from philanthropy as decision makers and rarely encouraged to direct their resources toward causes affecting their own lives and communities.
CFW’s founders recognized that the problem was never a lack of capacity or generosity. Women had the resources. What was missing was an invitation to use them differently. So they created one.
Through their relationships, leadership, and shared belief in collective action, the founders mobilized women across Chicago who wanted to create meaningful social change and redefine what philanthropy could look like.
On December 31, 1984, Chicago Foundation for Women was officially incorporated. By the following year, an inaugural board was in place, fundraising had begun, and an executive director was hired. CFW became one of six women’s foundations in the country as a new kind of philanthropy was taking root.
In its first grantmaking cycle, CFW awarded $50,000 to 25 organizations serving women and girls across the Chicago region. Within three years, that investment grew to half a million dollars. Today, that founding vision continues to guide the work: investing in bold ideas and grassroots leadership to shift power and advance equity across our communities. What began as a bold commitment has since expanded into more than $54 million invested in women, girls, and gender-expansive people.
Our Journey
Milestones of Impact
From a bold founding vision to transformative achievements, every chapter of CFW’s story has left an indelible mark. Explore the defining moments that shaped an enduring legacy.
Our Story
Explore Our 40th Anniversary Commemorative Book
40 Years of Bold Action and Lasting Change is both a celebration of the past and a call for our renewed commitment. It honors the milestones we have achieved, the trailblazers who paved the way, and the communities that continue to guide our path forward. Within these pages, you will find stories of transformation and resilience, moments of hard-won progress, and a powerful throughline: the enduring belief that when we invest in women, girls, and gender-expansive people, we all rise. Browse the full Commemorative Book below.
Our Future
Building the Next Chapter, Together
The same vision that sparked our founding continues to guide us forward. While our history is a powerful foundation, it is also our call to action. Our founders saw what was possible when women were invited to lead, give, and shape the future. That belief continues to drive us today.
Explore our strategic plan to see how we are investing in bold ideas, grassroots leadership, and local organizations to make equity possible and permanent. Join us in building our next chapter by making a gift to support this work.
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