‘We all enjoy giving back.’

Join us for our Women's Givinng Circle Annual Meeting on September 17! Learn more >>

When individual people are inspired to get involved in their community, they can make a big impact. When those individuals are inspired to work together, that impact can grow exponentially.

Just ask Natalie Finley, development and marketing director of Opening Doors Dubuque. In need of funding for the organization’s Barrier Assistance Fund, her organization applied for and received a grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque’s Women’s Giving Circle, which is made possible by the generosity of hundreds of women across the Dubuque region.

“Seemingly small barriers to self-sufficiency – such as child care, transportation, application fees and work attire – can be insurmountable for women experiencing homelessness, trauma or recovery,” Finley says. “The Women’s Giving Circle grant allows us to respond quickly and compassionately to those needs, ensuring our residents have the resources they need to continue their journey with dignity and determination.”

That’s the power of the Women’s Giving Circle. Since its founding in 2006, this group has brought together women of many different ages with different life experiences who all have the same goal: Make donations and award grants that support the needs of women and children.

Each year, payouts from the Women’s Giving Circle endowment fund support grants for local nonprofits. This summer, after inviting organizations to apply and reviewing the applications, the group awarded a total of $25,000 to nine nonprofits, including Opening Doors, that help women facing issues like food insecurity, lack of clothing for work or job interviews, and access to resources for immigrants. (See below for full list)

“The Women’s Giving Circle is a wonderful way to make new friends while working together to make a positive difference for our neighbors,” says Community Foundation Gift Planning Officer Kaley Rigdon Burgmeier, who oversees the Women’s Giving Circle. “We all enjoy each other’s company — but most importantly, we all enjoy giving back.”

What began as a handful of women coming together to do good through their collective philanthropy has grown into a network of more than 150 members living the group’s mission: Improve the lives of women and children in our community, now and for future generations, and share the joy of giving by creating an ethic of living generously — together.

As the Women’s Giving Circle approaches its 20^th anniversary in 2026, the Community Foundation and the Circle’s members are celebrating its successes. To date, the group has made 67 grants totaling more than $160,000 to nonprofits in the Dubuque region. Its endowment – a fund that includes gifts that are invested, grow in perpetuity, and grant out a percentage every year for grantmaking – has grown to over $500,000.

Most importantly, the group’s grantmaking has helped women and children tend to their basic needs.

“This grant will allow us to have an advocate 24/7 to oversee our hotline and support survivors fleeing abuse,” says Michelle Ernst, director of the Dubuque Y Crisis Services, which received a Women’s Giving Circle grant this year. “This will help reduce the number of women having to hide out on the streets and gives them local access to harbor from their abusers.

“I appreciate what this group means and the work and effort they put into the community.”

That type of impact is what inspires people to join the Women’s Giving Circle, while the camaraderie, friendship and fun enhance the experience.

For members like Mimi Vaassen, being part of the Women’s Giving Circle is a way to be involved in the community and make a positive difference while balancing daily responsibilities like work and family.

“As a mother of five and full-time physical therapist, life can be pretty busy,” Vaassen says. “Knowing my time is precious, I was looking for a way to make a difference in the community while also being social away from home and work.

“After joining the Women’s Giving Circle, I immediately got involved reviewing grant requests from local organizations that help families. Reading the requests and discussing them with my peers opened my eyes to the needs in my own community.”

Members can be as active and involved as they wish. The group usually hosts three events per year – a learning opportunity in the spring, a grants ceremony in the summer, and an annual meeting in the fall – and attendance it always optional. Those who do attend are encouraged to bring guests.

Members also can choose to serve in a leadership role or on a committee. The only requirement is an annual gift to the Women’s Giving Circle endowment, typically $250 or more, to help sustain and grow its grantmaking capacity.

Whether a longtime or new member, each person who gets involved with the Women’s Giving Circle finds an experience that is both enjoyable and fulfilling.

“It’s so much more than donating money and having social gatherings,” Vaassen says. “I can actually see the impact I’m having and feel like I’m making a difference.”

Join us for our Women's Givinng Circle Annual Meeting on September 17! Learn more >>

Convivium Urban Farmstead
“We will use the money to help with our Community Casserole program,” says Convivium co-founder Leslie Shalabi. “The grant funds will help us make 150 free casseroles for families in need. These are healthy, vegetable-forward options for families in the community who need access to nutritious meals.”

Dubuque Community Y Crisis Services
This grant will help staff the center’s hotline for women facing abuse. “The Women’s Giving Circle and Community Foundation play a big role in helping the less fortunate and the many programs our there that help others improve their lives,” says Crisis Services Director Michelle Ernst.

First Presbyterian Church, Bellevue, Food Share Program
“We rely on grants, donations and fundraisers to finance this project,” says Jenny Litterer, Food Share program board member. “The cost to operate the Food Share program is $250 per week. For that price, food is purchased and distributed to about 60 families, including 60 women and children. When people’s basic needs are met, they can be successful, contributing members of society.”

Friends of Volga Public Library
The library’s grant will support the EmpowerHer Wellness Initiative, a holistic fitness and wellness program designed to empower women and children in rural Volga. The library sponsors the program, which grew out of a survey that found wellness and fitness initiatives were top needs among women and children in the community. This initiative will provide free, accessible wellness programming that fosters physical health, emotional resilience and self-sufficiency through various physical activities and opportunities.

Presentation Lantern Center
“The generous grant we received will make a direct and meaningful impact on the lives of immigrant and refugee women in our community,” says Ann Lorenz, the Lantern Center’s community outreach director. “This grant will support our Urgent Student Need Fund, which allows us to respond quickly when our students face unforeseen challenges or other basic needs that can become barriers to learning and stability.”

Moms Connect Dubuque
“The Women's Giving Circle grant allows us to start the first cohort of our Empowerment Partner Program, which helps moms build deeper relationships and engage in mentorship opportunities between our scheduled gatherings,” says Kristina Heinzen, co-executive director of Moms Connect. “We will also be able to attend a training to build an equitable and successful Parent Advisory Council so our moms have a voice in shaping our organization.

Opening Doors Dubuque
This grant will directly support the organization’s Barrier Assistance Fund, a critical component of its human services programming. “This fund helps eliminate immediate obstacles that stand in the way of a woman’s progress toward stability and self-sufficiency,” says Natalie Finley, development and marketing director for Opening Doors.

Open Closet at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Dubuque
“With the Women’s Giving Circle Grant, we will be purchasing the ‘bare’ essentials of underwear and socks for women and children,” says Open Closet Coordinator Cindy Recker. “We provide dignity to financially-challenged individuals and families in our community. We offer resources at our shopping events like WellPoint and MercyOne Mobile Unit and host opportunities like a free kids coat giveaway, 25 cent garage sale and toy giveaway. We also help eliminate a key barrier to employment for those out of prison by providing steel-toed shoes.”

Stonehill Communities
“Our grant will allow several people to enroll in and complete our Certified Nursing Assistance program at no charge,” says Tracy Connolly, director of community relations and mission advancement for Stonehill. “When someone is starting our in their health care career, having access to a supportive environment increases the success rate. By removing financial barriers, we open the door for individuals from diverse backgrounds.”