Announcing Our Inaugural Spark Award Recipients!
By Patricia Massey Hoke and Liana Humphrey
Women’s Impact Fund is excited to announce our inaugural Spark Awards for rest and renewal for local women social change leaders. These awards were approved by a unanimous vote of our membership earlier this month. The awards place Women’s Impact Fund at the forefront of an important evolution in philanthropy to support self-care and wellness in the philanthropic and nonprofit sector.
The eight recipients of a $5,000 unrestricted Spark Award are:
- Charis Blackmon, West Side Community Land Trust
- Janeen Bryant, Community Building Initiative
- Courtnie Coble, The Academy of Goal Achievers
- Dr. Devonya Govan-Hunt, Black Child Development Institute (BCDI)
- Kenya Joseph, Hearts and Hands Food Pantry
- Jessica Lefkowitz, Hearts for the Invisible Charlotte Coalition
- Althera (Tina) Marshall, Black Abortion Defense League
- Kelsey Van Dyke, Do Greater Charlotte
These inspiring local women are at the forefront of social change in our community, working on issues such as food insecurity, housing justice, reproductive rights, and education. They have demonstrated evidence of community-centered leadership and vision, have experience working in direct relationship with the community being served, and their work is transformative and impactful. We are honored to recognize them with an award and are in conversation about how to honor them in person in the fall once we launch our 2024-2025 program year. Read more about the recipients here.
Recipients will have full discretion to use the funds in any way they choose to cultivate their individual care, renewal, and healing. In addition to the award, they will also receive a one-year WIF membership to provide additional opportunities for connection, leadership, and growth.
Mental health and staff turnover were listed as two of the top concerns among the local nonprofit community in a recent SHARE Charlotte study. Funding rest and renewal has recently been highlighted by the Center for Effective Philanthropy and the Stanford Social Innovation Review. In addition to the impact of these awards, Women’s Impact Fund is also excited about expanding the conversation regarding investing in rest and renewal for social change leaders.
Please join us in congratulating the 2024 Spark Award recipients!
