By Julie Keller, Executive Director, Women’s Fund for the Fox Valley Region

Women’s Fund for the Fox Valley Region and three other Women’s Funds in Northeastern Wisconsin have come together to collaborate on a sweeping regional study that will lend local data to the assertion made nationwide that women have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 over the past year.

Julie Keller

Women’s Fund for the Fox Valley Region, Women’s Fund of Greater Green Bay, Women’s Fund of the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, and Fond du Lac Area Women’s Fund have joined together in developing a survey to be administered by St. Norbert College’s Strategic Research Institute over the next several weeks. The survey aims to derive data to show how COVID-19 has impacted women and their families economically and socially one year since the pandemic struck the Northeastern Wisconsin region.

Once the surveying concludes April 23, data will be compiled into a report to be shared with the public in June 2021 through community presentations, hard copy and an Internet dashboard. The study is made possible through a grant from the Basic Needs Giving Partnership of the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, a funding collaborative which includes funds from the U.S. Venture Open Fund for Basic Needs, the J. J. Keller Foundation and other community donors.

“The impact of the pandemic has been devastating for women on all levels – economically, socially, mentally and physically, said Julie Keller, executive director of the Women’s Fund for the Fox Valley Region. We have heard the statistics and stories from a national perspective, with this survey we want to capture the impact for women locally in Northeast Wisconsin. This data will guide us and the community on where our resources should be invested to have the greatest impact for women who need support to help them thrive.”

Each Women’s Fund will rely on community partners to assist with distribution of the survey, both through an online link as well as hard copies, to ensure a diverse group of women have access to completing it. The survey will be available in Spanish and English. The goal is to have a minimum sampling of 500 women across the region, which is defined by the service areas of the four collaborating Women’s Funds.

The four Women’s Funds in the region are supported collectively by nearly $10 million in community endowments. Together, they invest $525,000 annually back into local partner agencies through grantmaking that aligns directly with mission-focused work centered on gender equity and enhanced opportunities for women and girls.

To access the survey directly, please click this link.

The Women’s Fund is a supporting organization of the Community Foundation and a separate 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization. The Women’s Fund invests in the needs of women and girls through grants, advocacy and education. Since 1994, the Women’s Fund has awarded more than $1.8 million in grants to innovative programs that improve women’s and girls’ physical and mental health, ensure their economic security, promote their safety and enhance their lives. For more information, click here.