WF Fund

Community foundations are a vital component in the philanthropic ecosystem. They are uniquely positioned to promote collaboration with place-based organizations and have the ability to proactively engage in advocacy work. As donor advised funds (DAFs) continue to grow, community foundations could become even more influential. At the WF Fund, we value the role of community foundations. When we launched Inspired Generosity in 2024, it came out of a desire to build bridges between community foundations and the Muslim American community. As one of the most generous religious groups in the country, Muslim Americans support education, civic engagement, healthcare, food security, housing, and so many other vital issues in our communities. Representing just over one percent of the American population, Muslims play a significant role in building healthy communities. #storiesmatter

We appreciate the Community Foundation Awareness Initiative lifting up the work of our president, Dilnaz Waraich and our flagship storytelling initiative, Inspired Generosity.

At the WF Fund we recognize that sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees, so we work to connect, uplift, and amplify our nonprofit partners. We work from the perspective that partnership goes beyond the financial gift and our relationship is more than funder/grantee. We're excited that in 2025 we're continuing to live this out by... ?? Supporting grantee partners with capacity building workshops to help build skills in a variety of areas, including fund development, board management, and navigating change. ?? Bringing our partners together for the first ever WF Fund retreat this fall. ?? Creating connections among our partners with annual cohort calls that allow us to listen to their needs while building relationships between these nonprofits. As we continue to learn from other philanthropic leaders, we're curious to know how you're supporting your grantee partners in 2025. Please share your thoughts in the comments ??

As Muslims across the country settle into the second week of Ramadan, fundraising efforts for Muslim-led nonprofit organizations are in full swing. During this month-long time of fasting "nearly 70% of Muslim Americans say they always give zakat, a yearly donation of 2.5% of one’s wealth that Islam encourages." To our Muslim colleagues we wish you a continued Ramadan Mubarak And to our Muslim allies, we encourage you to be mindful of your neighbors, colleagues, and friends who may be feeling the fatigue of fasting from sun up to sun down. You can also find a community iftar and take part in the prayer and celebration as the daily fast is broken as a way of connecting and supporting.

At the WF Fund we work to bring people together and this new video from The Chronicle of Philanthropy gives us hope.

Last week Fund President, Dilnaz Waraich, and team member, Tamela Spicer, took part in the Interfaith Symposium at Augsburg University. We are grateful to Paul Pribbenow, Najeeba Syeed, and the entire Augsburg team for welcoming us to the Twin Cities. The inspiring words of Valerie Kaur will remain with us as we continue our work to amplify voices with "revolutionary love."

It isn't easy to understand the complexities of the relationship between the nonprofit sector and government revenue. We appreciate Jeff Williams and the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy team for breaking down the data to bring understanding. #datamatters

Our WF Fund president, Dilnaz Waraich, will be joining many amazing colleagues, including David Brooks of The New York Times, at the Leadership and Society Initiative Symposium hosted by the University of Chicago. Symposium guests will explore opportunities for impact while helping to shape the new fellowship, Imagine Pathway. If you're in the Chicago area on April 24, you can request your invitation with the link below. #philanthropymatters

Last week the WF Fund partnered with 171 Foundation to gather Muslim Chaplains and leaders from across the country. It was an inspiring day, as teams from the University of Michigan, The Ohio State University, Butler University, Rutgers University, Stanford University, and so many more came together to talk about how they can be effective in serving students. We're excited to continue this work in the coming year to build a stronger chaplaincy system across the country. The need is increasing vital amidst the continued chaos of the world. #chapliansrock

Citing research from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, authors Heather McLeod Grant and Jessica Robinson Love note that "the future of philanthropy is female." As the influence and leadership of women continues to shape philanthropy, we wrestle anew with the fact that "too much philanthropic capital is sitting on the sidelines." We cannot continue to discount the role of women to change this. As we consider the female focused future of philanthropy, the authors remind us that women give more... ?? broadly ?? hands on ?? collaboratively