Utica, New York– The Women’s Fund of Herkimer and Oneida Counties in cooperation with Baird Private Wealth Management and Griffiss Institute is sponsoring four $5,000 grants for a total of $20,000 to women in business in Herkimer and Oneida Counties. The businesses must be at least 51 percent women-owned and have been in existence for one year or more. The deadline for applying is Friday, September 29, 2023. The application is available at womensfundhoc.org.
“We are incredibly excited to offer this opportunity to women in our area for a second year in a row,” commented Janet Richmond, president of the Board of Directors of The Women’s Fund. “For more than 25 years we have been able, through the generosity of our donors, to provide economic, educational and growth opportunities for women and girls. The goal of this Women Investing In Women initiative is to continue to support women-owned businesses in our communities. We know women business owners are making a difference for women and families in our area and contributing to our region’s economy.”
The grant initiative began last year to celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Women’s Fund. The Women’s Fund Board of Directors recognizes that supporting women entrepreneurs helps to lift up and move forward women and girls in the area.
“We are thrilled to offer this $5,000 grant initiative again this year,” noted Ellen Rainey, secretary of the WF Board of Directors and the committee chair for the grants. “Last year we received 58 applications from women in Oneida and Herkimer Counties. It was an incredible response and the variety of women-owned businesses that applied was inspiring. We are hoping we get an even greater response this year. We have kept in touch with last year’s recipients, and they have all reported back how much the grant has helped enhance and expand their businesses. They also reported how many connections they have made because of the grants, the publicity and the connectivity of the women involved in this initiative.”
“We are proud to partner again with The Women’s Fund to support and empower women entrepreneurs,” said Heather Hage, President and CEO of Griffiss Institute. “These grants are designed to uplift and propel women-owned businesses to new heights. By providing financial support, we aim to attract, develop, and foster success of women in our community, while contributing to the growth and vitality of the Mohawk Valley startup ecosystem. Together, we are investing in the future of women-owned businesses and creating opportunities for lasting impact.”
Baird Private Wealth Management with offices in New Hartford, New York is a major contributor to the grant initiative. Baird became involved last year and has demonstrated their ongoing commitment to changing the lives of women in the area.
“We are very pleased to partner with The Women’s Fund and Griffiss Institute to support Women Investing In Women,” stated Michele Sheridan, Director and Certified Financial Planner at Baird. “Women can face a number of barriers as they work to become successful business owners. One of our goals at Baird is to help reduce those barriers and find ways to support women-owned businesses and their growth.”
The grant application is open to women-owned businesses in Herkimer and Oneida Counties and can be found on The Women’s Fund website at womensfundhoc.org. The application deadline is Friday, September 29, 2023. There are four $5,000 grants available which will be awarded in November 2023. Funds may be used for equipment, hardware/software, consulting services, training, education, and marketing. More details are available on the website at www.womensfundhoc.org.
Interview Opportunities:
Ellen Rainey – The Women’s Fund Board Member and Committee Chairperson (703) 472-6893
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About The Women’s Fund:
The Women’s Fund seeks to create economic, educational and personal growth opportunities for women of all ages and to encourage their advancement and full participation in the community. We accomplish our mission by supporting critical programs aimed at providing women and girls with job readiness skills, employment opportunities, budget/money management skills, positive parenting education, and life skills necessary to maintain safe, healthy, violence-free lives, offering life changing intervention through Annie’s Fund, a unique fund that provides critical monetary support enabling women to overcome obstacles and crisis, promoting philanthropy through awareness and education events, responding to the urgent and emerging needs of women and their families, and publishing reports that provide pertinent information on the status of women and girls in Herkimer and Oneida counties. For more information, visit womensfundhoc.org.
About Baird Private Wealth Management:
Putting clients first since 1919, Baird is an employee-owned, international wealth management, asset management, investment banking/capital markets, and private equity firm with offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. Baird has more than 5,000 associates serving the needs of individual, corporate, institutional and municipal clients and more than $375 billion in client assets as of December 31, 2022. Committed to being a great workplace, Baird ranked No. 23 on the 2023 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list – its 20th consecutive year on the list. Baird is the marketing name of Baird Financial Group. Baird’s principal operating subsidiaries are Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated and Baird Trust Company in the United States and Robert W. Baird Group Ltd. in Europe. Baird also has an operating subsidiary in Asia supporting Baird’s investment banking and private equity operations. For more information, please visit Baird’s website at rwbaird.com.
About Griffiss Institute:
The Griffiss Institute cultivates talent and technology that tackles the world’s biggest challenges. It does so alongside the United States Department of Defense’s Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate (AFRL/RI) and an international network of academic, government, and industry partners. Founded in 2002 in the Mohawk Valley region of Upstate New York, Griffiss Institute has origins as an incubator of ideas. With technology transfer at its core, it forges connections and pathways that enable real-life solutions to make their way from the lab bench to commercial uses. Griffiss Institute continues to elevate and develop the next generation of STEM students, professionals, and technologies that enhance our national security. griffissinstitute.org