Amplify Her Foundation New York announced that Moonshot Initiative is among the recipients of its 2024 grant cycle during the Give to Women and Girls Day celebration.
Amplify Her Foundation, a New York-based foundation that supports women and girls from underserved communities to become transformative changemakers, has honored Moonshot Initiative as one of its 2024 grantees.
Moonshot Initiative is a grantee partner in the area of equitable representation and is one of 23 organizations honored during the 2024 grant cycle, selected from a competitive pool of applicants.
"Moonshot Initiative stood out during the selection process due to its deep alignment with the mission of the Amplify Her Foundation, its passionate leadership, high levels of community engagement, and dedicated programming to develop the leadership pipeline of women from underserved communities in New York City," said Laura Risimini, director of grants at Amplify Her Foundation. "This award is a testament to Moonshot Initiative's dedication, vision, and unwavering commitment to the women of New York City."
The grant will support Moonshot Initiative's work toward gender equity in film and television through programs including its film challenge, networking events, education, and accelerators for emerging screenwriters.
"We are honored to receive a grant from Amplify Her Foundation," said Moonshot Initiative Co-Executive Director Tracy Sayre. "This support will help us continue to raise women's voices, build powerful networks and change how women are seen. Film is one of the most powerful tools for building empathy and modeling behavior. With the grant from Amplify Her Foundation, we can provide the resources to hundreds of women so that they can use this tool more equitably."
The foundation made the announcement during the Give to Women and Girls Day celebration, co-presented with the Women's Philanthropy Institute Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. The event was held at the New-York Historical Society on the Upper West Side of Manhattan on Friday, Oct. 11, with the aim of calling attention to the gap in philanthropic support for women and girls and to galvanize awareness and funding.
"The Give to Women and Girls Day celebration was an incredible gathering of nonprofits, funders, and changemakers, all working to make New York City a more equitable place," Moonshot Initiative Co-Executive Director Katrina Medoff said. "It was so energizing to be in a room with so many women who are making a difference. The fact that it was a packed house was a testament to how critical this work is."
The day began with an opportunity for grantee partners, funders, researchers, and other changemakers to meet one another.
The event, which was emceed by Colonel Julia Coxen, kicked off with words from Amplify Her Foundation Founder and Executive Director Marti Speranza Wong and opening remarks from First Deputy Mayor of New York City Maria Torres-Springer, introduced by Diana Franco, vice president of Women.NYC.
"Advancing equity requires more than providing opportunities — it means breaking down barriers, addressing systemic inequalities, and ensuring that women and girls have the resources, support, and leadership needed to thrive," said Marti Speranza Wong in her letter to event attendees.
During the panel "Driving Giving: Insights From the Women & Girls Index," Women's Philanthropy Institute Interim Director Jacqueline Ackerman shared the institute's findings from its newly released report. This year, giving to women and girls exceeded $10 billion for the first time — but it still remains below 2% of overall charitable giving. Panelists Sarah Haacke Byrd (CEO, Women Moving Millions), Maheen Kaleem (VP of Operations and Programs, Grantmakers for Girls of Color) and Noorain Khan (Senior Advisor to the President, Ford Foundation) discussed these findings and how we can create lasting impact for women and girls.
"At the heart of every challenge is a woman who has a solution," Haacke Byrd said.
Next up was a conversation between Ana Oliveira (President & CEO, The New York Women's Foundation) and Laura Risimini (Director of Grants, Amplify Her) about women harnessing the power of giving as a tool to dismantle systems of oppression, which is the topic of their new open access book, "The Uprising of Women in Philanthropy."
Then, Teresa C. Younger (President and CEO, The Ms. Foundation for Women) and Seema R. Hingorani (Founder and Chair, Girls Who Invest, and Managing Director, Morgan Stanley Investment Management) discussed the crucial need to invest in women's leadership.
Giselle Burgess, Senior Director of Troup 6000, a Girl Scout program serving girls in the NYC shelter system, shared her story.
Next, Aamina Awan-Khan, Chirlie Felis, and Maia Molina-Schaefer, co-chairs of the Amplify Her Foundation Leadership Network, presented the Amplify Her Foundation 2024 Grantee Partners.
Along with Moonshot Initiative, Amplify Her Foundation 2024 Grantee Partners include Ignite, PowHer New York, Women Creating Change, Full Steam Forward, Girls Who Invest, The Legally BLK Fund, Girl Scouts of Greater New York, Girls Inc. of New York City, Latinas On the Verge of Excellence (L.O.V.E.), The Lower Eastside Girls Club of New York, Sadie Nash Leadership Project, South Asian Youth Action, Seeds of Fortune, Student Leadership Network, YWCA Brooklyn, Bottomless Closet, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, New Women New Yorkers, 92NY Women in Power, Custom Collaborative, Hot Bread Kitchen, and Welcome to Chinatown.
Finally, Na'ilah Amaru of Women Creating Change presented Valerie Jarrett, Chief Executive Officer of the Obama Foundation, with the GlassBreaker Award.
Learn more by reading Amplify Her Foundation's event recap here.
Give to Girls and Women Day was presented by Amplify Her Foundation, the Women's Philanthropy Institute Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, and the NYC Event Coalition, including Women.NYC at the New York City Economic Development Corporation, Giving Tuesday, Ms. Foundation for Women, The New York Women's Foundation, Women Moving Millions, The Giving List: Women Doing It Differently, Barnard, Pivotal Ventures, Grantmakers of Girls of Color, Impact100, Girls Inc., National Women's Hall of Fame, Together Women Rise, The Asia Foundation, Women's Funding Network, Brooklyn College/CUNY Women's Center, National Organization for Women (NOW) New York City Chapter, Working for Women, The National Federation of Business & Professional Women's Clubs, Inc., Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy, NYC Her Future, Women's Community Justice Association, Indigenous Justice Circle, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, Philanthropy Together, Magee-Womens Research Institute & Foundation, and Philanos. The organizers also thanked Every.org, the New York Stock Exchange, and the New-York Historical Society Museum and Library's Center for Women's History.
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