Timeline
2006
We held our first public meeting in March 2006. We ended the year with 71 members.
Other highlights from 2006 included:
- Holding our first public meeting in March 2006 and electing an interim slate of officers.
- Holding our first annual meeting, featuring speaker Buffy Beaudoin-Schwartz of the Association of Baltimore Area Grantmakers.
The founding members who made their first annual membership contributions by June 30, 2006, were: Colleen Baldwin, Joy N. Beer, Bronwyn Belling*, Helaine Betnun*, Linnell R. Bowen, Patricia Barland Brasse, Kathleen Perry Brooks*, Susan Cartney, Shauna A. S. Chabot, Virginia P. Clagett*, Prudence I. Clendenning*, Tara Balfe Clifford*, Robin C. Cohen, Carol A. Cronin*, Debbie Daugherty*, Lynne Davidson*, Karen L. Davis*, Diane R. Evans*, Dorothy K. Fitzgerald, Therese M. Gardner, Anna E. Greenberg*, Barbara Hoffstein*, Barbara M. Holch, Eleanor Huggins*, Caroline Von Kessler Hughes, Betsy A. Kimrey, Nancy Kling*, Anne P. “Patti” Konrad, Florence Beck Kurdle, Bev Marcus*, Gloria Martin-Pressman*, Carol Ann McClees, Lynn McReynolds*, Jane M. Morrell, Elizabeth Ann Nicholson, Mary-Ann Pinkard*, Beverly J. Reed, Peggy K. Rightnour, Lynda B. Salamon*, Laurie E. Salladin, Raleigh Schein, Sharon L. Stewart, Trish Strott, Susan A. Swayze*, Helene S. Tenner*, and Abbie J. von Schlegell.
Those marked with an asterisk (*) were still active members as of 2020.
2007
In 2007, we awarded our first grants. We ended the year with 98 members.
Other highlights from 2007 included:
- Awarding $40,000 in grants to four local nonprofits.
- Honoring Sharon Stewart with the first Founders' Award.
2008
In 2008, we held our first Grants Showcase, highlighting current and past grantees. We ended the year with 117 members.
Other highlights from 2008 included:
- Awarding $57,000 in grants to five local nonprofits.
- Honoring Bronwyn Belling with the Founders' Award.
- Holding the first Grants Showcase to highlight current and past grantees.
- Holding an Education Meeting on Women's Philanthropy.
2009
In 2009, we created an Associate Member category for members aged 35 and younger. We ended the year with 127 members.
Other highlights from 2009 included:
- Awarding $64,529 in grants to seven local nonprofits.
- Honoring Tara Clifford with the Founders' Award.
- Forming a Lighthouse Lunch Group, making 50 bag lunches for the shelter.
- Creating an Associate Member category for members under age 35 and younger.
- Holding the first Women and Leadership Event, Women as Leaders: Tools for Success.
- AAWGT members Tara Potter and Sharon Stewart receiving Leadership Anne Arundel Community Trustee Awards.
- Holding an Education Meetings on Addiction and Recovery Issues Facing Women and Families in Anne Arundel County.
- Holding an Education Meeting on Self-Sufficiency Standards for Women and Families.
- Holding an Education Meeting on How Arts Programming Can be Used to Create a Positive Impact on the Lives of At-Risk Youth in Anne Arundel County.
2010
In 2010, we celebrated our five-year anniversary, during which time we grew from 15 members to over 150 members. We awarded $225,000 in grants to 25 organizations and held 35 educational sessions. We ended the year with 157 members.
Other highlights from 2010 included:
- Awarding $65,257 in grants to eight Anne Arundel County nonprofits.
- Increasing the maximum grant to $15,000 for 2011 grantees.
- Honoring Gloria Martin-Pressman with the Founders' Award.
- Members participating in Habitat for Humanity and Women Build.
- Receiving the Fannie Lou Hamer Community Service Award.
- Holding a January Education Meeting: Assessing Need in a Challenging Economy.
- Holding a February Education Meeting: Health Care Services: Issues and Gaps.
- Holding a March Education Meeting: Developmental Disabilities: The Growing Needs.
- Holding a November Education Meeting: Women and Leadership – We Are All Leaders: Telling Our Stories.
2011
In 2011, we established the Endowment Fund to celebrate our 5th anniversary. The Endowment Fund ensures that we will operate and continue to award grants in perpetuity. We ended the year with 188 members.
Other highlights from 2011 included:
- Awarding $76,168 in grants to six Anne Arundel County nonprofits.
- Honoring Lynne Davidson with the Founders' Award.
- Holding the first Special Interest Forum on individuals with disabilities.
- AAWGT and M&T Bank giving the "Making A Difference Award" of $1,000 to the Anne Arundel County Library Foundation to purchase resource materials on proposal writing, grantsmanship, and board/staff development for the nonprofit community.
- Holding a January Education Meeting: Transportation: Because Getting There is Half the Battle.
- Holding a January Education Meeting: Individuals with Disabilities: Discovering the Roadmap for Services and Support.
- Holding a March Education Meeting: Women and Leadership – Connecting to the Global Community: Lessons from Abroad.
- Holding a Special Interest Forum: Emerging Issues in Our Community – Human Trafficking.
- Holding a September Education Meeting: Immigration: Facts, Trends, and Realities.
- Holding a October Education Meeting: Youth — Juvenile Justice In AA County.
2012
In 2012, we hosted the photo essay project, “Sharing Our Vision: Stories of Giving through the Eyes of Youth,” at our April open house. We ended the year with 175 members.
Other highlights from 2012 included:
- Awarding $103,664 in grants to nine Anne Arundel County nonprofits.
- Honoring Laurie Sharp with the Founders' Award.
- Receiving the Coretta Scott King Award at the 24th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards Dinner. Our giving circle was recognized for the important work we do to improve the quality of life for all women and families.
- Holding a February Education Meeting: Caregiving and Caregivers: A Monumental Challenge for our Community.
- Co-hosting the Giving Circle Connector Workshop, Making a Difference – Defining the Impact of Success.
2013
In 2013, we held a Women and Leadership Event, "Connecting to the Global Community: Lessons from Abroad." We ended the year with 183 members.
Other highlights from 2013 included:
- Awarding $95,682 in grants to seven Anne Arundel County nonprofits.
- Reaching the $500,000 mark in total grants awarded.
- Honoring Susan Swayze with the Founders' Award.
- Receiving the 2013 Leadership Award from Court Appointed Special Advocates in recognition of continuous commitment to ensuring that every child in our community has the opportunity to live in a safe, stable, permanent home.
- Holding a January Education Meeting: The Real Picture of Homelessness.
- Holding a March Education Meeting: Housing and Homelessness II - AAWGT Educational Bus Tour.
- Holding a September Education Meeting: The Weakening Link Between Marriage and Childbirth: Does it Matter?
- Holding a November Education Meeting: Women’s Health.
- Viewing of the film “Reflection on Good Karma $1” and discussion in November.
2014
In 2014, we held a Women and Leadership Event, "An Evening with Molly Barker, Founder of Girls on the Run." We ended the year with 193 members.
Other highlights from 2014 included:
- Awarding $93,715 in grants to seven Anne Arundel County nonprofits.
- Honoring Eve-Marie Lacroix and Diane Rode with the Founders' Award.
- Holding a Women and Leadership Event: An evening with Molly Barker, founder of Girls on the Run.
- Holding a February Education Meeting: Changing Demographics: Opportunities and Untapped Resources.
- Holding a October Education Meeting: Mental Health Part 1: The Big Discussion: Who, What, Where How, Why.
2015
In 2015, we made grant applications available online for the first time. We ended the year with 190 members.
Other highlights from 2015 included:
- Awarding $105,505 in grants to nine Anne Arundel County nonprofits.
- Honoring Sandy Sweeney with the Founders' Award.
- Honoring Bronwyn Belling, Judy Coughlin, Barbara Haight, and Sandy Sweeney with the Laurie Sharp Running With Scissors Award.
- Honoring Bess Langbein with the Laurie Sharp Running With Scissors Award.
- Holding a Women and Leadership Event: Effective Leadership: Keys to Successes.
- Holding a February Education Meeting: Living on the Ledge Part I: Economic Insecurity and Our Older Neighbors.
- Holding a June Education Meeting: Living on the Ledge Part II: Debunking the Myths of Poverty.
- Holding a October Education Meeting: Poverty Amidst Plenty: Biennial State of Anne Arundel County.
2016
In 2016, we celebrated 10 years of grantmaking, with a total of $800,000 awarded to 70 local nonprofits. We ended the year with 212 members.
Other highlights from 2016 included:
- Awarding $100,548 in grants to eight Anne Arundel County nonprofits.
- Honoring Melanie Teems with the Founders' Award.
- Holding a Women and Leadership Forum, The Emerging Face of 21st Century Philanthropy, in celebration of our 10th anniversary. Over 200 people attended the event.
- Holding a February Education Meeting: Breaking the Cycle: Where There is Breath, There is Hope.
- Holding a June Education Meeting: Community Plan for Collective Impact 2017-2020 Improving the Lives of Children, Youth and Families.
- Holding a October Education Meeting: Heroin and Opioids: Suddenly a Big Problem.
- Holding November Members’ Forum: Collective Impact – Making Large Scale Change.
2017
In 2017, education meeting topics included Fostering Hope: Perseverance in the Face of Adversity, domestic violence, and the One Love Escalation Workshop. We ended the year with 197 members.
Other highlights from 2017 included:
- Awarding $111,7295 in grants to eight Anne Arundel County nonprofits.
- Holding a Women and Leadership Event: How Women Lead and Change at Home and Around the World.
- Holding a February Education Meeting: Derailing the Impact of Early Childhood Trauma.
- Holding a June Education Meeting: Fostering Hope: Perseverance in the Face of Adversity.
- Holding a October Education Meeting: Domestic Violence.
- Holding a November Education Meeting: One Love Escalation Workshop.
2018
In 2018, we passed the $1,000,000 mark in total grants awarded. We ended the year with 202 members.
Other highlights from 2018 included:
- Awarding $105,136 in grants to nine Anne Arundel County nonprofits.
- Increasing the maximum grant to $20,000.
- Awarding the first Momentum Grant to STAIR-Annapolis. The grant was for $40,000 over two years.
- Honoring Caroline Purdy and Karen Smith with the Founders’ Award.
- Holding a International Women’s Day Event: Women on the March.
- Holding a January Education Meeting: Evening with Carol Graham, author of Happiness for All? Unequal Hopes and Lives in Pursuit of the American Dream.
- Holding a June Education Meeting: Now That You’re Here – A Look at How We Assimilate Non-English-Speaking Newcomers into our Country
- AAWGT member Tara Clifford being named Volunteer of the Year by the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County.
- AAWGT member Beverly Marcus and her husband, Stephen, being named Philanthropists of the Year by the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County.
2019
In 2019, AAWGT members Karen Smith, Anna Greenberg, and Margo Cook were honored by the YWCA of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County at the 34th Tribute to Women in Industry luncheon. These awards recognize contributions and accomplishments of visionary women in the workplace and the community. We ended the year with 224 members.
Other highlights from 2019 included:
- Awarding $112,778 in grants to six Anne Arundel County nonprofits.
- Honoring Linda Eggbeer with the Founders' Award.
- AAWGT member Bronwyn Belling being named the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County Volunteer of the Year.
- AAWGT member Pam Brown receiving a Fannie Lou Hamer Award for Leadership in Civil and Human Rights.
- AAWGT member Cassandra Smith Moore being honored at the 38th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Breakfast.
- Holding an International Women’s Day Event: How Women Find Their Voices.
- Holding a February Education Meeting: Unsung and Unserved: The Double-Edged Sword Facing Today’s Women Veterans.
- Holding a June Education Meeting: Craving a Solution to Hunger: A Path to Food Security by 2030.
- Holding a October Education Meeting: Transportation: A Route to Education, Jobs, Health Care, and Food.
2020
In 2020, we awarded the first Fundamental Needs Grant to Newtowne Community Development Corporation. We ended the year with 225 members.
Other highlights from 2020 included:
- Passing the $1.2 million mark in total of all grants awarded.
- Awarding $139,381 in grants to nine Anne Arundel County nonprofits.
- Holding a Women and Leadership Forum, The Cost of Silence: Census 2020.
- Holding the first virtual Grants Showcase in September.
- Holding a February Education Meeting: The First 1,000 Days of a Child’s Life.
- Holding a June Education Meeting: Trimming Health Inequity.
- Holding an October Education Event: Elevating All Students-Eliminating All Gaps.
2021
In 2021, after a thorough review, we greatly simplified our grants application and review process, applying principles of trust-based philanthropy. We offer a single grant type this year and give preference to nonprofits with gross receipts of $100,000 or less. We ended the year with 251 members.
Other highlights from 2021 included:
- Celebrating our 15th year of collective philanthropy. We featured several members in our newsletter who are long-time members. We also posted video messages from several members and community leaders.
- Voting on May 11 to fund eight area nonprofits with grants totaling $138,496. We offered three different types of grants: a $20,000 Racial Equity Grant, a $10,000 Fundamental Needs grant, and our regular grants.
- Holding education events on the performing arts during COVID, affordable housing in Anne Arundel County, and maternal mortality in our county.
- Holding our annual Women Leaders Fostering Change event in March. It featured Linda Gooden, Rear Admiral (Ret.) Margaret Kibben, and Monica Brown Jones, M.D. The panel was moderated by member Cardie Templeton. The women discussed their experience as one of the few women leaders in their organizations.
- Awarding the Founders' Award to long-time member and founder Barbara Hoffstein.
- Creating a resource guide with materials that address racial equity.
- Holding our spring open house via Zoom.
- Holding our annual Grantee Showcase at the Annapolis Maritime Museum on September 22.
2022
In 2022, we voted to change our membership structure so that we have four contribution options (in addition to Lifetime Membership). Those options are Friend ($175), Catalyst ($375), Ally ($575), and Sustainer $1,075). All options offer the same benefits, and all members retain one vote regardless of the contribution option. We ended the year with 263 active members.
Other highlights from 2022 included:
- Continuing to simplify our grants application and process to more fully embrace trust-based philanthropy. We voted to increase the maximum grant available to $25,000. We also updated our list of project types we will fund.
- After a thorough review, the Governance Committee updating and simplifying our bylaws with full support of our membership.
- Voting on May 11 to fund 11 area nonprofits with grants totaling $159,265.
- Holding education events on adult literacy, the Innocence Project, and the geography and color of Anne Arundel County poverty.
- Holding our annual Women Leaders Fostering Change event in March. The topic was women leaders in climate action. It featured member Kate Fritz as facilitator, Carmera Thomas-Wilhite of the Urban Conservation Initiative, Lynn Heller of the Climate Access Fund, and Candace Dodson-Reed of the Office of Equity and Inclusion at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
- Awarding the Founders' Award to Grants Committee chair Cindy Whittle.
- Holding our spring open house at Londontowne.
- Holding our annual Grantee Showcase at Temple Beth Shalom in Arnold, Maryland.
- Holding a successful One More Grant Campaign, raising $20,000.
- The Racial Equity Study Group and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee continuing to meet to address how our work can incorporate these ideals. The study group held a field trip to take the Harriet Tubman Country Narrated Tour around Cambridge, Maryland.
- The Book Group continuing to meet to discuss relevant non-fiction and movies.
- The Membership Committee continuing to hold well-attended member “Getting Together” events.
- Holding our annual field trip, this year to Marshall Hope Corporation's food pantry.
2023
In 2023, we awarded $164,305 in grants to nine local nonprofits, bringing our total grants awarded since our founding to over $1.7M. We ended the year with 305 active members.
Other highlights from 2023 included:
- Voting to change our fiscal year from July 1 to June 30 to match our grant year. The fiscal year was previously January 1 to December 31.
- Hosting our best-attended Open House in April and Grants Showcase iin September.
- Holding education events, What’s New With AAWGT?, Women in Leadership: The Impact the Pandemic Has Had on Our Collective Mental Health, The Many Faces of Homelessness, and The Realities Facing Early Learners.
- Serving as one of five co-hosts of the Philanos PowerUp! Conference of giving circles from across the country. Three of our members presented at educational sessions, and two received DEI Advocate Awards.
- The Racial Equity Study Group touring the local community of Highland Beach, one of America’s many historic resort communities founded by and for African Americans.