Diane, Your Women’s Fund of Central Indiana Magazine
Welcome to DIANE Magazine!
This magazine is just one outcome of my conversations with you over the last year. As I was settling into my new role, I met members of the Women’s Fund family–OPTIONS Alumnae, Emeritus Advisory Board members, longtime supporters, and other men and women with a shared commitment to ensuring all who identify as women or girls living in Central Indiana have an equitable opportunity to reach their full potential no matter their race, place, or identity.
You asked for more opportunities to learn and engage with Women’s Fund and our mission. This magazine was conceived of that desire. Here, once a quarter, you can learn more about women and girls in Central Indiana; the issues that matter to them; and the individuals and institutions, including Women’s Fund, that give their time, talent and treasure to create a world where women and girls can thrive.
As with all things Women’s Fund, this is your magazine. This space will evolve as you tell us what you want to read and learn.
We hope you enjoy this new offering and that it will inspire in you the commitment to women and girls in our community exemplified by our
founder–Diane.
Tamara Winfrey-Harris
President
Women’s Fund of Central Indiana
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How We Learned to Give: Reflections from the Women’s Fund Team
In the spirit of the holiday season and the generosity it inspires, we asked the Women’s Fund team to reflect on a moment that shaped their generosity. Kinyatta Coe, Executive Assistant to the President My first memory of “witnessing” generosity was visiting my grandmother in South Bend on Sundays. After church, she would cook extra food, not because we expected a guest, but because “someone might stop by.” Sure enough, family and church members would stop by, and she would always have a warm...
Power of Women in Pictures
In November, Women’s Fund of Central Indiana hosted our annual Power of Women fundraiser. It was another successful and inspiring night. We amplified a message of hope while galvanizing supporters old and new to drive a 70% increase in individual donations. And importantly, we learned that real-life Glennon Doyle is just like podcast Glennon— impressive and FUN! Enjoy these images from an unforgettable night, and we’ll see you next year! This article was...
Women’s Fund and the Future of Our Philanthropy
Though founded in 1996, the Women’s Fund really begins in 1993 when a coalition of women, led by Dr. Diane Brashear, began looking for ways to address, as they put it, “why many of our most critical problems fall hardest on women". Martha Lamkin was there. “We launched Women’s Fund with the conviction that all members of our community deserve full recognition,” she told us recently. “Moreover, policies that support women and girls benefit everyone—families, boys, men, and the common good.” To...
Women’s Fund Goes to Washington
Earlier this fall, members of the Women’s Fund traveled to Washington, D.C. to take part in Feminist Funded 2025, the long-running national gathering of the Women’s Funding Network. Celebrating 40 years of feminist philanthropy, the three-day event brought together leaders, advocates, and funders committed to advancing equity for women and girls. For our team, Feminist Funded was more than a chance to learn from peers across the country, it was an opportunity to engage with Hoosier...
What We’re Watching, Reading, and Listening To
As advocates, conveners, community members, and champions for women and girls, it’s essential that we support media created by and for women. Staying connected to current issues and engaging with thoughtful, creative content helps keep us both informed and inspired. Below is a curated list of books, articles, videos, and podcasts recommended by Women’s Fund for you to enjoy this holiday season; some are insightful, some are entertaining, and others offer a bit of both. What We're Watching...
The Next Women’s Funding Movement
What happens when a politically regressive era for women collides with the largest wealth transfer to women in history? Most of us working in philanthropy have heard of the Great Wealth Transfer — the twenty-year handoff of American Baby Boomers’ unprecedented $124-trillion collective wealth. Already underway, most of this treasure comes from a tiny minority, with the top 1% of this generational cohort controlling about as much wealth as the bottom 90%. When combined with the usual racial,...
Letter from the President, Diane December 2025 Issue
This year, Women’s Fund broke records. With $1 million awarded in grants, we reached a new milestone in our mission to support women and girls in Central Indiana. These resources are going into organizations and programs that move the needle: from housing security and workforce development to prenatal care and mental wellness. The State of Women in Central Indiana Report, released last year, laid bare hard truths. But this year, we witnessed resilience blooming through Women’s Fund programs...
Author Profile: Dheepa R. Maturi
Dheepa R. Maturi is a New York–born, Midwest-raised Indian-American writerwho explores the intersection of identity, culture and ecology. She has been nominated twice for the Pushcart Prize, and her essays and poetry have appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies. She lives with her family in the Indianapolis area. Tell us about your newest book. 108: an Eco-Thriller is about an Indian-American woman who learns she possesses an ancient ability that can stop a global ecological...
Sister Fund: Women’s Fund of Greater Fort Wayne
Recently, we spoke with Cassie Beer, Director for the Women’s Fund of Greater Fort Wayne. As our primary sister organization committed to advancing gender equity in Indiana, Women’s Fund of Greater Fort Wayne is committed to the belief that communities thrive when women and girls are empowered. Cassie shared her thoughts on the group’s origins, vital data for Northeast Indiana women, and what is giving her hope for the future. Tell us a little about Women’s Fund of Greater Fort Wayne’s...
Eyes on Her: Indiana’s Women in Sports and the Power of Progress
We see obvious examples, like Caitlin Clark’s meteoric arrival to the Indiana Fever and WNBA last year; or Central Indiana’s newest pro team, the Indy Ignite, making it to the championship game in their first season in the Pro Volleyball Federation. Outside the court we have figures like Caitlin Cooper, an Indiana basketball analyst who captured national media attention for her Einstein-level breakdowns of the Pacers’ historic playoff run. Even sports bars are coming around. When The Sports...
Grantee Highlight: Exodus Refugee and Women in Health Collaborative Fund
Recently, Women’s Fund sat down with Cassandra Sanborn, Director of Development and Communications at Exodus Refugee Immigration Inc. In April, Exodus was awarded a $35,000 grant from the Women in Health Collaborative Fund. The grant went towards services for pregnant and new mothers in the refugee community, including case management, workshops and direct assistance. While our conversation with Cassandra was meant to focus on new services, any talk about the refugee experience in 2025 will...
Home Macro-Economics: Caregiving and the Wage Gap
Though first proposed by Republican Congresswoman Winifred C. Stanley in 1944, it would take nearly twenty years to pass a federal law prohibiting gender-based wage discrimination—the Equal Pay Act of 1963. Since then, women working full-time have gone from making an average 59% of a man’s wage in the 1960s to 83.6% in 2023. But even after bringing an end to legal discrimination, a national pay gap of 16% remains. That is especially true for Hoosier women, who faced a 25% gap in 2022 (State...
What We’re Watching, Reading, and Listening To
As advocates, conveners, community members, and champions for women and girls, it’s essential that we support media created by and for women. Staying connected to current issues and engaging with thoughtful, creative content helps us stay informed and inspired. Below are books, articles, videos, and podcasts recommended by Women’s Fund; some are insightful, some are entertaining, and others offer a bit of both. What We're Watching The Residence: Set in the White House, Cordelia Cupp, an...
Caring for Central Indiana Caregivers
For the first time, U.S. Census projections show that Americans over the age of 65 will outnumber those 18 and younger within a decade. On top of that, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services, about 70% of older Americans will need some kind of longterm service or support. That need will not be experienced equally; financially burdened Americans typically experience longer stretches of need for paid care than their wealthier counterparts. Meanwhile, according to the U.S....
Letter from the President, Diane August 2025 Issue
The responsibility of caregiving falls heavily on women in Central Indiana. It has for generations. And today, that demand is growing while support remains out of reach for too many. We know that women are often expected to keep everything together. From the time we are young, we are taught to care for others, to quiet our needs, and to give more than we have or ask for. By the time we are raising children, supporting aging parents, helping partners heal, or guiding our communities, we are...
Donor Profile: Karen Gentleman
Recently, the Women’s Fund team reached out to Karen Gentleman, a founding mother who has remained involved with the organization for nearly thirty years. We wanted to get her insight on Women’s Fund’s impending 30-year anniversary (coming in 2026), the recent State of Women in Central Indiana Report, and reflections on our publication’s namesake, Dr. Diane Brashear. As someone who worked alongside Dr. Brashear, what do you think her opinion would be of the publication that bears her name?...
Addressing the Hoosier Health Crisis
The Women in Health Collaborative Fund, a pilot initiative from Women’s Fund of Central Indiana, is a response to the health challenges facing Hoosier women and girls. This initiative, reflecting Women’s Fund’s strategic pillar of Health & Wellbeing, brings together health professionals to raise funds and direct grants that can improve outcomes for women and girls. “We created this fund in response to the State of Women in Central Indiana report,” said Nichole Wilson, FACHE, Chair of...
Grantee Highlight: Centers of Wellness for Urban Women, Inc.
For nearly two decades, Centers of Wellness for Urban Women, Inc. (CWUW) has empowered Central Indiana women and their families to take control of and improve their health. Founded by Rhonda Bayless in 2007, the organization’s approach spans everything from education to advocacy to direct caregiving. Bayless formed the idea back in the 1990s while working in HIV treatment. “I knew we needed earlier intervention. I wanted to form a place that focuses on what is now called ‘social determinants...
What We’re Watching, Reading and Listening To
As advocates, conveners, community members and investors in women and girls, it’s essential that we focus on supporting media produced by and for women. Staying up to date with critical issues keeps us informed and inspired. Below is a list of books, articles, videos and podcasts focused on women that Women’s Fund recommends. WHAT WE’RE WATCHING The Six Triple Eight During WWII, the only US Women’s Army Corps unit of color stationed overseas takes on an impossible mission in a drama based on a...
Addressing Barriers for Black Girls’ Mental Health
The 2024 Indiana Girl Report and the State of Women in Central Indiana Report both highlight a troubling reality: the mental health crisis is real, and it’s impacting virtually every demographic of girls and women across our state. At Women’s Fund, we understand that all women and girls must navigate health disparities related to gender, but intersecting identities, such as race, can complicate things. By working to assist those of us who are particularly vulnerable, we can make things better...
Letter from the President, Diane May 2025 Issue
So many around us are in crisis, but we may never see it. Too many people fall apart in corners or sob into pillows before splashing water on their faces and stepping forward to give others care they rarely receive themselves. Others exist in work places that undervalue them—dismissed, overlooked, and expected to endure simply because life has required resilience from them. May is Mental Health Awareness Month. This month, we see an increase in the phrase “Be kind— you never know what...
No Two Alike: Stories of Mothers and Motherhood
Mother's Day holds meaning and emotions for us all. Is any role more complex or demanding than "mother"? They are tasked as providers, caregivers, supporters, nurturers, heroes, and so much more. To celebrate Mother's Day, we are featuring several different perspectives. Mykael Holloway: On being a justice-impacted mother Motherhood is the one title that never fades, no matter where life takes you. Mistakes, struggles, and second chances may shape your journey, but they do not define your...
Donor Profile: Cara Berg Raunick, DNP
Women’s Fund believes women working in all areas of healthcare should play a role in making grant decisions that can improve health outcomes for women and girls in Central Indiana. That was the motivation behind our Women in Health Collaborative Fund. Last month, the steering committee for Women in Health reviewed applications and provided a list of those for donors to consider. The co-chair of that steering committee is Cara Berg Raunick, DNP, Director of Clinical Quality and Advancement for...
The State of Aging in Central Indiana Report
In December of 2023, the State of Aging in Central Indiana report was released by the Central Indiana Senior Fund (a CICF fund). You can find the full report online at CentralIndiana.StateOfAging.org. Another collaboration with The Polis Center at Indiana University Indianapolis, the report looks at the health, needs, and well-being of our aging population. While the report includes both men and women, it offers valuable data frequently disaggregated by gender. Combined with the Indiana Girl...
The 2024 Indiana Girl Report
The Indiana Girl Report comes from a collaboration of the Girl Scouts of Central Indiana, Girl Coalition of Indiana, and the Indiana Youth Institute. In the words of Executive Director of Girl Coalition of Indiana Mackenzie Pickerrell, the report looks to “affirm what girls are feeling and experiencing as they navigate uniquely challenging times,” while also inspiring “the collective action of caregivers, educators, […] and corporate, local, and state decision makers” to make necessary...
The State of Women in Central Indiana Report
In 2024, Women’s Fund commissioned Indiana University’s Polis Center to research and write The State of Women in Central Indiana Report. Our ambition was to describe the experiences of women in our region as fully as data would allow and use community voices to illuminate what data fails to reveal. We did this for three reasons: -To better educate residents on the condition of women in our region -To better direct womenfocused philanthropic resources -To inform more effective state and local...
Five Women’s Fund Grantees Advancing Reproductive Health
Women’s Fund has always supported organizations that work to improve women’s health andwider access to reproductive healthcare in Indiana. In a health landscape fraught with new laws, restrictions, and soaring costs, our efforts have only redoubled. Read about five organizations dedicated to women’s health that received grant funding during our latest grant round. All-Options Amount granted: $17,500 Grant for: Education on Reproductive Health Options All-Options promotes judgment-free support...
What We’re Watching, Reading and Listening To
As advocates, conveners, community members and investors in women and girls, it’s essential that we focus on supporting media produced by and for women. Staying up to date with critical issues keeps us informed and inspired. Below is a list of books, articles, videos and podcasts focused on women that Women’s Fund recommends. WHAT WE’RE WATCHING Daughters In this universally acclaimed documentary four young girls prepare for the Daddy Daughter Dance with their incarcerated fathers in a...
Letter from the President, Diane February 2025 Issue
The past is a gift- one we celebrate through history and heritage months. It offers us lessons in resilience, insights into what has shaped our present, and inspiration to build a more equitable and stable future. As we reflect on the past, we welcome the opportunity to break cycles and create meaningful change for women and girls in Central Indiana. This February issue of DIANE is devoted to the state of women and girls in our region. At the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana, we embrace the...
Letter from the President, Diane November 2024 Issue
As I reflect on the stories in this issue of Diane—the pressures of finding safe, affordable housing or the insidious abuse and extortion Hoosier women in the adult entertainment and sex industry face—I’m reminded of how often women’s lives are ignored. Despite the critical roles women play in our communities, our stories are too often dismissed. Society does not always listen to women, and it rarely takes the time to adequately research the unique challenges we face. A recent study found that...