Coming out of a summer during which it granted $25,000 to local nonprofits, the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque’s Women’s Giving Circle is gearing up for a fall event and a 20th anniversary year in 2026. Learn about this generous group of local women and how you can get involved.
When individual people are inspired to get involved in their community, they can make a big impact. When those individuals are inspired to work together, that impact can grow exponentially.
Just ask Natalie Finley, development and marketing director of Opening Doors Dubuque. In need of funding for the organization’s Barrier Assistance Fund, her organization applied for and received a grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque’s Women’s Giving Circle, which is made possible by the generosity of hundreds of women across the Dubuque region.
“Seemingly small barriers to self-sufficiency – such as childcare, transportation, application fees and work attire – can be insurmountable for women experiencing homelessness, trauma or recovery,” Finley says. “The Women’s Giving Circle grant allows us to respond quickly and compassionately to those needs, ensuring our residents have the resources they need to continue their journey with dignity and determination.”
That’s the power of the Women’s Giving Circle. Since its founding in 2006, this group has brought together women of many different ages with different life experiences who all have the same goal: Make donations and award grants that support the needs of women and children.
Each year, payouts from the Women’s Giving Circle endowment fund support grants for local nonprofits. This summer, after inviting organizations to apply and reviewing the applications, the group awarded a total of $25,000 to nine nonprofits, including Opening Doors, that help women facing issues like food insecurity, lack of clothing for work or job interviews, and access to resources for immigrants.
“The Women’s Giving Circle is a wonderful way to make new friends while working together to make a positive difference for our neighbors,” says Community Foundation Gift Planning Officer Kaley Rigdon Burgmeier, who oversees the Women’s Giving Circle. “We all enjoy each other’s company — but most importantly, we all enjoy giving back.”
What began as a handful of women coming together to do good through their collective philanthropy has grown into a network of more than 150 members living the group’s mission: Improve the lives of women and children in our community, now and for future generations, and share the joy of giving by creating an ethic of living generously — together.
As the Women’s Giving Circle approaches its 20th anniversary in 2026, the Community Foundation and the Circle’s members are celebrating its successes. To date, the group has made 67 grants totaling more than $160,000 to nonprofits in the Dubuque region. Its endowment – a fund that includes gifts that are invested, grow in perpetuity, and grant out a percentage every year for grantmaking – has grown to over $500,000.
Most importantly, the group’s grantmaking has helped women and children tend to their basic needs.
“This grant will allow us to have an advocate 24/7 to oversee our hotline and support survivors fleeing abuse,” says Michelle Ernst, director of the Dubuque Y Crisis Services, which received a Women’s Giving Circle grant this year. “This will help reduce the number of women having to hide out on the streets and gives them local access to harbor from their abusers. I appreciate what this group means and the work and effort they put into the community.”
That type of impact is what inspires people to join the Women’s Giving Circle, while the camaraderie, friendship and fun enhance the experience.
For members like Mimi Vaassen, being part of the Women’s Giving Circle is a way to be involved in the community and make a positive difference while balancing daily responsibilities like work and family.
“As a mother of five and full-time physical therapist, life can be pretty busy,” Vaassen says. “Knowing my time is precious, I was looking for a way to make a difference in the community while also being social away from home and work. After joining the Women’s Giving Circle, I immediately got involved reviewing grant requests from local organizations that help families. Reading the requests and discussing them with my peers opened my eyes to the needs in my own community.”
Members can be as active and involved as they wish. The group usually hosts three events per year – a learning opportunity in the spring, a grants ceremony in the summer, and an annual meeting in the fall – and attendance it always optional. Those who do attend are encouraged to bring guests.
Members also can choose to serve in a leadership role or on a committee. The only requirement is an annual gift to the Women’s Giving Circle endowment, typically $250 or more, to help sustain and grow its grantmaking capacity.
Whether a longtime or new member, each person who gets involved with the Women’s Giving Circle finds an experience that is both enjoyable and fulfilling.
“It’s so much more than donating money and having social gatherings,” Vaassen says. “I can actually see the impact I’m having and feel like I’m making a difference.”
The Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque Envisions a vibrant and inclusive Dubuque region where everyone can thrive. Visit Dbqfoundation.org to learn about the many ways we are building a strong, thriving Greater Dubuque for all—and how you can donate your time, talents, and dollars to transform our region.
This article is made possible by a partnership between the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque and Julien’s Journal.
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