FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Longtime Leader Sara K. Gould to Depart From the Ms. Foundation for Women

May 25, 2010

NEW YORK Ms. Foundation for Women, the leading national social justice foundation committed to building the collective power of women to create positive social change, announced today that its president and chief executive officer, Sara K. Gould, will step down after nearly a quarter century with the foundation. Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Susan Wefald, who joined the foundation in 1996, will serve as interim president from Gould's departure on November 19 until a successor can be named, which is expected early in 2011.

Gould is leaving the Foundation to become the Atlantic Senior Fellow at the Foundation Center, a national nonprofit service organization recognized as the nation's leading authority on organized philanthropy. During this two-year fellowship, funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies, she will work with both organizations, and the broader philanthropic community, to increase the focus on social justice philanthropy and advance thinking in key related areas, such as leadership development and grantmaking with a gender, race and class lens.

The national search for a replacement for Gould is being conducted by nonprofit executive search firm Isaacson, Miller under the direction of the Foundation's board of directors.

"For nearly a quarter century, Sara Gould has made exceptional contributions to the Foundation in its pursuit of a just and safe world where power and possibility are not limited by gender, race, class, sexuality, disability, citizenship, age or any other factor," said Cathy Raphael, chair of the Foundation's board of directors. "Although we will miss Sara terribly, I know that our dedicated staff and active board will take our strategic vision and direction forward into the future."

Gould's expertise on women's economic security brought her to the Foundation in 1986. At a time when "women" and "economic development" were rarely used in the same sentence, she led the Foundation's work in women's economic development for 10 years, spearheading the creation of the Collaborative Fund for Women's Economic Development (CFWED) in 1991, a pioneering grant-making initiative that leveraged more than $12 million from foundations and individuals in support of organizations assisting low-income women to create their own jobs. Gould also created the Institute for Women's Economic Empowerment, which provided thousands of grassroots leaders over a twelve-year period with the skills and resources to help women achieve greater economic independence and to impact public policy at the local, state, tribal and national levels.

Gould is a recognized thought leader, trusted expert and frequent speaker in key arenas, including philanthropy, social justice philanthropy and organizational effectiveness; economic development and women's economic security; and social justice, public policy and women's rights.

"I'm very proud of what we've accomplished at the Ms. Foundation for Women, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to be part of its amazing history," said Gould. "We've always been ahead of our time, trusting women leaders on the ground, taking strategic risks, pioneering innovative strategies and leading by example. I have complete confidence that our next generation of leadership will take these hallmarks of the Ms. Foundation into the future."

Gould pointed to other historic achievements brought about by the Foundation's bold and innovative leadership, including the Women and AIDS Fund, the nation's first—and still the only—national fund solely dedicated to supporting community-based advocacy led by and for women living with HIV/AIDS. The Foundation led other funders in its support of domestic violence shelters and sexual assault hotlines in the 1970s, and again when it shifted its strategy to focus squarely on violence prevention. In 1990, recognizing that states were the next battleground in the fight for women's reproductive rights, the Ms. Foundation led other funders in its support for coalitions and other organizations that have successfully protected women's reproductive rights in dozens of states. Today, the Ms. Foundation for Women is leading the way toward the prevention of child sexual abuse through the creation of a community-based, social justice approach.

Pushing Toward Full Participation of All Women and Girls

The Ms. Foundation for Women invests approximately $4 million in grants each year to over 150 grassroots, state, Tribal and national organizations, providing financial support, capacity-building and leadership development, and linking community-based solutions to state and national policy development and advocacy. With a long history of grantmaking and movement building through the lens of race, class and gender -- bringing the leadership and solutions of women living at the margins of society to the center -- the Foundation seeks lasting policy and culture change across four broad change areas: women's health, economic justice, ending violence against women and building democracy.

"I believe deeply that the future of our world hinges on realizing the full participation of all women and girls in every aspect of society," said Gould. "It has been my privilege to work toward this goal over the past 24 years at the Ms. Foundation for Women, and I am excited that a new leader will work with our talented board and staff to take our accomplishments to the next level."

Gould said the Foundation's grantee partners use the power of creating connections -- across issues, movements, constituencies and geographies -- to engage more and more women, and men, in working for social change, bringing about positive and sustainable changes in both policy and the broader culture.

Continuity is a Priority

In assuming the role of interim president, Susan Wefald brings a wealth of experience that has been shaped in part by working closely over the last 14 years with Gould. Since joining the Ms. Foundation for Women in 1996, she has served as Senior Program Officer, Director of Institutional Planning, Vice President of Programs, and more recently as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), giving her experience in all aspects of the Foundation's work. Wefald has indicated that she plans to stay on as COO and will not be a candidate for the position of president and CEO. Prior to joining the Foundation, Wefald worked for the Naugatuck Valley Project and Urban Homesteading Assistance Board. She currently serves on the board of directors of the Public Health Institute and Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement.

Wefald will partner with Gould, and with her colleagues on the Foundation's staff and board of directors, to facilitate a smooth transition that maintains the continuity, integrity and quality of the Foundation's programs while also setting the stage for the next president to bring new creative energies and strategic vision to the Foundation's work in advancing its mission.

"In her 24-year tenure at the Ms. Foundation for Women, and her six years as president and CEO, Sara has built an amazing organization that is strong and stable," said Wefald. "During this transition period, continuity and impact will be key priorities for the board of directors and for me."

"We have built an endowment of nearly $26 million, a track record of innovation and results, and a commitment to creating connections as a core social justice strategy," said immediate past Board Chair Katie Grover. "We look forward to continuing to work closely with our staff, grantee and donor partners, and diverse colleagues—and with our next leader—to take the Foundation's work to even higher levels of achievement."

About the Ms. Foundation for Women:

The Ms. Foundation for Women, a leading social justice foundation in the US, delivers strategic grants, capacity-building and leadership development to over 150 grassroots and national advocacy organizations throughout the country. Ms. Foundation support enables groups to create connections across issues, constituencies and policymaking levels to strengthen social movements and ignite change on behalf of women, families and communities. Since its founding in 1973, the Foundation has granted more than $50 million to organizations in rural and urban areas nationwide.

For More Information, Contact:

Irene Schneeweis, Senior Communications Manager
(212) 709-4418; ischneeweis@ms.foundation.org

Lee Collinge, Metropolitan Group
(503) 517-3739 cell: (971) 227-5929; lcollinge@metgroup.com