The Utah Women’s Giving Circle leverages individual donations into high impact grants to nonprofits who are empowering women and girls in Utah.
Our priorities
We fund projects in Utah which are evaluated for their measurable, direct and immediate impact on Utah women and girls aligned with our annual focus.
In order to be eligible for consideration, nonprofit organizations must meet the following criteria:
- The organization, or a program or project within the organization, serves to empower women and/or girls in Utah or a community within Utah
- Current IRS 501(c)(3) tax exempt designation
- Current charitable solicitations permit
- The organization did not receive a grant in the most recent grant cycle. Exception: Media grants are open to all nonprofit media organizations regardless of most recent grant award.
Grant applications are currently CLOSED until Fall 2021.
In the most recent funding cycle, the Giving Circle was particularly interested in proposals that could alleviate the impact of COVID-19 on Utah women and girls, such as projects that addressed domestic violence, women-owned small businesses, mental health or access to child care.
In each funding round, the Giving Circle aims to award at least one grant (generally multiple) to a nonprofit project and at least one grant to a nonprofit media partner, such as a television station, newspaper, radio station, or podcast.
Utah Women’s Giving Circle leadership reviews all nominations and will select the top applicants for the ballot, with member votes determining the grant awards each year in January. An application does not guarantee placement on the ballot.
2020 Grants – $15,000
$3,000 Grant: New Pattern Utah
A collaborative grant and mentorship program for Black, women-owned Utah businesses
$3,000 Grant: People Helping People
Employment Program for Women
$1,000 Grant: VOTERISE
Women’s Voter Engagement Initiatives
$5,000 Grant: Community Action & Food Bank
Circles Initiative – Interrupting generational poverty through group leadership, mentorship and coaching support to increase household income
$2,000 Grant: Peace House
Technological Support for Delivering Essential Services to Victims of Domestic Violence
$1,000 Grant: AAA Fair Credit
Building Opportunities for Women (BOW Utah) – Economic Mobility Coaching & Support for Women
2019 Grants – $15,000
$5,000 Grant: The Salt Lake Tribune
Matched by the Tribune’s Report for America grant, funding supports dedicated reporting of stories impacting Utah women and girls
$5,000 Grant: Journey of Hope
Interrupting the cycle of violence through outreach, education and case management for girls aging out of the juvenile justice system, foster care, and homelessness
$2,000 Grant: South Valley Services
Supporting domestic violence prevention through community awareness materials and incentives to support engagement in Healthy Relationships classes across the Wasatch Front
$2,000 Grant: Girls on the Run Utah
Funding scholarships enabling underserved girls to participate in this life-changing health and confidence-oriented running curriculum and culmination 5K
$1,000 Grant: Yoga Forward
Investing in a female inmate serving a life sentence as an ongoing yoga teacher trainer, impacting potentially hundreds of women in the Utah State Prison Timpanogos Facility in the years to come
2018 Grants – $17,000
$5,000 Grant: Utah Rape Recovery Center
Enthusiastic Consent Public Service Announcements Campaign
$4,000 Grant: Utah Women’s Coalition
Legislation to Protect ALL Utah Workers from Sexual Harassment
$3,000 Grant & Media Partner: Utah Public Radio
2019 Access Utah Original Series “Stopping Sexual Harassment”
$3,000 Grant: International Rescue Committee
Sexual Harassment Education for Resettled Women and Girls
$2,000 Grant: Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake
Safe Dates Program
2017 Grants – $20,000
$6,000 Grant: Utah Public Radio
Utah Women 2020 Series
$3,500 Grant: Women Tech Council
SheTech High School Student Outreach
$2,000 Grant: Southern Utah University
Middle School Female Computing Pipeline
$2,000 Grant: Better Days 2020
Women’s Suffrage History Curriculum
$2,000 Grant: People Helping People of Utah
Women’s Employment Program
$1,500 Grant: IAP2 Intermountain Chapter
Girls Participation Summit
$1,500 Grant: CATALYST Magazine
Women of Wisdom Series
$1,500 Grant: YWCA Utah
Utah Women’s Policy Conference
2016 Grants – $20,000
$6,000 Grant: Girls on the Run Utah
Scholarships for low-income girls
To fund 25-50 participation scholarships for low-income girls across the state in this transformational life skills program tackling gender stereotypes for 8 to 13-year-old girls.
$5,000 Grant: KRCL Radio
Blindspot Series on RadioACTive
To fund a 12-part on-air series called Blindspot on RadioACTive, sharing stories that bring gender bias and efforts to change these social constructs into focus.
$3,000 Grant: Utah Women’s Coalition
Public Policy & Advocacy for Women’s Rights
The first grant ever awarded to this nonprofit founded in 2015 that has already put seven bills in front of the state legislature, successfully passing four, resulting in Utah rising from an ‘F’ to a ‘C-’ grade in a progress report prepared by the National Partnership for Women and Families.
$2,500 Grant: Spy Hop
Move the Dial, a student-driven gender equity initiative
To support the Move the Dial initiative in 2017, a student-driven gender equity program facilitating youth-produced media to foster dialogue regarding gender inequality and identity.
$2,000 Grant: Utah Valley University Women & Leadership Project
Utah Women Stats Snapshots
To fund Utah Women Stats Snapshots, summarizing essential data around gender bias in our state to support awareness and action.
$1,000 Grant: Salty Cricket Composers Collective
El Sistema@Salty Cricket
To provide support for El Sistema@Salty Cricket, a free intensive afterschool music program hosted at Jackson Elementary empowering young women through music.
$500 Grant: Women of Water
3-Part Implicit Bias & Salary Negotiation Lecture Series
To fund a 3-part implicit bias and salary negotiation lecture series open to women from any field.
2015 Grants – $20,000
$7,000 Grant: Utah Public Radio
Objectified. More Than a Body Series
Building off of the Giving Circle’s 2015 focus, dedicated radio segments will address issues of health, well-being, and education specific to Utah women and girls.
$5,000 Grant: Holding Out Help
To implement critical support groups targeting body image, internalized self-worth, and confidence in helping women and girls successfully transition out of polygamy.
$3,500 Grant: Beauty Redefined
To deploy Beauty Redefined’s research-proven online body image course to female students at a Utah high school, paired with their nationally recognized school-wide presentation.
$2,500 Grant:Art Access
2016 Body Image Project
Gallery exhibition targeting body image plus diverse opportunities to deepen the conversation on the impact of body image on Utah women and girls.
$1,500 Grant: Utah State University’s Aggie Care
Smart Girl Camp
To provide scholarships for low-income junior high girls in Northern Utah who would otherwise be unable to participate in this self worth centered curriculum.
$500 Grant: Dixie State University’s Women’s Resource Center
Body Image Literacy Project
Multiple incorporated events and awareness activities to continue an important campus-wide dialogue on body image.
2014 Grants – $23,000
$8,000 Grant:
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake & Weber-Davis
SMART Girls Program
The SMART Girls Program engages small groups in informational and experiential learning activities to empower female club members with the knowledge and skills necessary to practice healthy lifestyle choices.
$8,000 Grant:
Child & Family Support Center of Cache County
Women’s Sexual Assault Therapy Group
Groups are designed to help 60+ participants understand and overcome emotional challenges, achieve and maintain healthy relationships, and prepare to accomplish their goals with confidence.
$7,000 Grant:
Erin Kimball Memorial Foundation
H.O.M.E. Program
H.O.M.E. (Housing, Options, Mentoring, Empowerment) is a bridge from shelter to independence, providing transitional housing and support services to women forced into homelessness by domestic violence and sexual assault.
2013 Grants – $20,000
$5,000 Grants:
- Volunteers of America’s Young Women’s Transition Program, a 7-bed home for homeless young women, ages 16-19, with a focus on self-sufficiency through school, employment, and housing. Learn about their impact.
- Legal Aid Society of Salt Lake’s Domestic Violence Victim Assistance Programs, which provide free legal representation for victims seeking a protective order as well as expedited support with divorce and custody cases. Learn about their impact.
- People Helping People, an organization that lifts children out of poverty by teaching low-income women how to earn a living wage through education and mentoring. Learn about their impact.
$2,500 Grants:
- Women of the World, an organization that builds women-to-women networks for refugees living in Utah, teaching practical English, finance, health, and job skills. Learn about their impact.
- Girls on the Run Utah, an organization building self-esteem and confidence among girls in the 3rd-8th grades through a creative running program with volunteer mentors. Learn about their impact.

eSmart STEM Camp
2012 Grants – $15,000
The American Association of University Women’s e-Smart STEM Camp for Girls

Early Head Start at Horizonte
Early Head Start at the Horizonte School
Girl Scouts of Utah Camp CEO
2011 Grants – $15,811
YWCA’s Choices for Women

Global Artisans
Global Artisans
Planned Parenthood’s Teen Success Program