Women United, a partnership with United Way of Greater Charlottesville, has announced that it will award $60,000 in funding for local nonprofits through its annual grants program. The grants will be made to ten nonprofit organizations in Greater Charlottesville that offer services to women and/or children.
Women United’s mission is to empower and uplift organizations supporting women and children in the Greater Charlottesville community. Grantmaking is one of several avenues by which this mission is pursued. The following organizations were selected to receive a 2026 Women United grant:
This year, Women United celebrates its 20th anniversary. Jill Colby, Women United Grants Sub-Committee Chair, stated: “We had a tremendous response to our request for applications this year. We are fortunate to have so many organizations doing meaningful work to support women and children in our community. We are confident that the organizations selected to receive grants this year will make a meaningful impact on those they serve. I only wish we could have given a grant to every organization that applied.”
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The variety of proposals received highlights the breadth of needs that exist for women and children in our region. Plans for the Women United funding include: offering trauma informed self-defense workshops, supporting children in foster care, providing access to reliable housing and recovery services for women, offering financial education and savings-matching to local middle schoolers, training community-based doulas with a focus on surrounding rural areas, and more.
Women United was created 20 years ago with the goal of helping foster women’s service, connection, and philanthropy by addressing critical human service needs throughout the region. Part of this involves the annual grants program, but the group also hosts regular service projects and educational events to further its mission. Recently, Women United cohosted the United Way Family Day of Service, a service event where community members assembled wellness kits for local families. They also hosted a panel discussion titled “Barbies, Belles, and Beliefs” for Women’s History Month, where they encouraged attendees to share about their experiences with childhood play and to donate a doll for local childcare centers.
Ravi K. Cooper, President & CEO of United Way of Greater Charlottesville, which oversees Women United, said: “Women United uplifts local families and organizations through grantmaking, community service, connection, and more. They have been moving the needle for women and children in the Greater Charlottesville community for 20 years now, and we look forward to seeing what the next 20 bring. In 2026 specifically, Women United still has a few more exciting things planned, so stay tuned!”
