The Valentine Foundation was established in 1985 by Phoebe V. Valentine. Phoebe named five women as the initial trustees and intentionally left the development of the mission and the approach of the Foundation to them.
In 1995 Phoebe Valentine died of cancer. Phoebe endowed the Valentine Foundation with her spirit of generosity as well as with financial resources. Though the trustees experienced a pervasive emptiness and loss for some time, they realized that giving is the best way to affirm and honor Phoebe Valentine's memory.
From the beginning, the Foundation focused its mission on empowering women and girls. Programs were funded which positively impacted attitudes, policies, or social patterns affecting women and girls. These included educational, artistic, social welfare, health, and recreational programs among others.
In the early years, the Foundation primarily funded programs for women. Recognizing the paucity of programs for girls, and in an attempt to educate themselves and others, in May of 1990 the trustees decided to organize A Conversation About Girls. This forum brought together Philadelphia area funders and leading researchers in the field of girls' development. Conversation I provided the participants with an opportunity to discuss girls' development and strategies about how to meet their needs.
In May 1992, the Valentine Foundation and the MS. Foundation for Women co-hosted a second dialogue: Conversation II: Programs That Work For Girls. Conversation II brought together representatives from women's funds and their corresponding community funds from around the country with researchers and program providers working with girls. This gathering focused on evaluation of current programs and the sharing of successful strategies so they could be more broadly disseminated.
In June 1998, a third conference was held entitled GIRLSpace and was co-sponsored by the Valentine Foundation, WOMENS WAY and The Philadelphia Foundation. GIRLSpace further developed the themes of the previous conferences by presenting findings from current research on adolescent girls and information about a number of innovative programs. Girls and young women were presenters and participants in all aspects of the conference, which culminated with a panel discussion in which they talked about the type of programming that can make a difference in their lives.
Through these conferences the Valentine Foundation has hoped to stimulate the development of effective programs for girls and to encourage grantmakers to fund these programs.
The conferences also convinced the trustees of the need to devote more of the Foundation's resources to girls. Accordingly, after Conversation II, the Foundation funding guidelines were modified so that a minimum of half of the annual grants were to be made to programs for girls, and the balance of the grants were earmarked for programs for women that have a significant advocacy for social change component. In 1999, sixty-two percent of the grant dollars were given to programs for girls.
As far as programs for women, the trustees have greatly narrowed their definition of "advocacy" to challenge themselves to fund only organizations working for social change. While they continue to address familiar women's issues such as reproductive rights, educational equity, health, teenage pregnancy and care for battered women, they have broadened the definition of women's issues to include issues relevant to all class, race and ethnic backgrounds.
The Foundation has made changes that have enhanced its grantmaking effectiveness, efficiency and reach. For example, it adopted a spending policy, which ensures that grantmaking will continue apace despite the ups and downs of the economy. The Foundation also invested in grant making software which enables it to better track trends and anticipate needs.
In 2002 and 2004, the trustees hosted luncheons for their grantees. The primary purpose of these events is to thank the grantees for their tireless efforts towards the common goal of effecting social change for women and girls. In addition, the events provide an opportunity for the trustees, grantees and some of Phoebe Valentine's family to meet, celebrate accomplishments and perhaps create future collaborations.
On December 3rd, 2005, the Valentine Foundation celebrated "20 years of Philanthropy, Activism and Caring" at an event at Bryn Mawr College. Former and current trustees as well as Phoebe Valentine's Family and other guests collected to commemorate the milestone. Another exciting element of the day was the launching of the Valentine Visionary Leadership Fund, which will provide leadership training to women working in nonprofit organizations serving women and girls in the Philadelphia region.
Over the years experienced trustees have rotated off the board, and new trustees have joined. The selection of the new trustees presents the opportunity to broaden our vision and expand our knowledge of the philanthropic process. Also, the trustees realize that the opportunity to support outstanding programs is a gift that nourishes them as well as the recipients. Each new trustee brings unique strengths insights and interests. The wonderful women who have served the Valentine Foundation are:
- Judith Bartels (1985-1987)
- Patricia S. Feeney (1985-1993)
- Phoebe W. Griswold (1985-1992)
- Mary C. Morrison (1985-1990)
- Louisa S. Mygatt (1985-1994)
- Audrey B. Pittman (1990-1994)
- Janet Smith Dickerson (1990-1995)
- Carolyn Osborne Kitchen (1990-1996)
- Robbin Derry (1992-1998)
- Neilda E. Mott (1992-1998)
- Marilyn B. Wood (1993-2000)
- Deborah R. Parks (1994-1996)
- Martha E. Morse (1994-2000)
- Ione D. Vargus (1994-2000)
- Ruth W. Mayden (1996-1997)
- Frances Vilella-Velez (1996-2002)
- Lisa Gilden (1998-2004)
- Cynthia Jetter (1998-2004)
- M. Ann Ricksecker (1998-2004)
- Mary McTernan (2000-2006)
- Daphne Rowe (2000-2006)
- Robin Eisenberg (2003-2006)
- Diane C. Brown (2003-2006)
- Dainette Mintz (2001-2007)
- Jocelyn Jones(2001-2007)
- Alexandra Samuels (2005- )
- Peggy Curchack (2006-)
- Linda A. White (2006-)
- Barbara Silzle (2007-)
- Tracy Tripp (2007-)
The Valentine Foundation has survived the death of its founder and the retirement of numerous valuable trustees. The Foundation has been fortunate to have a Director who was with the Foundation from the beginning and worked with Phoebe Valentine. This ensures consistency and enables Phoebe's vision to be kept alive. The mission has been refined over the years to respond to the changing circumstances of women and girls, but the Valentine Foundation is still true to the original vision of Phoebe Valentine and the five trustees to "empower and enable women and girls to become fully who they are".
