On October 1st, our Annual Appeal will launch, and it couldn’t come at a more opportune time. Last year, our community more than rose to the challenge and raised $685,693, an incredible record. We are excited to build on this momentum in 2026 with a goal of raising $700,000 in order to fund 18 or more Featured Grants in 2027.
$100,000 Match: We're kicking things off with an incredible Match: every annual appeal donation made in October will be matched, up to $100,000. $5 becomes $10, $25 becomes $50, and $250 becomes $500.
Chapter & Champion Challenge: We are also pleased to share the return of the Chapter Challenge which is a great opportunity for members to inspire giving from their personal networks to support Rise's annual appeal! Our Challenge participants stepped up in a phenomenal way last year and we can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2026. This year, participation in the Challenge is open to individuals in addition to chapters! If your chapter or an individual member wants to participate, simply complete this form and we will set up your custom fundraising page.
There are now more ways than ever to invest in the future of women and girls around the world. Thank you for promoting our Annual Appeal with your chapter members (see all the Annual Appeal resources below).
Chapter Leader Need to Know
1. Annual Appeal Resources -- Your enthusiasm and leadership will inspire your chapter members and networks to support our Annual Appeal and keep her fire burning! We've created resources to make this easy:
Fundraising Toolkit - Ideas, tips, and tools for creative fundraising events.
Social Media Toolkit– For using social media to invite family, friends, and others to donate to our annual appeal.
Email Templates – Sample emails that you can personalize and send out to your chapter members, former or inactive chapter members, and anyone in your network! If you are participating in the Chapter or Champion Challenge, please be sure to provide the link to your special, designated fundraising page.
2. Last Chance: Member Survey Deadline Is September 25 -- Thank you to everyone who has completed our Member Impact and Engagement Survey! If you haven't yet completed it, time is running out. The deadline to complete the survey is Friday, September 25th.
So far, we have had 768 member responses, helping us better understand what you value about Rise, what keeps you engaged, and where you’d like to see us go next. Our Mid-Atlantic, West, and Carolinas regions are leading the way!
Every response is putting $5 toward our work, thanks to a generous donor. We’ve already raised $3,840 toward the $7,500 challenge. Help us unlock the full $7,500 to support women and girls!
Chapter leaders, please email your members with a reminder to complete the survey by the 25th. You can find some suggested language for an email to your members in this Member Survey Toolkit.
If anyone can't find the survey in their email, please ask them to check their Spam or Junk folder (or Promotions folder if they have Gmail). Thank you so much for your help promoting the survey. We look forward to sharing results with you in November.
3. Improvements Made to Monthly Chapter Reports --Based on feedback from our chapter leaders, we have made some improvements to your monthly chapter report in order to make it clearer and more useful. For a full rundown of improvements and how to get the most out of these reports, please view our TIP SHEETand/or watch a brief "how to" video.
3. Revisit Your Chapter Leader Training --We are so grateful to all of our volunteer chapter leaders, and we want to ensure you are equipped with the best and latest information and tools to succeed in your roles. Many of you have been chapter leaders for a long time, and as Rise has evolved so too have the resources we make available to you!
In October, we will be introducing an online training session for anyone who became a chapter leader prior to January 1, 2025. You will be invited to participate in a series of brief modules by the end of the year. There will be some new information as well as important reminders on where to access Rise resources and examples of best practices in leading chapters. We want this training to be easy to use, quick to complete, and helpful to you! Stay tuned for more information coming soon.
Your October Chapter Meeting
October Featured Grantee:
Empowering Girls Through Sports and Education
Our October Featured Grantee, Girls Gotta Run Foundation, helps Ethiopian girls stay in school, build confidence, and strengthen their futures through education and running. Our grant supports the Athletic Scholarship Program which combines educational assistance, meals, mentoring, life-skills, and coached running to help girls at ages when many are at risk of leaving school.
The easiest and fastest way to find the Featured Grants education materials on our website is by using the top menu bar "For Chapters" and clicking on "Monthly Grantee Materials."
This Month's Proven Platter: Ethiopian-Inspired Nigella Seed Chicken with Bessobela, Sesame, & Spiced Ghee Pan Juices
By Terri Tucker and Kristina Skepton, Together Women Rise Recipe Co-Curators
This is anEthiopian-inspiredrecipe rather than a traditional Ethiopian dish. It borrows ingredients and flavor ideas from Ethiopian cooking, but the execution and roasting method are unique to our recipe co-curators!
1. International Day of the Girl Event in San Jose CA --On Saturday, October 17, we are co-hosting a special event with the San Jose Woman's Club to celebrate the power, potential, and promise of girls around the world. The event includes a panel discussion with four Rise grantees, a Mongolian dance performance, keynote speech by Rise CEO Beverley Francis-Gibson, and more! If you are in the San Jose area, or know someone in the area, please join us and help spread the word with this Member Toolkit. We want to see as many members and new people as possible! Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased here.
2. Volunteer Opportunities Available -- If you or any of your members are interested in volunteering but were unable to attend our recent Virtual Volunteer Fair, you can watch the recording HERE.
We are currently looking to fill multiple openings for:
Featured Grants Committee*
Transformation Partnerships Committee*
Resource Development Committee*
Book Committee
Chapter Support Liaison
*You must be a member of Together Women Rise to be considered for this role.
You can see all role descriptions and submit an interest form on the Volunteer page of our website.
What Are Chapters Up To These Days?
Chapter Milestones!
We have a record number of chapters celebrating 15 years with Together Women Rise this year (a total of 25 chapters). Many of these chapters have been celebrating this milestone by inviting friends and family to their meetings, cooking festive meals, or in the case of DE, Newark - 1, hosting a party at a local park and welcoming members of all Delaware chapters!
Dress up!
Rita Dickinson's chapter, AZ, Phoenix -1 (shown below), just celebrated 20 years with a special "caftan party" where everyone wore a caftan, which is a cotton or silk ankle-length garment that is common throughout the Middle East. This chapter has met every month for 20 years with the exception of one (the first month of COVID). Congratulations!
Connecting Coast to Coast and Worldwide!
Rise members are connecting all across the U.S. and worldwide! On a trip to Gros Morne National Park, Carol Buzilow, chapter leader of FL, Sarasota-Bradenton-1 started talking to a woman on her tour bus. Turned out that woman was Debbie Baker, member of the CA, Monterey - 1 chapter! (Left image below)
And in Brussels, Belgium, a new pending chapter leader Laurie Rosard, met up with Kasia Michaels of Rise's only international chapter. (Right image below)
