WHEN A GIRL HAS CONFIDENCE, EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE." -ANN BANCROFT
This morning for our Strong Women project, we talked with Ethelind B. Kaba - she's the Executive Director at the Ann Bancroft Foundation. She told us about the opportunity to fund girls dreams - ages K-12.
Ann Bancroft Foundation (ABF) announced today that it will extend its 2021 fall grant cycle to October 17, 2021 to give girls more time to apply for grants and to connect with a mentor to develop their application following challenging school and activity starts throughout much of the state. Grants from Ann Bancroft Foundation are open to all Minnesota girls in grades K-12 and designed to give girls the strength to achieve their full potential while building confidence and self-esteem along the way. The goal is to create a community where girls embrace their confidence and show the world what they are made of. Interested applicants can apply at: www.annbancroftfoundation.org
Each grant is an investment of up to $500 per girl. The foundation’s grants have funded a wide range of activities and experiences including sports camps, music lessons, cultural heritage projects, horseback riding, dancing, oral histories, travel, writing classes and so much more. In addition to the grant, a girl will have access to resources in which she can learn more about herself.
Executive director, Ethelind B. Kaba, said, “We know that these grants and the support that comes from this award can spark advancement and life-changing opportunities for girls. Every girl, regardless of background, and especially those on the margins of society, deserve a chance to pursue her dreams. Our role is to provide inspiration and support as they imagine and explore the possibilities.
How It Works
Each applicant is guided through the application process by an adult mentor of her choosing. Mentors can include teachers, coaches, family friends, or community leaders. A panel of program volunteers reviews applications. Grantees from the fall session will be announced in November.
Minnesota girls grades K-12 (including those who identify as cisgender, transgender, gender non-conforming, and gender non-binary people) interested in applying for a grant can learn more at (LINK) https://www.annbancroftfoundation.org/programs/grant-programs.
Nearly 25 Years of Supporting Minnesota Girls
Since 1997, ABF has awarded more than $2.4 million to 5,200 Minnesota girls in grades K-12. The organization also connects girls to mentors who provide guidance, encouragement, and friendship at a critical time in their lives. The grants are investments that have an immediate and lasting impact. These grants are about more than giving girls just money. For many, it is the first time someone believed in them, heard their dream and took a stand for them. Each ABF grant opens the window to a world of possibilities, providing a young Minnesota girl an opportunity she may never think existed.
For interview opportunities, please contact Kelly Plummer at 651-206-9852 or kelly@superstarpr.com.
The Ann Bancroft Foundation (www.annbancroftfoundation.org) inspires and encourages girls to imagine something bigger. The foundation strives to build confidence and offer tools that will allow a girl to go after her dreams and feel supported along the way. Through grants, mentorship, and ongoing development opportunities, the nonprofit organization is giving Minnesota girls strength to achieve their full potential. Ann Bancroft Foundation exemplifies the spirit of explorer and educator, Ann Bancroft, whose leadership and personal and historic achievements have inspired all people to take on new challenges.
About Ann Bancroft Ann Bancroft is one of the world’s preeminent polar explorers and an internationally recognized leader who is dedicated to inspiring women and girls around the world to unleash the power of their dreams. Through her various roles as an explorer, educator, sought-after speaker and philanthropist, Ann believes that by sharing stories related to her dreams of outdoor adventure, she can help inspire a global audience to pursue their individual dreams. Bancroft organized and led the first all-woman expedition to Antarctica, becoming the first-known woman to reach both Poles across the ice. In 2001 Bancroft and Norwegian Liv Arnesen became the first women in history to cross Antarctica’s landmass.
