Women’s Foundation of Massachusetts funds 2 organizations providing critical financial literacy resources for women and girls
BOSTON, MA – November 13, 2025 – The Women’s Foundation of Massachusetts announced $325,000 in funding to two nonprofits economically empowering women and girls in Central and Western Massachusetts
As the only funder in the state dedicated exclusively to women and girls through large, multi-year grants, the Foundation has cumulatively committed $11.7 million since 2018, positively impacting more than 23,000 women and girls in under-resourced communities across the Commonwealth.
“This targeted investment in financial literacy across Central and Western Massachusetts reflects our commitment to advancing the economic empowerment of women and girls. When women and girls have the tools and confidence to achieve financial stability, the impact extends far beyond the individuals – it uplifts families and communities,” said Christina Gordon, Co-Founder and CEO of the Women’s Foundation of Massachusetts.
Access to financial education is essential for girls and women, yet significant gaps persist. Confidence in financial decision-making remains disproportionately low among women and girls, with just 12% of girls feeling confident in their ability to manage money. Early financial education strengthens lifelong financial capability, yet Massachusetts is one of only nine states without a K–12 requirement, earning an “F” in financial literacy preparedness. The need is especially urgent in low-income communities like Hampden County, where 27% of children live in poverty, more than double the state average of 12%.*
The recipients of the 2025 Central and Western Special grant cycle awards are:
Girls Inc. of the Valley (GIV). GIV is part of a national organization inspiring girls to be strong, smart, and bold by providing them the opportunity to develop and achieve their full potential. This three-year grant supports GIV’s implementation of Dollars, Sense & She, a proven financial literacy program that will build financial competence and confidence among elementary and middle school girls in Holyoke, Springfield, and Chicopee. Participants will learn personal financial skills, such as how to save, invest, budget, take informed financial risks, and prepare for rewarding careers.
Women’s Money Matters (WMM). WMM empowers women and girls to improve their financial health to create a more secure future for themselves, their families and their communities. This two-year grant expands WMM’s successful Life Launch program in Central & Western MA, helping girls and young women build financial knowledge, skills, and confidence through workshops, peer support, and one-to-one coaching.
###
About the Women’s Foundation of Massachusetts
The Women’s Foundation of Massachusetts is a nonprofit public charity that creates, funds, and accelerates economic empowerment, leadership and mentoring programs that equip women and girls in Greater Boston and throughout Massachusetts to be financially independent and successful leaders. In seven years of grantmaking, the Foundation has committed $11.7M via high impact grants empowering over 23,000 women and girls across MA. The Women’s Foundation of Massachusetts is the only funder in the Commonwealth exclusively supporting nonprofits focused on women and girls with large, multi-year grants, and is quickly becoming the primary vehicle for investing in women and girls.
www.wfma.org \ @womensfoundationma
Media Contacts
Laura Markofsky
CIVIC, a Seacrest Global Company
248-408-5505
Olivia Leslie
oleslie@wfma.org
* Sources:
Council for Economic Education
Council for Economic Education, 2024
Center for Financial Literacy, Champlain College, 2023
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024
Linda Henry is the CEO of the Boston Globe Media Partners. She is a co-founder of HUBweek, a civic collaboration between the Boston Globe, Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital, and MIT that explores the future being built at the intersection of art, science and technology. Linda is also an early-stage impact investor, an Emmy-Award winning television producer with two shows currently airing, and a community activist. She serves as a director of the Red Sox Foundation, is a trustee of the Liverpool Football Club Foundation, chair of the Boston Globe Foundation, and chairman of the John W. Henry Family Foundation. In addition, she is a founder of the Boston Public Market, serves on the advisory board of MassChallenge, and is on the board of the Engine at MIT. She earned a BS from Babson College and her MS from MIT.
Laurie H. Glimcher, MD, was named President and CEO of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in 2016. She is also Director of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and the Richard and Susan Smith Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Previously, she was the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean and Professor of Medicine of Weill Cornell Medicine and Provost for Medical Affairs of Cornell University. Dr. Glimcher is a distinguished immunologist, widely renowned for her work in one of the most promising areas of cancer research.
Bekah Salwasser joined the Red Sox Foundation as the Executive Director in January of 2018. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from Brown University and has extensive experience in philanthropy and both professional and semi-professional sports. After four years working as Community Relations Director for the Boston Celtics, Bekah went on to lead Scholar Athletes as its Executive Director, a program that supports public high school athletes with both their athletic and academic achievements. Earlier in her career, Bekah served as a professional soccer player for the Boston Breakers and as Executive Director of the Charlestown Lacrosse and Learning Center.
Kimberly Fay Boucher is a business executive who has driven high performance organizations in technology, consumer products and social enterprise/nonprofit industries over the past 25 years. She is currently the Technology Commercialization Business Leader for the CTO at Analog Devices, where she is responsible for driving new technologies from incubation stages to successful businesses. Kim is also a Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, where she teaches Disciplined Entrepreneurship in the Martin Trust Center. She holds a BS in Management Industrial Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from Harvard Business School. She is a NCAA Academic All-American Women’s Basketball player and has been inducted into the WPI Hall of Fame.
Ami Kuan Danoff (Co-Founder and CFO) is a private investor and the trustee of a foundation. She is a Harvard Quantum Founder and a member of the Harvard FAS Dean’s Council. Ami earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University in Visual and Environmental Studies and holds a dual master’s degree in Applied Economics and International Finance from the Sloan School of Management at MIT. She was a portfolio manager in global equities at Putnam Investments and co-manager of the Putnam International New Opportunities Fund, and also worked as an international equities analyst at Fidelity Investments.
Christina Heenan Suh holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania in English and Marketing and a master’s from Columbia University. A former management consultant, her work focused on strategy and implementation projects for Fortune 100 clients. She was also an account executive at Hill+Knowlton (WPP) marketing consumer packaged goods. As an Executive Board Member of the Brookline Education Foundation, which funds professional development in the Brookline Public Schools, Christina led their Grant and Oversight Committees. She currently sits on the board of the Brookline Library Foundation and teaches ESL at Rosie’s Place in Boston.
Christina Gordon (Co-Founder and CEO) holds a dual master’s degree in International Finance and Applied Economics from MIT’s Sloan School of Management. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Boston University and also studied for a joint master’s degree in Women’s Studies and Sociology at Brandeis with a focus on women in the workplace. Christina is a former assistant fund manager and technology industry equity analyst at Wellington Management. She also worked as a stock analyst at Fidelity Investments. She is a trustee of a private foundation, a member of Women Moving Millions and currently sits on the board of Rosie’s Place, a sanctuary for poor and homeless women in Boston.