By Carol Conroy
For the last ten months, I worked with Mary’s Pence as a full-time intern as part of Quaker Voluntary Service. During QVS, young adults work full-time in professional positions at community-based organizations, while living in an intentional community house. When I applied for QVS, I was very excited about the possibility of working with Mary’s Pence. I grew up as part of the Catholic Worker Movement. My family started the Albany Catholic Worker House over 20 years ago, and I wanted to work with an organization like Mary’s Pence that carries those Catholic social justice values into their work.
During my first week at Mary’s Pence, I jumped right into the deep end: I read the final round of grant applications and served on the U.S. Grants Committee. I spent the week liberally reading, highlighting, and researching these women-led and women-focused social justice organizations from across the U.S. As I was writing in the margins, I quickly realized that I had woefully underestimated how difficult it would be to narrow down these organizations. I had initially assumed I would only be reading initial funding inquiries and conducting research, but Mary’s Pence got me so much more involved.
I was grateful to experience a full grants cycle at Mary’s Pence. Working alongside our Grants Program Manager, Erin Williams-Rodriguez, I helped to review hundreds of initial applications. At the first grant review committee I participated in, I sat in awe. I watched as committee members balanced differing perspectives with thoughtfulness, care, and respect. I felt so excited for the organizations the committee had selected, while also feeling sad for the many others whose work is critical to their communities. For those organizations Mary’s Pence is unable to assist financially, we connect them with resources for small grassroots organizations.
Mary’s Pence doesn’t only fund 20 organizations in two cycles a year; we partner with them through coalition building, networking, and ongoing support. Through spaces like the Third-Thursday Meet-up and mid-cycle check-ins, we want to create opportunities for grantees to connect with one another, ask questions, and share their challenges and triumphs. This coalition-building strengthens our collective work in serving women and other marginalized communities.
On the third Thursday of every month, the Grants Program Manager hosts an online gathering where grantees are invited to connect, exchange ideas, and share updates about their work. I had the pleasure of joining these conversations and hearing about the work each grantee is doing in their communities. Each meeting starts with a deep breath and question, focusing on what is bringing joy or hope. Smiles lift as the question is asked. These gatherings offer a chance for women leaders to not only share challenges and accomplishments, but to also celebrate personal and community joys. A critical part of Mary’s Pence grantmaking is listening and accompaniment.
I did not understand the difficulty that smaller-budget organizations have in receiving funding. Mary’s Pence is in a unique grantmaking position; we fund organizations that have no budget minimum and a maximum budget of $250,000. Smaller organizations have many obstacles securing funding, and the dedicated team at Mary’s Pence is committed to making the application process accessible. Grantmaking organizations have the difficult task of balancing limited resources with immense community need, making thoughtful decisions about the funding process more important.
I was surprised at how well Mary’s Pence operated with such a small team. The strength of grassroots organizations often comes from their ability to remain connected to the communities they serve, and a small team makes that connection possible. Every staff member at Mary’s Pence collaborates closely with each other, bringing immense care and intentionality to their work. I am so grateful to have been a part of this team.