Mission
Mary’s Pence invests in women across the United States, Mexico and Central America by funding community initiatives and fostering collaborations to create social change.
Vision
We envision a world where empowered women and their communities flourish in solidarity and justice.
Values
Our commitment to justice motivates our work. We are grateful to walk alongside people of all faiths and beliefs on this journey toward justice.
Dignity
We recognize the inherent dignity of every person, especially women and others who are marginalized. Equity for all must include the right to health care, education, productive and meaningful work, food security, shelter, and freedom from violence.
Justice
Each person has the right and responsibility to participate economically, politically, and culturally in society and in the home. Women’s full participation is essential for strong communities and a just society.
Solidarity
Mary’s Pence has privilege and influence. It is our responsibility to accompany women working for justice by listening deeply and providing funding and responsive support. We believe in collective power. Change happens when those most impacted by injustice are integrally involved in creating solutions.
Guiding Principles
The board and staff at Mary’s Pence joyfully approach our work with deep gratitude for the supporters who make this work possible, for those who came before us, and for all those who are working for justice.
Solidarity with women on the margins
We believe that women and others who are marginalized have the wisdom to create effective change within their communities, yet are underrepresented in decision-making roles and underfunded by the philanthropic community. Therefore:
- We provide responsive and flexible funding and capacity building for women-led organizations that would typically be overlooked by larger mainstream funders. We do not shy away from the complexity of meeting women where they are.
- We advocate for women’s full equality and participation in all aspects of society by partnering to lift women’s voices and expand their opportunities.
- We provide a platform for individuals to support grassroots organizations created by and for women and other marginalized people.
Commitment to long-term social change
We believe that current structures and norms in society create injustice. In order to achieve justice, we must work toward promoting the common good and affecting systemic change. Therefore:
- We support a broad array of projects that are working to change systems.
- We support efforts to create lasting change that will impact the community far beyond any individual or organization’s lifespan.
- We provide a platform for individuals to support those who are working to change systems.
Inclusivity and collaboration
We believe that the best organizational models are those that share influence, leadership, and power. Everyone has a piece of the truth. Therefore:
- We seek to support organizations with structures that share influence, leadership and power and that involve community members in decision-making and the creation of programs.
- We seek diverse voices and experiences on our board and staff. We make decisions by consensus and rotate leadership roles at the board and committee level.
- We value contributions of all sizes.
Transparency and trust
We believe that open communication and trusting relationships are necessary for truly collaborative decision-making processes. And we believe that donors should know how their money is used. Therefore:
- We have implemented processes for open and honest communications among staff, board, grantees, ESPERA partners, donors, funders, and community partners.
- We evaluate our work in a way that is meaningful for grantees and ESPERA partners, donors, funders, and for us.
- We work with a committee of board, staff, and volunteers to review financial statements monthly, and make financial documents and certifications available on our website.
