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FMAF WOMEN'S FUND RECEIVES $300,000 GRANT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 13, 2008
CONTACT: Women's Fund, 701-234-0756, womensfund@areafoundation.org
FARGO-MOORHEAD AREA FOUNDATION
WOMEN’S FUND RECEIVES $300,000 GRANT
Fargo, ND -- An unexpected windfall is coming to the women of North Dakota from the state’s western oil fields; but it’s not in the form of royalties.
Chambers Family Fund, a Colorado private family foundation, has granted the sum of $300,000 to the Women’s Fund of the Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation. The Community Foundation of Grand Forks Women’s Fund will receive a similar grant.
Merle Chambers, Colorado business leader and philanthropist, is president of the Chambers Family Fund. She created that fund with several philanthropic goals in mind, one of which is to contribute to those states where the Chambers family oil and gas businesses had successful production.
For over twenty years Chambers was associated with Axem Resources, Inc., the family oil and gas exploration and production company that experienced tremendous success throughout the Rocky Mountain Region as well as Oklahoma and North Dakota. As CEO of Axem she pioneered women’s leadership in the oil and gas business, a male dominated industry.
After selling Axem in 1997, Chambers turned much of her attention to philanthropy.
“A goal of Chambers Family Fund is to give back to the places where the Chambers family oil and gas business maintained significant production,” Chambers said. “I wanted to expand women’s philanthropy and create permanent sources of funding for women in these states, including North Dakota. We have partnered with community foundations in these states to build endowments for women.”
In prior years Chambers Family Fund created new women’s funds by partnering with community foundations in Wyoming, Montana and Oklahoma. The community foundations in Fargo and Grand Forks had previously established women’s funds, and Chambers Family Fund embraced the opportunity to grow those endowments.
A small portion of the Chambers grant will be used as a source of operating funds, but the majority will be permanently endowed, providing a perpetual source of funding for the Women’s Fund.
The mission of the Women’s Fund at the Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation is to improve and impact the quality of life for all people by enriching the lives of women and girls in the Fargo-Moorhead area communities. Prior to the Chambers grant the volunteers had grown the Women’s Fund endowment to over $400,000.
The Women’s Fund actively engages in various forms of philanthropy. The Fund has conducted several targeted grant rounds and is currently accepting grant applications from non-profit organizations to fund programming for women in leadership. The Fund also conducts the Habits of the Heart program, which is a week-long seminar designed to involve 8th, 9th, and 10th grade women actively and thoughtfully in philanthropy and voluntary action.
Letty Bass, executive director of Chambers Family Fund, had high praise for the Women’s Fund volunteers and the projects already in place.
“It is a perfect opportunity for us,” she said. “The work done for North Dakota women by the community foundations in Fargo and Grand Forks has been exemplary. We are more than pleased to enhance and encourage their good work by increasing their endowments.”
Becky Bakke, co-chair of the FM Area Foundation’s Women’s Fund, said the news of the Chambers grant prompted both surprise and thanks from her group. “Chambers Family Fund came to us,” said Bakke. “It really was a surprise, since so often grant makers require you to go through a complicated grant application process. But they saw what we have been doing and they liked it. We are so very thankful.”
Karla Aaland, executive director of the FM Area Foundation, echoed those comments. “Merle Chambers has taken philanthropy and stewardship to another level,” she said. “Giving back to the community is more than just a catch-phrase for her. She really has been diligent and thoughtful in giving back charitable dollars to the states where her family was successful in the oil business.”
Merle Chambers summarized this initiative best: “My family has been fortunate to make money in these states,” she said. “As a consequence, we wanted to establish something of permanence.”
“Women are vital to the economic security of the entire family. The better women are trained, the better their children will succeed. By involving local women we know they will make grant decisions wisely – always with an eye to expanding opportunities for women and girls in their local communities.”
For more information about the Women’s Fund at the Fargo-Moorhead Area Foundation you may contact the Foundation at 701-234-0756 or e-mail womensfund@areafoundation.org.
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