1931 Federation of American Women's Clubs in Europe founded in London to promote the concerns of its members as well as international issues; name changed to the Federation of American Women's Clubs Overseas (1935) with the acronym FAWCO.
1967 The FAWCO Foundation established as the philanthropic arm of FAWCO, registered as a 501(c)3 in the state of Missouri
1969 First grants made to victims of Lisbon flood and Sicilian earthquake.
1972 First scholarship ($1000) awarded; fundraising appeals launched. Grant made to AWC Brussels for the American International Youth Center.
1973 Precursor of later memorial awards given in memory of Edna Balfour.
1977 Awards Committee Chairperson established in Bylaws.
1978 Two scholarships of $1000/each announced. Grant made to AWC Brussels to establish children's library in club house.
1979 First use of the phrase "Merit Scholarship" to denote academic achievement with a stipend of $2000; two runner-up awards $1000/each. Board concentrated on funding for scholarships. Foundation began to serve individual clubs with the administration of their award programs.
1980 Twenty-three applicants from eleven clubs; three scholarships offered; Special Golden Jubilee Award to honor FAWCO's 50th birthday. Mary Mag named Honorary President.
1981 Forty-five applicants from fourteen clubs; five scholarships offered.
1982 First International Award for a child of a non-American member of a club.
1983 First Memorial Award established in the name of Frieda Bacigalupo-Natali.
1987 Seven scholarships awarded totaling $10,000. Dual Cultural Award for a high school student with one American parent to travel and/or study in the United States.
1988 Sixty-one applicants from twenty-three clubs; eight awards offered. First Federation Award to a member for continuing education (second Federation Award offered in 1995).
1990 Tuition, room and board offered to a high school student by the TASIS Foundation for study in Switzerland, England or Greece (award offered up to 1996); due to a tie, two awards granted in 1990. First Merit Award named for artist Stanley Roseman, whose drawings raised $14,000 which the Bern Club contributed to The Foundation. Fundraising Chair position added to Bylaws.
1991 Hillary Gulliford Award for Journalism and Creative Writing; one-year tuition grant by John Cabot University (1991 and 1992). Bylaws revised to establish term limits.
1992-96 Record number of award applications (97) received; record amount available in both cash and kind ($100,000). Special Challenges Award established; second Federation Award for Continuing Education; new award for study of problem-solving skills at request of Roots and Effects of Violence Committee, funded by AWC Madrid. Silver Anniversary Award commemorating Foundation’s 25th anniversary. Grant to the human environment awarded at the request of the Environment Committee for the Okoa Dada Home, Nairobi, Kenya; grant to the American Women's League of Kuwait to replace office equipment damaged in the Gulf War. First bequest received ($50,000) from a club member; first two endowment funds established. Tuition offered by The American University of Paris (1994 and 1995) and Marymount International School, Surrey, England (1995-6 and 1996-7); airfare donated by TWA to Dual Cultural Award winners (1990-1995); voice study stipends offered for three consecutive years by Le Cercle Carpeaux of Paris. Fundraising: first live and silent auctions, first Friendship Quilt; public relations folders sent to corporations and other foundations; informal brochure published for club reps. A record number of Clubs (50%) made donations. New logo introduced; Friends of the Foundation established; newsletter and logo pins created.
1997 - 2000 Foundation's 30th Anniversary celebrated in Dublin. Rlief and Development (R&D) Grants transferred from Federation to Foundation. Foundation Board structure changed: nominations taken from the floor and officers voted on by FAWCO Representatives; board membership reduced to eight elected officers and members.
2001 - 2005 R&D Grants changed to Development Grants (DGs) and restructured into five categories: Healthy Living, Feed the World, Effects of Violence, Peace through Understanding, Hope through Education. Kids Help Certificate Project initiated; Association of Hole in the Wall Camps designated as beneficiary. $3000 grant for Gujarat earthquake, India. Club contributions totaled $25,000. In-line auction, a new fundraising initiative, established. Global Concerns Fund introduced.
2006 - 2007 First Global Concerns Fund partnered with the Swiss foundation BioVision's projects to eradicate malaria in Africa. Friendship Dream Cruise to support Paul Newman's Association of Hole in the Wall Camps; Hole Lotta Fun Boxes placed in camps worldwide. Development Grant 'Around the Corner, a World Away' established for projects in Club host countries. Foundation nominated Global Concern Fund recipient BioVision for the 2007 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize Foundation nominated for Council of Foundations Critical Impact Award. Foundation 40th (Ruby) Anniversary celebrated at the XXXVIII Biennial Conference, Lyon, France, March 2007. Commemorative publication presented to honor 40th Anniversary.
2007 - 2008 $1 Million mark in giving reached in Education Awards & DGs; Restructuring of Foundation Board; Kids Help "School Supplies" Project joint effort with FAUSA; Foundation founder Mary Mag Hasse receives FAWCO Circle of Honor, Lyon Conference; 2008 Mary Mag Asian Studies Memorial Award honors founder; Foundation nominated for Council of Foundation's Critical Impact Award; Second FAWCO Foundation Dream Cruise for Kids Help Projects; Club Volunteer of The Year Award reinstated.
2008 - 2009 FAWCO and The FAWCO Foundation announced a four year program to bring a critical global issue to the attention of FAWCO Clubs, their members and to the world. The FAWCO Target Program is a unique opportunity for FAWCO member clubs and FAUSA members to work together towards the goal of clean water worldwide. In 2008, The FAWCO Board asked The Foundation President to participate in FAWCO Board meetings as a non-voting member. In 2009, The Foundation Board asked that Janelle Mason, FAWCO’s 2nd Vice President, attend Foundation Board meetings as a non-voting member. She is FAWCO’s direct liaison with the clubs, a position that The Foundation doesn’t have on its Board. Her participation aids us in coordinating The Foundation’s activities with FAWCO. She participated in Foundation Board meetings and has provided insight on all topics and their impact on FAWCO clubs; Vilnius Conference was the first FAWCO conference in a country that was behind the Iron Curtain, and was organized without the help of a local club. The Foundation charm bracelet launched in Vilnius continues to sell; Foundation launched a separate website. The decision to directly manage our website has enabled The Foundation to quickly and efficiently revise information, thus making The Foundation a more dynamic organization; The FAWCO Foundation supported a number of activities outside of The Foundation’s core programs.; FAWCO's Emergency Relief Fund for the victims of the earthquake in China; The FAWCO Foundation and FAUSA teamed up to support the Kids Help School Supplies Project, which purchased backpacks filled with much-needed school supplies for children from the poorest neighborhoods in Bogota, Colombia. A total of 1,000 backpacks were distributed.
2009 - 2010 The NEEED initiative was announced at the 2010 FAWCO Conference in Boston and we immediately had members donate funds in lieu of retirement gifts, birthday celebrations and memorials. The overwhelming response allowed us to underwrite the education of nine girls, starting in September 2010
2010 - 2011 Cruise #3 in 2011, was to the Western Mediterranean with 56 passengers and raised $8,000 for “Wells for Tabitha”. In 2011, the donations to NEEED consisted almost entirely of donations made in memory of Pam Dahlgren; 2011 Conference in Marrakech, MOROCCO celebrating FAWCOs 80 yrs ! Arline Coward, Parliamentarian, has laid the groundwork for our upcoming special election. The Nominating Committee will be putting forth a Foundation Board slate to be elected in Dublin but will only serve one year. That way, in March 2013, both The Foundation and FAWCO Boards will come up for re-election to serve from 2013-2015; at which point the elections will be aligned. Our thanks to Arline Coward for her work on this project .
2011 - 2012 To those of us who knew and loved Pam Dahlgren¸ FAWCO President 2001-03, it is not surprising that she wished us to be remembered in her will. Pam was born in Africa and it was her specific wish that a DG be set up to educate children there. We are honored to fulfill her wishes by offering a DG which looks for “Projects that promote literacy, support academic studies, build or provide classrooms, libraries or general learning facilities for disadvantaged children in Africa”. We are pleased to announce that Pam has assured this award will be available for the next ten (10) years; a donation was made by The Viola Wheeler Trust to fund the Arts Award and one NEEED mid-wifery scholarship for 5 years. The FAWCO Foundation Board is elected for a special one-year term to align the elections with the FAWCO Board.
2012 - 2014 FAWCO's Target Environment: Water and Sustainability, was a tremendous success with participation from 78% of member clubs. $135,255 was raised for Tabitha: Wells for Cambodia and another $27,355 for other water projects; The entire Foundation board of 2012-2013 ran for 2013-2015 term; the new Target Program, Human Rights for Women kicks off the Awareness and Education phase and a request for project nominations is issued.
2013- 2014 Based on the 2012 survey of FAWCO member clubs, in 2013 The Foundation voted to focus on four core programs: Development Grants, Education Awards, NEEED Scholarship Program and Target Project. In addition, they agreed to align their programs with FAWCO’s newly adopted resolution to “improve the lives of women and girls worldwide, especially in the areas of human rights, health, education and environment”. In an effort to simplify the application process they removed the requirement for mailed applications and as of 2014 started accepting only emailed applications. After offering an IT Award for Young Women in 2013 a request was made by FAWCO members for a Member’s Award in Technology. In 2014, TFF added the IT Award for Members. A new format was created to update The FAWCO Foundation’s website making it easier to navigate and the Board approved a complete update of The Foundation’s governing documents.
2014-2016 Free The Girls was chosen as the Target Project Human Rights: Protecting the Rights and Improving the Lives of Women and Girls Worldwide. As of 6/2015- $105,000 raised Summer 2014- Cruise #4 to Norway as a Foundation fundraiser. Entire Foundation board with spouses/family attended- $7800 raised Online Auction for the Rome Conference 2015 allowed FAWCO members not attending the conference to bid. Women in Technology added to the Education Awards for 2015.
2016-2019 Collateral Repair Project in Jordan was chosen as the Target Project Education:Hope Beyond Displacement. A total of $191,526 was raised.
2019 The Foundation reached the $2,000,000 mark in Development Grant and Education Award funding.
2019-2022 S.A.F.E. Safe Alternatives for Female Genital Mutilation Elimination in Tanzania was chosen as the Target Project Health: Ensuring Healthy Lives and Promoting Well-Being to Improve the Lives of Women and Girls.
