Earlier this summer, the Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy (WOC) organization hosted its annual WOC week in New York, including its anticipated 2024 Awards event taking place on June 26th at the prestigious social club The Players. The Awards ceremony honored the significant contributions of women of color within the philanthropy field, and featured the presentation of three major awards to outstanding women within the organization.

WOC has been a pivotal platform for women of color in the fundraising and philanthropic sectors globally, offering networking opportunities, career fairs, and symposiums. The organization operates across 38 states and 4 countries, providing unparalleled resources for personal and professional development. With a mission to be the “hub” and “heart” for women of color in the fundraising and philanthropic communities, WOC is changing patterns to bring diversity of perspective into decision-making rooms around the world.  

The 2024 WOC Awards kicked off with cocktails, conversation, hors d'oeuvres, and a silent auction before attendees gathered for the awards portion of the evening. The rich cultural history of the venue, New York City’s oldest original membership club, certainly set the tone for an exclusive evening celebrating the important work of WOC. The festivities concluded with a birthday celebration, as the organization continued their annual tradition of serving cake in honor of WOC’s birthday. 

The 2024 WOC Awards included The WOC Award for Excellence presented to Sara Lomelin who serves as the CEO of Philanthropy Together, The Shine Award presented to Hera Javaid who is the Executive Director of Institutional Advancement at CUNY School of Law, and The Spotlight Award presented to Aditi Sharma, Program Manager at Amplify Her Foundation. 

The event was supported by notable sponsors including CCS Fundraising, Boyden, Fidelity Charitable Catalyst Fund, Huron|GG+A Global, Howe-Lewis International, and Lindauer. For more information on WOC and the amazing work they are doing to empower women across the globe, visit Woc-FP.com.