Leave A Legacy

Join Jeannettecreate

Create a lasting legacy for American women

For millions of women, education is the only antidote to poverty. This is especially true for those who haven’t had the financial ability to pursue a college education or the encouragement to take a new direction toward financial self-sufficiency.

The Jeannette Rankin Foundation sets these women on the path to long-term financial stability, yet every year we are only able to award grants to 25% of our pool of applicants. While the unmet need is significant, so are the opportunities for donors to make a real difference.

Not only does a legacy gift to JRF enable us to invest in more women across the country, it carries your own lasting legacy forward.

Learn about our Endowed Scholar Grants

Learn about our Founders Force

Learn how to make a Legacy Gift

“An endowed Rankin Scholar Grant is a perfect tribute to our friend and cofounder Reita Rivers. Her commitment to empowering women through education while promoting the ideals of Congresswoman Jeannette Rankin remains our inspiration.”

Gail Dendy

JRF Founder and Donor

“Little did Jeannette Rankin know that her bequest would be leveraged and grow to more than $4 million to help women and their families rise out of poverty. Forty years of my life have been focused on JRF. I want the good work of JRF to continue long after I am gone, which is why I have a Planned Gift for JRF in my will.”

Heather Kleiner

JRF Founder and Donor

"Now, into its fourth decade, the Jeannette Rankin Foundation has helped more than a thousand women with the same level of desire and determination displayed by its founders."

Michael Purser

JRF Donor

"It is very important for women to have a voice and bring different values to a world that is out of balance in so many ways. I want empowered lives for all women, and education is the one thing that really brings this about."

Kate Blane

JFR Donor

Endowed Scholar Grants

Endowing a Scholar Grant is a very special way to support women 35 and older in achieving their educational goals, while leaving a legacy in your own name or by honoring an important person in your life.

We are eternally grateful for the individuals and families who have chosen to give an Endowed Scholar Grant. By contributing to our endowment, they ensure that the financial resources for a college education are available to women today and for decades to come.

Our Endowed Scholar Grants

Alexandra Kilpatrick

Alexandra Kilpatrick Endowed Scholar Grant Facilitated by Donna Zenor Alexandra Kilpatrick, better known as Alix, lived a life in which she focused on pursuing her dreams, from working at a […]

Arvonia Elizabeth Vaughn Sprauge

Arvonia Elizabeth Vaughn Sprauge Endowed Scholar Grant Given by Betsy Bach Arvonia Elizabeth Vaughn Sprague (1888-1983) was born in Vaughn, Montana, and lived in Montana her entire life. She graduated […]

Ayesha Harrison-Jex

Ayesha Harrison-Jex Endowed Scholar Grant Ayesha Harrison-Jex came into the world fighting. She was born prematurely and stayed in the hospital for three and a half months. The same way […]

Barbara Lawrence

Barbara Lawrence Endowed Scholar Grant Given by Arthur Lawrence Barbara Lawrence was passionate about empowering women. She earned her degree as a Registered Nurse from New England Deaconess Hospital School […]

Bertha Merrill Holt

Bertha Merrill Holt Endowed Scholar Grant Given by W. Jefferson Holt Bertha Merrill “B” Holt was born on August 16, 1916 in Eufaula, Alabama. She came from a long family […]

Catherine Ballou Kleiner

Catherine Ballou Kleiner Endowed Scholar Grant Given by Heather and Scott Kleiner Catherine Ballou Kleiner was born in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1966 to Heather and Scott Kleiner. Her mother, Heather, […]

Cindy Short

Cindy Short Endowed Scholar Grant Given by Gail Cowie Cindy Short was deeply committed to work that informed and empowered women, individually and collectively, as a means of progressive social […]

Elayne L. Perry

Elayne L. Perry Endowed Scholar Grant Given by Elissa Perry Elayne was an intellectually curious, lifelong learner and single mother of three daughters. Her daughters are Elissa, Shira, and Arielle. Elayne […]

Forest Stewart Hillyard

Forest Stewart Hillyard Endowed Scholar Grant Given by Sylvia Hillyard Pannell Forest Stewart Hillyard was born in 1907. Her daughter, Sylvia Hillyard Pannell, describes her mother, who came of age in […]

George and Mary Bailey

George and Mary Bailey Endowed Scholar Grant Given by Sue Bailey George and Mary Bailey were the parents of Susan R. Bailey, one of the founders of the Jeannette Rankin […]

Greta Kleiner

Greta Kleiner Endowed Scholar Grant Given by Heather and Scott Kleiner Greta Kleiner was the daughter of Scott Alter and Heather Smith Kleiner, JRF Founding Mother. She was born in Chicago […]

Hardeep Sodhi, Dr.

Dr. Hardeep Sodhi Endowed Scholar Grant Given by Mimi Sodhi Dr. Hardeep Sodhi left India in the late 50’s and came to the United States to join her husband and do […]

Hart and Besch Family

Hart and Besch Family Scholar Grant Fund Rose E. Hart Scholar Grant Fund Pauline A. Besch Scholar Grant Fund Debra K. Besch Scholar Grant Fund Katherine Besch-Hart Scholar Grant Fund […]

Mabel Davison

Mabel Davison Endowed Scholar Grant Given by Ralph and Nancy Davison Mabel Davison was born Mabel Donaho in 1909 near Floresville, Texas. She was a loving mother and grandmother to her […]

Mae Sterk

Mae Sterk Endowed Scholar Grant Given by her children Stanley, Nancy, Helen, Karen, Joel, and Janet Sterk Mae had a deep love for education, and particularly for science. She aspired […]

Mattie Newton Traylor

Mattie Newton Traylor Endowed Scholar Grant Given by Sarajane Love Mattie Newton Traylor was born and raised in rural Troup County, Georgia in 1888. She graduated with honors from Agnes […]

Marjorie Saunders Magruder

Marjorie Saunders Magruder Endowed Scholar Grant Marjorie Saunders Magruder was born in 1920 in Wray Colorado. Growing up in the shadow of the Great Depression she was fiercely independent and […]

Michael Erlanger

Michael Erlanger Endowed Scholar Grant Given by Mary Erlanger Michael was born on April 8, 1915 in New York City, son of Milton and Alene Stern Erlanger. He attended the […]

Sherrie Ford

Sherrie Ford Endowed Scholar Grant Given by Juniper Ford Dr. Sherrie Ford was born in 1946 in Meridian, Mississippi to Charlie May Womble Ford and Otto Theodore Ford. Her father’s […]

Patel, Broaddus, Halloran, Cofer Family

Virginia (Jinx) and Gordhan Patel are establishing this scholarship fund in order to honor these three women who were amazing,loving, and remarkably strong individuals who stressed the importance of family. […]

Vera & Anne Purser

Vera & Anne Purser Scholar Grant Award Given by Michael Purser Vera and Anne were mother and daughter that shared a special bond. Anne was the only girl and youngest […]

Waters-Brock

Waters-Brock Endowed Scholar Grant Given by J. Maria Waters This endowment honors the inspirational legacy of Rev Hosie & Mary Louise (Brock) Waters.the late Mary Ruth Brock, the late Rev […]

JRF Founder Gail Dendy

Gail Dendy Endowed Scholar Grant Gail is an Athens native who served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in South India. She has been a writer and an activist for Civil […]

JRF Founder Heather Kleiner

Heather Kleiner Endowed Scholar Grant Heather Kleiner is one of the founding members of the revitalized Women’s Studies Program – now the Institute of Women’s Studies at UGA. In 1989 […]

JRF Founder Margaret Holt

Margaret Holt Endowed Scholar Grant Margaret is a retired faculty member from the Department of Adult Education at the University of Georgia, and since 1981 has worked on multiple projects […]

JRF Founder Reita Rivers

Reita Rivers Endowed Scholar Grant Reita was Jeannette Rankin’s personal assistant at the time of Jeannette’s death. She knew about the bequest Jeannette had left to help “mature, unemployed women […]

JRF Founder Susan Bailey

Susan Bailey Endowed Scholar Grant Susan R Bailey is a retired lawyer who splits her time between Atlanta and Sapelo Island. She was one of the first women students at […]

Creating an Endowed Scholar Grant

EXCLUSIVE ENDOWED SCHOLAR GRANT BENEFITS:

Scholar Grant in the name of your choosing
Dedicated webpage featuring your endowed Scholar Grant and your named honoree
Detailed information and updates on the progress of your JRF Scholar
Invitation to special donor event, “Connecting the Dots”
Special semi-annual updates from the CEO

To learn more about creating an endowed Scholar Grant, please contact Jeannette Rankin Foundation’s CEO, Karen Sterk

THE INVESTMENT: $50,000

Fund one JRF Scholar every year for five years.
Make equal gifts of $10,000/year or commit to a payment schedule that works best for you.

THE INVESTMENT: $25,000

Fund one JRF Scholar every other year for five years.
Make equal gifts of $5,000/year or commit to a payment schedule that works best for you.

Legacy gifts

Legacy gifts to the Jeannette Rankin Foundation have significant impact and increase our capacity to award more Scholar Grants to women across the country. Gift options are abundant and can be made by an individual or on behalf of a loved one, friend or mentor.

Legacy gift options for today

Appreciated Securities: A form of stocks or mutual fund, appreciated securities provide donors’ tax benefits and are a valuable benefit to Jeannette Rankin Foundation.

Certificate of Deposit: A certificate of deposit is a brokerage account that lists Jeannette Rankin Foundation as the beneficiary. Financial institutions or advisers can assist with this easy process.

Real Estate or Tangible Personal Property: Real estate may be deeded to the Jeannette Rankin Foundation or left by a bequest. JRF advisers review and approve real estate and gifts of personal property to ensure the gift is suitable to both you and the Jeannette Rankin Foundation.

Charitable Remainder Trust: This is an irrevocable gift of assets into a charitable trust that provides donors with a fixed or variable income for a set term or for life. At the trust’s termination, the assets become a generous gift to the Jeannette Rankin Foundation. This avenue may also provide donors’ potential tax benefits.

Charitable Lead Trust: A charitable lead trust is a gift of cash or property to an irrevocable trust, in which the beneficiary’s income payments are distributed to the Jeannette Rankin Foundation for a predetermined period of time and then transferred back to the grantor or the beneficiary. Charitable trusts are flexible and powerful tools that reduce tax burden, increase current or future income and provide vital support to JRF.

Legacy gift options for tomorrow

Bequests: One of the simplest ways to give to the Jeannette Rankin Foundation is to include a bequest in your will. A bequest is a gift through a will or revocable trust that enables donors to retain the asset during their life and gift the asset once they pass on. Making a bequest may decrease estate taxes.

Beneficiary Designations: Naming the Jeannette Rankin Foundation as a beneficiary under a retirement fund, life insurance policy, donor advised fund or commercial annuity can help avoid heavy estate taxes, enabling the asset to pass tax free to JRF. Donors may also name JRF a percentage beneficiary or a contingent beneficiary of a retirement plan.

To determine what legacy gift is right for you, consult your financial planner and contact Jeannette Rankin Foundation’s CEO, Karen Sterk

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Leave A Legacy

Create a lasting legacy for American women