WOMENS VOICES NOW INC

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Grantee Database

Grant Year

2025-26

Grant Program

Arts and Youth

Award Amount

$18,000.00

Project Description

Girls’ Voices Now (GVN), the youth development program of Women’s Voices Now, empowers girls from under-resourced communities through filmmaking. We cultivate the next generation of changemakers and storytellers by building their confidence, teaching media literacy and critical thinking, and developing professional skills for careers in film and media. GVN is entirely free, offers a $500 stipend, and provides meals and transportation support. Participants—diverse and representative of Los Angeles—learn to use their voices for personal and community advocacy.

Over seven years, GVN has proven long-term impact: alumnae have attended top universities and earned prestigious fellowships, internships, and jobs.

We graciously request $25,000 from the California Arts Council to support staff costs. These funds will ensure we continue to train, mentor, and launch young filmmakers committed to telling stories that drive social change.

Organization Summary

We empower filmmakers, produce social-change films, and engage audience members to advance girls’ and women’s rights through our three core programs:

1. WVN Online Film Festival
An annual film festival supporting emerging documentary filmmakers by providing cash prizes, visibility, and connections to film industry professionals. Since 2011, we have received 1,382 film submissions from 97 countries, and we have awarded $156,500 in cash prizes.

2. Girls’ Voices Now – Youth Development through Arts Education and Empowerment
Our youth development program empowers the next generation of youth from under-resourced communities to find, develop, and use their voice for social change through filmmaking. Since 2018, we have served 104 girls from under-resourced LA communities and produced 28 youth-made short films seen by 4.3M+ online viewers. Films produced in this program have gone on to win awards, including festivals and two Emmy nominations (1 win!)

3. Voices For Change: A free film collection advocating for women’s and girls’ rights
Collection of films about women raises awareness of the struggles and triumphs of women and girls around the globe, inviting audience members to contribute to social change supportive of their human rights. Features 340+ films in 50 different languages about women’s and girls’ stories and rights globally. We partner with local organizations to co-facilitate 145+ in-person and virtual screening events and conversations in 15+ countries with 50+ field partners, including universities, nonprofit organizations and international organizations. We also promote these films for individuals to stream for free online through thorough online marketing campaigns (reaching 8.2M+ online viewers globally in 2024 alone!)

Grantee Database