CONCORD, NH – Ellen Koenig, Director of Grantmaking at the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation, will retire at the end of this year. Koenig was honored Thursday evening, December 15, at the Kimball Jenkins Estate in Concord by the Women’s Foundation joined by more than 50 friends, family members and colleagues in the nonprofit and philanthropic sector, who gathered from across the state to celebrate her.
“Ellen has been a steadfast champion of our Women’s Foundation grantees — serving as a sounding board, cheerleader, facilitator and convener. She has also been a trusted friend, colleague and advisor to her Women’s Foundation team.” said Women’s Foundation CEO Tanna Clews, “We will miss her deeply, and on behalf of the girls and women of New Hampshire, we extend our gratitude to Ellen for all that she has given to the Women’s Foundation community.”
In recounting the phrase often credited to Maya Angelou, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget the way you made them feel,” nonprofit consultant and longtime friend and colleague Alan Cantor said, “Ellen, that’s who you are. I don’t remember specific moments, I remember how you made me feel.” His sentiments were echoed by many in the room who spoke up, praising Ellen’s mentorship, professionalism, diplomacy, authenticity and kindness.
Hope Damon, Women’s Foundation Board member and Grants Committee Chair, said, “As anyone who has worked with Ellen in any of her many roles in our state knows, her kind spirit, her endless wisdom, her calm demeanor, her wit, and her incredible organizational skills have been a gift to anyone that she comes in contact with. The inimitable way that Ellen is able to connect with anyone — combined with her skill of communicating the impact of programs that serve women and girls in New Hampshire — are unmatched.”
Under Ellen’s leadership, the Women’s Foundation grantmaking program has more than tripled in dollars and grants awarded, and the grant review teams have increased in diversity and size. In addition, recognizing the need for peer support amongst organizations serving women and girls, Ellen created the Women’s Foundation’s Nonprofit Roundtable series, bringing together current, former and future NHWF grantees. These quarterly gatherings have been incredibly valuable to nonprofit leaders. Always looking for ways to lift up grantee organizations, Ellen also created the NHWF Women Building Community Grantee Showcase, which has become a very popular part of the Women’s Foundation’s annual event, offering grantees the platform to share their work with hundreds of enthusiastic attendees from across the Granite State.
Ellen’s outsized impact at the Women’s Foundation mimics the positive impact she’s had at other organizations in the state, including the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits and many others as a facilitator and consultant.
With Koenig retiring, the Women’s Foundation is seeking a new Director of Grantmaking. Interested applicants can view more details at:
Those wishing to honor Ellen Koenig can do so with a gift to the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation, and/or by sharing a tribute or memory at:
About the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation
The New Hampshire Women’s Foundation invests in opportunity and equality for women and girls in the Granite State through research, education, advocacy, grantmaking and philanthropy. Learn more at nhwomensfoundation.org.