Barb Zeckhausen and Molly Scheu

From the moment they met in the mid-1990’s, Barb Zeckhausen and Molly Scheu shared a passion for lifting up New Hampshire’s women and girls. Together, they traveled throughout the state, learning about the challenges that were holding women back: a shortage of childcare and elder care, the absence of a safety net for at-risk youth, domestic abuse, homelessness, low wages, sparse job training, and inadequate health care. They were particularly startled by the lack of meaningful financial support for organizations devoted to New Hampshire women and girls.

Inspired to make a difference, Barb and Molly set out to create an organization dedicated to harnessing women’s philanthropy for the good of women and girls in their own communities. In 1999, Molly and Barb’s vision came to life when 42 women and men invested in and founded the Women’s Fund of New Hampshire. In its first 15 years, the Women’s Fund supported hundreds of programs, touching every county in the Granite State with its more than $1 million in grant funding. The New Hampshire Women’s Foundation is proud to be carrying this rich history of community grantmaking into the future.