Women of Tocqueville is a transformative group of committed business, civic and philanthropic women leaders dedicated to helping their neighbors in need and stabilizing families struggling to make ends meet through engagement opportunities to tackle challenges and create sustainable change for ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families. Through involvement, members are afforded the chance to build strong bonds with other like-minded philanthropists, deepen their knowledge of community issues, and support women, families and children by sharing their wisdom, service and generosity.
Women of Tocqueville Focus
ALICE households are working hard, often multiple jobs, and still struggle to make ends meet. ALICE is our family, our neighbors, and our friends. ALICE is educators, health care professionals, front line workers, retail associates and other professions that keep our businesses and economy running. Unfortunately for many, the cost of living outpaces wages, meaning that many families find themselves struggling to make ends meet and one emergency away from a potential financial crisis.
Women of Tocqueville is more than a giving circle. In addition to providing critical financial resources to support programs and priority projects to improve the well-being of children and families in central and northeastern Connecticut, members have the opportunity to create sustainable positive change and impact in the lives of ALICE households through engagement opportunities to address the root causes of issues and ignite systemic change.
Through gifts of wisdom, service and treasure, the collective power of Women of Tocqueville members helps facilitate and enable the change necessary for all local families and children to succeed.
How to Become a Women of Tocqueville Member
Membership in Women of Tocqueville is exclusive to women who donate $10,000 or more annually through the United Way Community Campaign, of which a minimum of $5,000 is invested in United Way to support programs and priority projects to improve the well-being of children and families in our community.
Membership Benefits
- Be part of a group of like-minded women coming together to network and build community both locally and nationally through the United Way Tocqueville Society and Women of Tocqueville global network.
- Engagement opportunities focused on ALICE, including opportunities to inform funding recommendations and advocate for public policy to create systemic change to improve outcomes for local ALICE households.
- Invitations to exclusive member receptions.
- Priority access to United Way signature events aligned to Women United, including Power of the Purse.
- All benefits granted to Tocqueville Society members.
- All benefits granted to Women United members.
- Membership in Women United or Emerging Leaders Society (ELS) for a child or grandchild.
- Special recognition into perpetuity as a Women of Tocqueville Founding Member for first 50 members.
Women of Tocqueville Founding Members:
The first 50 women to become a Women of Tocqueville member will be recognized as Women of Tocqueville Founding Members into perpetuity. Founding members will be recognized in both online and print media, including, but not limited to, United Way’s Annual Report and United Way Women United signature events’ programs.
We would like to recognize those women who have joined this new society:
Elizabeth Alquist
Irene Bassock
Susan Dunn
Melissa Ferrucci
Paula S. Gilberto
Lorraine Hritcko
Mary Ellen Jones
Natalie Morris
Vittoria Pace
Vi R. Smalley, Esq.
Jan Turner
Step-Up Program:
To ease the financial burden of becoming a Women of Tocqueville member, a three-year Step-Up Program is available for women wishing to become a member but are unable to immediately fulfill the total annual gift requirement of $10,000 for membership.
Under the three-year Step-Up Program, membership is granted to women who make a personal donation of $5,000 in Year 1 and $7,500 in Year 2, of which all dollars are invested in United Way’s Women of Tocqueville. In Year 3, a total donation of $10,000 with a minimum of $5,000 invested in United Way is required to retain membership.
After the Step-Up period, a minimum donation of $10,000 or more annually through the United Way Community Campaign, of which a minimum of $5,000 is invested in United Way, is required to retain membership.
The three-year Step-Up Program is offered only once to any woman interested in becoming a member of Women of Tocqueville utilizing the program. A Women of Tocqueville member participating in the three-year Step-Up Program will be recognized as a Women of Tocqueville Founding Member once she has fulfilled her Year 3 commitment and providing there is less than 50 Founding Members already recognized.
Membership Donation Fulfillment Options:
United Way offers Women of Tocqueville members a variety of ways to fulfill their annual donation, including establishing a Philanthropy Fund or a United Way Private Label Donor Advised Fund which are offered exclusively to Tocqueville Society members.
