The Founder Region of Soroptimist International of the Americas and Its Fellowship Program

Founder Region is one of 28 regions of Soroptimist International of the Americas (SIA) with territory encompassing:

• 10 Northern California Counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Solano (including SI Vallejo!), Sonoma 
• The State of Hawaii
• The U.S. Territories of Guam & the Northern Mariana Islands
• The Republic of Palau

Most service organizations have Identifying Projects that help the organization realize its mission. Fellowship is the identifying project of Founder Region, which began in 1948. FRF’s mission is to advance the status of women through financial support to women in the final phase of their doctoral degree. This project gives grants to selected women attending universities within the bounds of Founder Region. A byproduct of this support is affirmation of the importance of the recipients’ work and value as an individual.

What is a Soroptimist Fellow?  This is a person or club that is indeed a member of an elite group. Every fellow named represents $1,000 in donations to the Soroptimist Founder Region Fellowship Program, which provides scholarships to some amazing women. Over 750 Soroptimist women have become Fellows since 1948. Five hundred women are active members, and many have multiple fellowships and/or have donated fellowships to other Soroptimist women. SI Vallejo typically names 2 - 4 Fellows every year!

Since inception, Founder Region has awarded over 375 grants totaling more than $1.8 million!