For those of you who may qualify for the Frederick P. Lenz Foundation‘s 2013 Women in Buddhism grants, which support women-led Buddhist organizations, programs, and initiatives, board member Liz Lewinson sent us the following information:
The Frederick P. Lenz Foundation for American Buddhism is proud to announce the availability of four annual Women in Buddhism grants during 2013. Each $2,500 grant supports women-led Buddhist organizations, programs and initiatives designed to cultivate a new generation of American women Buddhist leaders.
In 2012, the first year of the program, grants were given to the following organizations:
1) New York University (The Mindfulness Project) – to bring leading female Buddhist teachers to the NYU campus, provide a safe space to discuss the experience of female Buddhist practitioners and leaders, and support the practice and leadership of young women Buddhists on campus.
2) Awakened Life – to create a short film that offers a glimpse into the practice and expression of the Dharma as Joan Sutherland offers it to the women of the Awakened Life sangha in Santa Fe. The film will portray a culture rooted in the koan tradition of Chan and Zen, as well as equally rooted in a deep trust of the experiences and wisdom of women.
3) Brooklyn Zen Center – to support training young women as peer-to-peer leaders in their Awake Youth Project program and lay the ground for several young women of color to carry the dharma on.
4) Tricycle Foundation – to recognize and support the writing of a new paper by Rita Gross, a long-time feminist Buddhist writer, and to support adaptation of her work into new social media formats in order to reach a wider audience.
According to Norman Oberstein, Chairman of the Board of the Lenz Foundation, “Rama, or Dr. Frederick Lenz, believed fervently that advancing the role of women in American Buddhism was the key to creating an enlightened American society. Recognizing the hierarchical and male-dominated nature of imported Buddhist culture, the Foundation champions the cause of women’s leadership in American Buddhist communities and organizations.”
In Dr. Lenz’s words, “Enlightenment comes through the feminine side of the being…the most important problem for our world is to solve the inequality of men and women.”
The Women in Buddhism grant program is led by Lenz Foundation board member Liz Lewinson. For further information or to submit a letter of inquiry, please visit www.fredericklenzfoundation.org. All grant recipients must be affiliated with a recognized 501c3 non-profit organization.