An Award for Women’s Economic Empowerment

Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow and best-selling author of Think You'll Be Happy and Nicole Avant.

The Visionary Prize for Women’s Economic Empowerment was founded in 2022 by the Hostetler Wrigley Foundation in partnership with the LA-based nonprofit Visionary Women, which supports the advancement and empowerment of women and girls. The award was created to recognize a visionary woman leader of a nonprofit agency working to advance women’s economic empowerment in the United States. The Visionary Prize winner receives $100,000 in unrestricted funds to support their agency’s work and enable them to further their vision.The awards and its recipients help continue the Foundation’s efforts to empower women and shed light on key issues and biases that affect them. This year’s awards were presented in Los Angeles on March 6—International Women’s Day. In addition to the recipients being named, the afternoon showcased Gwyneth Paltrow in conversation with best-selling author Nicole Avant (Think You’ll Be Happy), and Sharon Stone receiving the Changemaker Award.

The recipient of the 2024 Visionary Prize was Fatima Goss Graves of the National Women’s Law Center.

2024 Visionary Prize for Women’s Economic Empowerment in partnership with The Hosteler/Wrigley Foundation prize winner Fatima Goss Graves

“Receiving the Visionary Prize for Women's Economic Empowerment was an absolute honor for me,” says Goss Graves. “But more than that, it’s a game-changer for the National Women’s Law Center. Every day, my team fights for women, girls, and families in the courts, public policy, and in our society; and they continue this fight on the good days and through the bad. This prize will help my team sustain their work, from pursuing justice for thousands of survivors through the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund to fighting for abortion at this watershed moment in our country’s history. We are so grateful.”

​The Rising Visionary Prize was added to the awards last year to highlight a woman leader of an innovative, early-stage nonprofit. Ashante Taylorcox of the organization You Are More Than— which works BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ survivors of domestic trafficking and those impacted by the commercial sex industry—became the second-ever recipient of this notable distinction.

“Winning this award means that we are able to continue our mission of increasing long-term pathways to economic stability for survivors nationally,” says Taylorcox. “BIPOC and LGBTQ+ survivors are no longer waiting for seats at a table. They are building their own tables to long-term success and happiness.”

​And, in an effort to recognize even more women doing incredible work, this year introduced the Visionary Catalyst Award, recognizing a woman leader of a nonprofit organization that provides resources to address the inequity in both financial and non-monetary support available to women entrepreneurs. The inaugural prize went to Jane Veron of The Acceleration Project, an organization that accelerates small-business growth.

“We are honored to be recognized,” says Veron. “A dozen years ago, I built The Acceleration Project (TAP) to create a more equitable and inclusive economy. For far too long, women have lacked access to the resources and networks to grow their businesses, and we wanted to right that wrong. Our women-led team empowers under-resourced female-owned small businesses. We offer high-impact and customized strategic, financial, operational, and marketing support, as well as bespoke industry-specific insights, to thousands of businesses across the country. The results are breathtaking as we watch our business owners increase revenue, profit, and jobs, providing solid income streams for their families and communities.”

Changemaker Award winner Sharon Stone

​This year’s event and awards helped bring even more boundary-breaking females into the spotlight, highlighting their important work while helping them to continue to grow and evolve. With just three awards, countless women are empowered.