More About Us

A Chicago family, passionate in their hopes to positively impact the lives and visions of girls, founded Girl's Best Friend Foundation in 1994. They created a foundation devoted to feminist social justice work by partnering with community activists and funding risk-taking, creative, strength-based programs for girls and young women. Activists among the neighborhoods in which GBF works make up GBF's diverse board of directors and bring grassroots perspectives to the Foundation's decision making. GBF is committed to collaborating with grantee partners throughout Illinois that are providing safe spaces where girls and young women can recognize and utilize the power of their voices and ideas.



To catch the unique spirit of the Foundation, the family came up with the name "Girl's Best Friend" from the classic song "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend." They chose the name knowing that, given recognition and support, girls and young women will grow to see themselves as highly valued, multifaceted, strong and brilliant -- just like diamonds.



Since its creation in 1994, Girl's Best Friend has channeled over $3 million to more than 100 Illinois organizations that provide positive programs that build on girls' strengths, empower them to make decisions for themselves, and give them a safe space to grow.



In addition to its grantmaking, GBF tries to be a resource for grantees, for training and ideas, and a source of creative evaluation methods.



GBF has also developed its own programs and activities to support yearly grantmaking activities. In 1997, GBF established Sisters Empowering Sisters (SES), a grantmaking entity in which girls become grantmakers to support girl-led and -developed work and to bring the voices of girls and young women into the Foundation.



In 1999, GBF embarked on a statewide research initiative to learn more about what is going on in the lives of girls and young women in communities across Illinois. The results of the two-year research project were published in 2002 and is called Speak for Yourself: What Girls Say about What Girls Need.