the foundation for girls and women
Thank you for joining us for the 2025 Inspired Event featuring Valerie Plame! The energy in the room was extraordinary, a true reflection of what happens when 500 people come together to celebrate women's strength, resilience, and leadership.
View more event highlights here
apply for a chrysalis community grant
All organizations applying for funding from Chrysalis must have an updated Organization Profile (dated July 1, 2025, or later) on file. Organization Profile
To be considered for an invitation to apply for a Community Partner (Operating) Grant, organizations must submit their profile to Chrysalis by October 24.
This is a change from past years.
we are chrysalis
When a girl learns, she is able to earn and give back to her community when she grows up. When a woman is given the necessary tools to support her success, everyone benefits. Chrysalis works to increase resources and opportunities for women and girls in the greater Des Moines area, and empower them to be all that they can be.
we are all about girls and women
No tool for development is more effective than empowering women. The World Bank calls investing in women “smart economics” because research shows economic growth for women has a critical multiplier effect. Women are more likely to share their personal economic gains with their families and communities; in fact, women reinvest 90% of their income in food, healthcare, home improvement, and schooling for themselves and their children. In short, “women’s progress” is “society progress.”
we can’t do it alone
Our work is about connections. Whether it's our community of nonprofit partners working to strengthen girls and women, our grant partners delivering our mission, or our school site leaders reaching girls through enriching after-school progrms, we don't work alone. And only with the support of friends, donors, volunteers, and community stakeholders does our work change lives.
issues and resources
Our education and fundraising events share information on the broad issues important to the success of girls and women, and our continuous learning keeps us relevant. Because you care about our community, we want to keep you informed, too.