The 2026 Elly Awards

Join Us!

The Annual Elly Award luncheon recognizes our Scholars and benefits the Education Fund. Our scholar program provides unrestricted financial awards of $10,000 to women over 25 pursuing their first college degree.

Since 2011, our annual fundraising event, named for Forum founder Elinor Guggenheimer, has gathered Forum members and guests to honor both our Education Fund Scholars and trailblazing women leaders.

This year, we are thrilled to honor the legendary Labor and Women’s Rights Leader, Dolores Huerta. Dolores co-founded the United Farm Workers of America (UFW) and established her own foundation connecting local organizing to state and national movements for justice. Dolores is also the recipient of both the Human Rights Award and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Actor, Comedian, and Producer Lisa Ann Walter will serve as the program’s emcee. Lisa’s career spans television, film, and stage. She currently stars on Abbott Elementary and tours as a stand-up comedian across the country. Lisa serves on the board of the Entertainment Community Fund and was recently elected as First Vice President of the Los Angeles Local chapter of SAG/AFTRA.

Participation Opportunities

Sponsors

PLATINUM Sponsor $50,000

• 2 Premier tables of 10 at the Luncheon
• A named Education Fund Scholar
• Meet and Greet with Special Guests
• Prominent placement on digital and printed event materials

DIAMOND Sponsor $40,000

• Premier table of 10 at the Luncheon
• A named Education Fund Scholar
• Meet and greet with special guests
• Prominent placement on digital and printed event materials
• Premier sponsor of the inaugural Women’s Forum November Marquee event
• Meet and Greet with New York Leader Honorees

GOLD Sponsor $25,000

• Premier table of 10 at the Luncheon
• A named Education Fund Scholar
• Meet and Greet with Special Guests
• Prominent placement on digital and printed event materials

SILVER Sponsor $15,000 

• 8 premium seats at the Luncheon
• A named Education Fund Scholar
• Meet and Greet with Special Guests
• Recognition on digital and printed event materials

BRONZE Sponsor $7,500

• 5 prime seats at the Luncheon
• Recognition on digital and printed event materials

 

Tickets

SPONSOR A SCHOLAR Ticket $10,000

• Premier seat at the Luncheon
• A named Education Fund Scholar
• Recognition on digital and printed event materials

BENEFACTOR Ticket $1,500 

• Premium seat at the Luncheon
• Recognition on digital and printed event materials

PATRON Ticket $750

• Prime seat at the Luncheon
• Recognition on digital and printed event materials

Guest Ticket $500 

• Seat at the Luncheon

Forum Member Ticket $350*

*Available for Women’s Forum of New York members only

• Seat at the Luncheon

2026 Elly Award Sponsors*

PLATINUM

Ruth Ann Harnisch, Harnisch Foundation

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GOLD

Dede Thompson Bartlett, Citi, Pamela J. Craig, The Estée Lauder Companies, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., Sy Syms Foundation, Melinda White and Ellen Gavin, Anita Volz Wien

SILVER

Bloomberg Philanthropies, Con Edison, First Citizens Wealth, GDT, JLC Infrastructure/Loop Capital, Mary T. McDowell, Quest Diagnostics, Stephanie K. Schnabel

SPONSOR A SCHOLAR

Bank Street, Marianne Brown, Colgate-Palmolive Company, Daisey Holmes, MetLife, Maria R. Morris, Diane Patterson, Raiola/Co., Jennifer Zachary

BRONZE

Fiduciary Trust International, Great Performances, Margaret Schramm Horn and Dawson Horn III, Ilene H. Lang, Carolyn Shah Moehringer, New York Life, Susan Skerritt, Kelly Watson, Wilmington Trust, Member of the M&T Family, ZRG

DISTINGUISHED DONORS

Amalgamated Bank, Dr. Georgette F. Bennett, Paula Bennett, Lawton W. Fitt

BENEFACTORS

Felice Forer Axelrod, Jennifer Bernstein, Jeanne Kwong Bickford, Carolyn Carter, Cass Conrad, Vita Cassese, Anu Jayanti, Rikki Klieman, Barbara Marcus, McKissack & McKissack, Akiko Mikuma, Bettina Murray, Laura Peterson, Lucy Pilko, Marcella Rosen, Eugenia Ulasewicz, Ilene Wachs

PATRONS

Maura Carley, Gloria Feldt, Amy L. Freitag, Jane Chesnutt, Judith D. Fryer, Pascale Hutz, Daryl Roth, Silda Wall Spitzer, Linda Willett

*Sponsor list in formation

The entire event will benefit the Women’s Forum of New York, Inc. Tax ID# 13-3098501. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. The non-tax deductible portion for each in-person guest is $190.