ABOUT The Enterprising Women Foundation
Our Objective
The Enterprising Women Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, is a sister entity to Enterprising Women magazine. Both entities share a common mission of advancing the growth of women’s entrepreneurship. Together, they are committed to empowering women in business and leadership roles in the United States and globally through our key programs: YOUNG ENTERPRISING WOMEN and PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS®.
YOUNG ENTERPRISING WOMEN commits to empowering high school girls, particularly in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), where female participation is crucial yet underrepresented. With a network of successful women entrepreneurs, the Foundation connects these leaders with girls who may be first-generation college students or from at-risk communities lacking access to mentors.
Furthermore, the PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® program, established more than 17 years in Afghanistan and Rwanda, focuses on three pillars: In-Country Education, Leadership Development, and Pay It Forward. This program supports women from diverse ethnic backgrounds across various industries, enhancing their business and leadership skills, fostering a strong public policy agenda within the women’s business community, and contributing to the development of stable democracies through targeted mentorship and training.
Our Founder
MONICA S. SMILEY
Editor and Publisher
Enterprising Women Magazine
President and Founder
Enterprising Women Foundation
MONICA SMILEY is the editor and publisher of Enterprising Women, a global magazine launched in 2000 to advocate for women entrepreneurs. She also founded the Enterprising Women Foundation, in 2010 to support women’s entrepreneurship.
The foundation oversees the Young Enterprising Women Program and the Peace Through Business Program, which has expanded to Uganda, Canada, and the UK.
An award-winning journalist with over 45 years of experience, Smiley has received numerous accolades, including the 2023 Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement. She serves on several advisory boards and is a founding partner of the Women Business Collaborative. Smiley holds a Journalism degree from Bradley University and resides in Apex, North Carolina, with her family.
The Enterprising Women Foundation aims to educate and empower women entrepreneurs worldwide by leveraging its extensive network, fostering educational opportunities, and creating transformative experiences that pave the way for a more inclusive and equitable future in business and leadership.
MENTORING, Inspiring, AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF YOUNG ENTERPRISING WOMEN
EDUCATING AND EMPOWERING WOMEN AROUND THE WORLD ECONOMICALLY, SOCIALLY, AND POLITICALLY
News & Media
How High School Girls Are Building Financial Confidence
Why financial knowledge—and the confidence to use it—matters more than ever What does it take to become financially confident as a teenager? For the young women participating in the Enterprising Women Foundation’s Young Enterprising Women (YEW) Program, the answer...
Amid Ongoing Challenges, Peace Through Business Trains 30 More Afghan Women Entrepreneurs in 2024
Despite the extremely challenging situation for women in Afghanistan, Peace Through Business, in its 18th year (2024), trained 30 more Afghan women entrepreneurs from various provinces Since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, we have pivoted our in-country training and...
The Economic Impact of “Gender Apartheid” in Afghanistan
This white paper analyzes how extreme gender inequality in Afghanistan—what many women’s rights leaders around the world are referring to as “gender apartheid”—affects the broader society economically. It considers factors such as Afghan women’s severe exclusion from...