LYNN — The Women’s Fund of Essex County has awarded $30,000 grants to support two nonprofit organizations — Love Your Magic Inc. and the North Shore Community Development Coalition Inc. — that are empowering women and young girls in Lynn and across the county.

The grants, which will be spread out over three years, are part of a monumental $390,000 total commitment that The Women’s Fund (TWF) has awarded to 13 nonprofit organizations across Lynn and Swampscott.

Trish Moore, president of The Women’s Fund of Essex County, said, “Since 2003, I’m proud to share that our all-volunteer organization has raised and granted over $5 million to high-impact organizations in every city and town across Essex County, all with one goal: improving the lives of women and girls in our communities.”

The North Shore Community Development Coalition is a mission-driven organization that invests resources in low-income communities across Lynn, Beverly, Peabody, Salem, and Saugus. This includes affordable housing, community engagement, assistance to small businesses and public art and placemaking, as well as their youth development program, YouthBuild, which serves young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 who are currently out of work or no longer attending school. The program gives them the opportunity to earn a high school equivalent diploma and gain work experience and certificates in industries such as construction, culinary, and even health care.

“As a woman leader and woman of color, this investment holds special meaning for me personally and professionally,” North Shore CDC CEO Felicia S. Pierce said. “It is deeply affirming to see resources intentionally directed toward creating pathways for young women who are often overlooked yet possess extraordinary potential.”

It was 10 years ago that Pierce and longtime YouthBuild volunteer Leonette Strout, who is also former North Shore CDC board member, began the Young Women’s Empowerment Group, which has now grown to serve more than 100 young women across the North Shore and provide them with a safe space to discuss different topics and build their confidence.

“When I envisioned creating a dedicated space for young women within YouthBuild, I hoped it would become a place where they could encourage one another, build confidence, and see new possibilities for their futures,” Pierce added. “Thanks to [this] investment, that vision is becoming a reality.”

Love Your Magic is an organization that empowers Black and Brown girls and women between the ages of 7 to 24 through programming centered around community building, self-love, fellowship, education and literacy, and camps.

“We are deeply grateful to the Women’s Fund of Essex County for their continued commitment to the well-being of Black and Brown girls,” Ivanna Solano, Founder & Executive Director of Love Your Magic, said. “This grant gives us the opportunity to deepen our work at the intersection of mental health and wellness and to do it in community.”

This past February, they also hosted their “Be Well” retreat at the El Centro Teen Center in Lynn, which was a free event that featured yoga, meditation, healing circles, arts and crafts and dance.

“This investment reminds our girls that they are worthy of care,” Solano added.

It took over four months for TWF to decide on this year’s recipients, all of which had to be serving women and girls within Essex County and align directly with TWF’s mission and key focus areas, specifically health and well-being, academic achievement, equity and social justice, and leadership development.

“This year our teams reviewed 73 applications — a 51% jump from last year,” said Kathi Vander Laan, Grants Allocation Committee chair. “The increase was striking and underscores our belief that while charitable giving to local women and girls is on the decline, our efforts are more essential than ever.”

Becci Backman, Grants Allocation Committee vice chair, added, “Our teams relied on TWF’s proven Grants Allocation Process to carefully evaluate each application, decide on site visits, and rank the nonprofits recommended for funding.”

With the support of The Women’s Fund, all of the organizations will be able to continue supporting women and young girls in the city, all while making a difference in their lives and in future years to come.

Pierce said, “By investing in these young women today, [they] are helping to cultivate future leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, mothers, and community changemakers whose influence will be felt for generations to come.”