Why Invest in Women and Girls?
Women and girls make up half our population, but funding for women and girls represents just a tiny fraction of all charitable dollars given today.
This lack of funding is both a moral issue and an urgent challenge to our democracy. A true democracy means that everyone in our society is treated with dignity and respect. Women must have full equity and autonomy over their lives and bodies—barriers currently heightened for Black women, Indigenous women, women of color and transgender and gender-expansive people.
Funders at all levels are critical to achieving this vision. Every dollar toward women is a step toward strengthening the social fabric of this country and an investment in our collective future.
1.9%
Of charitable dollars in the U.S. supports women and girls. (Source)
In this Guide:
- An overview of the most pressing issues effecting girls and women to support today.
- Examples of key organizations making headway toward change.
- A deep-dive on how three donor funds are pooling resources to magnify impact.
How To Invest in Women and Girls
1. Prevent and address gender-based violence and harassment.
For women to thrive, they must first feel safe and secure in their bodies, homes, workplaces and communities
Today, one in four women nationwide experience domestic abuse in their lifetimes. Women of color are particularly vulnerable to domestic violence, with Black women almost three times as likely as white women to lose their lives from abuse. Economic power often determines women’s options for safety, with 73% of survivors of violence citing financial insecurity as the primary reason for staying with an abuser. With gender-based violence engrained into our societal culture, violence toward women is common not only in homes, but throughout workplaces and communities.
Prevention is at the core of eliminating violence and harassment for good. That is why it is critical that funders partner with organizations focused on removing the economic barriers that trap women in cycles of violence. In addition, philanthropy can help shift the cultural norms that perpetuate violence by investing in organizations that engage youth, survivor-led efforts to frame violence as a public health issue, and movements to advance advocacy and systems change.
me too.
Supporting survivor healing and community-based action to interrupt sexual violence.
FreeFrom
Creating tools, resources and environments to support survivors’ economic and community power.
2. Support the urgent fight for reproductive rights.
Full access to reproductive care, including abortion, is essential to achieving justice, equality and freedom for all. It is a healthcare issue, a human rights issue, a democracy issue and an economic justice issue.
But, in June 2022, the United States Supreme Court overturned the long-recognized constitutional right to abortion. The loss of reproductive freedom—a civil right held for more than 50 years by millions of Americans—calls for immediate philanthropic action by funders to preserve Americans’ health and human dignity.
With abortion access now being entirely determined at the state level, it is imperative that funders invest in immediate and long-term support for abortion access through state-based abortion funds, support groups and advocacy initiatives.
Of course, abortion access is just one piece working toward reproductive rights. It is also critical to invest in long-term approaches to achieving reproductive justice by investing in efforts for comprehensive sex education, contraception, and quality birthing care for women no matter their race, zip code or income level.
Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity (URGE)
Building power and sustaining a young people’s movement for reproductive justice.
Resources for Abortion Delivery
Coordinating a nationwide abortion access fund and supporting clinics with much-needed assistance.
3. Build a growing pipeline of “pro-women” women in political leadership.
Our country has seen some inspiring steps forward for women’s representation in our federal and state legislatures. For example, a record number of women won their races for governor in the 2022 midterm elections, including the nation’s first openly lesbian women to hold the office. But even with these important gains, women—particularly women of color—remain vastly underrepresented in the halls of power, with inequities across local and federal legislation reflecting that gap.
A major contributor to this disparity is the lack of structural support for women who run for office, both while on the campaign trail and once elected. These challenges include lack of recruitment by party leaders, a dearth of campaign resources, higher levels of harassment and safety hazards, and juggling family and financial responsibilities while campaigning.
Funders can help by supporting organizations focused on developing women leaders and cultivating the resiliency of women in office so that women can grow their influence and pass legislation that protects women’s well-being and advances women’s rights.
Vote Mama
Helping mothers running for office or serving as legislators overcome systemic hurdles.
The Pipeline Fund
Ensuring women have everything they need to find their voice, run for office and pass principled policies.
4. Scale advocacy and organizing efforts that strengthen women’s economic power.
Women currently represent most low-wage U.S. workers, holding jobs with few benefits, such as paid sick or family leave, and in environments that leave workers with few workplace protections. This is especially true in essential service fields such as care work, where women are rarely afforded the rights, protections and pay available in other labor sectors.
Outside the workplace, women also lack opportunities to build a financial and social safety net. For example, while over two-thirds of women in the workforce are parents of children under the age of 18, childcare remains unaffordable nationwide. In fact, the cost of childcare has increased at twice the rate of inflation for almost three decades.
Philanthropy must prioritize support for equitable and affordable care policies such as paid family leave, childcare coverage and equal pay for women. The best ways for funders to get involved are by supporting organizers working to pass targeted policy agendas and by helping to build a thriving ecosystem of advocacy groups working toward the common goal of putting women’s economic needs front and center.
A Better Balance
Using law to advance justice for workers so they can care for themselves and their loved ones.
Family Values @ Work
Executing targeted campaigns for sick days, paid family and medical leave, and affordable childcare.
Quote from Lisa Eisen
Philanthropy has a key role to play in addressing the challenges women face right now.
Collaborative Giving
When funders at all different giving levels come together to pool efforts, resources and capital, the ability to magnify our leverage and impact is enormous.
At Schusterman Family Philanthropies, we are proud to be part of numerous collaboratives that have formed in recent years to address gender equity. Participating in funder collaboratives is a great way to learn in partnership, to give in a range of areas where you may not be professionally staffed, and to have your dollars have an exponential impact.
Get to know three leading funder collaboratives changing the landscape of philanthropy in the field of gender and reproductive equity.
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*Our Terminology
We support every person's right to define their gender identity. For the purposes of our grantmaking and shaped by Schusterman's commitment to equity, our definition of “women” includes cisgender women, transgender women, femme-identified people, and gender-nonconforming people.