Women and Girls Fund

Why donate to the Women and Girls Fund?

General improvements in global health and development alone are not enough to reduce the disproportionate impact of extreme poverty on women; we must focus on solutions that make the world more equitable for 50% of our world’s population. Women often lack access to healthcare services, leading to poor maternal outcomes and integration into their communities after traumatic and stigmatized birth injuries. Globally, approximately two-thirds of illiterate adults are women and women are often primarily responsible for unpaid care work, both of which limit their ability to engage in income-generating activities. Based on data from the World Economic Forum, on average, women only earn 77 cents per every dollar earned by men worldwide. Additionally, nearly one-third of women and girls aged 15 or older have experienced either physical or sexual violence. While these statistics are dire, studies show that community-led programs conducted over one to three years have been able to significantly reduce violence rates by shifting individual, interpersonal, and community-level attitudes and norms about gender. Robust evidence through randomized controlled trials have also demonstrated that such programs reduce the likelihood by one-third of women being victims of violence, with effects that can persist for many years.

Share of women who are expected to die from pregnancy-related causes, 2017

The probability that a 15 year old girl eventually dies from a pregnancy-related cause, assuming constant levels of maternal mortality and number of children per woman.

Data source: World Health Organization (via World Bank) – OurWorldInData.org/maternal-mortality | CC BY

How do we measure impact?

Our research team works closely with our recommended nonprofits, actively monitoring their progress on key outcomes. These outcomes span across various dimensions and indicators of the Multidimensional Poverty Index. In particular, this fund focuses on outcomes that disproportionately affect women and girls such as intimate partner violence, gender norms stopping girls from going to school, and maternal and child health. We explore the sources of impact metrics, ranging from internal monitoring and evaluation data, to external impact evaluations, including randomized controlled trials. In evaluating the impact of our recommended charities and projecting their future potential, we analyze the convergence of evidence from diverse sources, including external evaluations and the broader literature on specific interventions. Additionally, we assess the impact of our grants and their ability to strengthen the ecosystem of high-impact organizations. Key questions are central to these evaluations, such as: 

• Do our grants effectively realize their intended objectives? 
• Are our recommended nonprofits making tangible progress towards their goals on an annual basis? 
• Are these organizations able to secure additional funding and expand the reach of their programs? 

The successful scaling and increased financial backing of our recommended charities serve as indicators of achievement for our team.

Read more about how we measure impact

To learn more about our research and evaluation process, please refer to the following links:

• How We Define Poverty
• How We Evaluate Interventions
• How We Evaluate Charities
• Our Process in Action

How does the Women and Girls Fund work?

Through rigorous research and strategic allocation, we make discretionary grants at the end of each quarter. Our decisions are guided by direct conversations with these organizations, the fund’s balance, and a focus on programs aligned with our research and strategy.

By contributing to the fund, you entrust a team of expert grant-makers to maximize the effectiveness of your donation. Your support powers a portfolio of high-impact organizations and promising solutions while addressing time-sensitive funding gaps that individual donors might not be able to fill.

Funds are distributed quarterly, ensuring that every donation is put to work without delay. You can choose to allocate 100% of your donation to charities or dedicate 90% to charities and 10% to support our operations. We offer this option because we do not charge donor fees and instead raise operational funding separately.

Latest Grants Made