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7 minute read
Nonprofits are an essential part of society, providing vital services to those in need and advocating for social change. Women and girls nonprofits are particularly important, as they are often dedicated to the specific issues that face women in our society. They provide a safe space for women and girls to access resources and support, while also helping to raise awareness and bring attention to gender-related issues.
Catchafire strives to work in partnership with women and girls nonprofits to help create a brighter future for the next generation.
How grantmakers can support women and girls nonprofits
Issues like STEM education for girls, fairer workplaces, and reproductive health are at the forefront of social change in the United States. Yet, too often this work goes unsung and under-invested: only 1.6% of charitable funding goes to women and girls’ initiatives.
Women’s and girls’ organizations make up 3.4% of all charitable organizations with demand for services rising as nonprofit and government budgets decline. Despite the growing need and demand for women-focused services, foundation giving remains strikingly small at 1.9%.
Nonprofits serving women and girls do incredible work on the front lines every day - but they need our collaborative support. In this pivotal moment for gender equality, organizations serving women and girls are in need of operational support most specifically spanning advocacy, fundraising, and legal work. Our initiative moves beyond the grant check and equips grantees with the resources they need to continue their programming amidst polarizing public discourse.
Capacity building support is a modern philanthropic approach to grantmaking that can help funders support women and girls nonprofits outside of their traditional grant cycle, and support communities year-round. Equipping nonprofits and their leaders with the resources and skills they need strengthens organizations for the long-term. Catchafire provides critical capacity building support to nonprofits, allowing them to focus on their mission and community. Capacity building support through Catchafire helps nonprofits becomes sustainable and make critical gains - just ask our nonprofit partners.
“The best thing that happened to Women's Voices Now is Catchafire. It reinvigorated my belief that the work could get done regardless of lack of resources and capacity. And it restored my idealistic yet pragmatic understanding that the world is full of good people who will rise to the occasion.”
Heidi B., Executive Director
Women’s Voices Now
The importance of investing in women and girls nonprofits cannot be overstated. These organizations are essential in ensuring that all women and girls have access to the same rights, resources, and opportunities as their male counterparts. To that end, many organizations and funders are providing grant funding and other capacity building support to women and girls nonprofits.
Grants and capacity building resources are critical in helping organizations empower women and girls by working to end gender-based violence and unequal pay. Additionally, grantees are encouraged to develop innovative programs that address the unique and intersecting challenges that women and girls face, such as inadequate access to education, health care, and economic opportunities. Organizations are also working to create more equitable policies and legislation that protect the rights, physical and mental wellbeing, and interests of women and girls.
By investing in women and girls nonprofits, funders can ensure that marginalized communities have access to the resources and support they need. Through collaboration with grantees, organizations can create effective solutions to gender inequality that will benefit all women and girls. By contributing grant funding, investing in capacity building, and advocating for equitable policies, funders can ensure that all women and girls have the opportunity and empowerment to reach their full potential.
7 nonprofits serving women and girls
Women and girls nonprofits are at the forefront of creating a more equitable world. These organizations are dedicated to creating meaningful change in the lives of women and girls, both in the United States and around the world. They provide essential resources and support to ensure that women and girls have the opportunity to reach their full potential. With the help of these nonprofits, we can ensure that women and girls have the opportunity to succeed in a world that is often stacked against them.
With Catchafire, volunteers can donate their skills to help women and girls nonprofits working in a number of key areas, such as education, employment, healthcare, and youth development.
Catchafire provides an easy way to give back to the community and make a lasting impact on the lives of women and girls. Volunteers can easily find and apply for opportunities that match their skills, interests, and availability. Once they have found an opportunity, they can easily apply and be on their way to making a difference in the lives of women and girls.
Here are seven women and girls nonprofits utilizing Catchafire's capacity building resources to strengthen their organization, advance their mission, and serve their communities.
1. Bi-Wi "Because I'm Worth It!" International
Bi-Wi "Because I'm Worth It!" International, Inc. is a mentoring agency specializing in building and strengthening a healthy self-esteem in girls ages 8 years and above. The organization has saved over $17,000 by working with volunteers on Catchafire.
Ed volunteered on a project to help craft a one-pager, making it easier for prospective partners and donors to learn about the organization's work. With the saved funds, Bi-Wi "Because I'm Worth It!" International could expand their mentor base to support more girls struggling with low self-esteem.
Ed says, "Working on this project was easy. Glenice [the President/CEO] communicates on a very high level. I found her to be articulate and dedicated. As a result of my work on the BiWi 'One Page', I learned that kids with low esteem grow up to be underperforming adults. But the young women who go through BiWi training have no self-doubt issues. Why not use BiWi as an inspiration to educators coast to coast? My mind reels at the thought of all the generations of strong successful young people BiWi has the power to create."
2. Destined for Greatness Mentoring
The mission of Destined for Greatness Mentoring and Community Resource Center is to enhance the growth and development of individuals and families in Detroit. They achieve this goal through providing comprehensive programs and services that educate, empower, and elevate the entire community. Through the advancement of their mission, they envision a safe community that is economically sound, healthy, and vibrant especially for youth. The organization has saved over $50,000 through the capacity support of volunteers on projects and calls.
“Calls not only save you money, not only save you time, but it gives you a better perspective of those you serve. It gives you a greater outcome of your mission and your drive to do the work that you do.”
- Shadora F., Executive Director
Hear more from Shadora on how capacity support has helped her organization here.
3. eGirl Power
eGirl Power's mission to is to educate and support marginalized groups that may experience gender-based violence (GBV), sexual assaults, and violence. Their goal is to empower marginalized groups to fight gender-based violence (GBV), sexual assaults, and violence on marginalized groups at university campuses across the United States.
eGirl Power has done an incredible job at leveraging capacity building resources to advance their mission -- they've saved over $640,000 on over 120 projects!
4. Girl Now, Woman Later, Inc.
Girl Now, Woman Later, Inc. increases the literacy and school graduation rate of middle school and high school girls in Burkina Faso and educates them on menstruation because an educated girl will become an emancipated woman. They provide menstrual educational workshops, feminine hygienic products, and tuition assistance to underprivileged middle and high school girls in West Africa, Burkina Faso.
They've saved almost $80,000 on 21 projects, allowing them to focus on serving more girls in Burkina Faso.
5. The GEMS Camp
The mission of The GEMS Camp (Girls interested in Engineering, Mathematics, and Science) is to build confidence in urban teen girls in grades 7-12 through five core areas called the 5 Karat Gems - Academics, Career, Creativity, Leadership, and Service - so that they will be successful in STEM studies and careers. GEMS' vision is to change the trajectory of generational poverty for underrepresented girls' families through college and career readiness.
They've saved over $86,000 on Catchafire on a wide variety of projects, including but not limited to graphic design, finance strategy, project management, and marketing materials.
6. YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley
YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley is proud to be part of a national movement dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. For over 140 years, they have been champions and vocal advocates on behalf of women, girls, and people of color, offering a rich array of services to meet the needs of a wide range of community members. The organization has saved over $80,000 and worked with volunteers on projects around market analysis, brand messaging, marketing materials, data visualization, and more.
Brittney's work on an infographic project helped YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley highlight key insights from their data and simplify a complex report so they can be easily understood by different audiences.
Sonia M., YWCA's Data and Evaluation Manager, says, "Brittney has been a true pleasure to work with! She has wonderful graphic design skills, is very responsive, and easy to communicate with. I provided her with raw data and she came up with a fantastic visualization immediately, and we continued to refine until we reached the final product. Without her, this project would not have been possible. Because of her work, we are able to share our data with the public and educate them on the important issue of domestic violence in our community."
7. We Are Better Together Warren Daniel Hairston Project
We Are Better Together Warren Daniel Hairston Project (WAB2G) connects and heals women and girls affected by homicide and incarceration to prevent the cycles of violence and victimization. The organization connects with individuals and communities to build resilience through positive engagement in the face of traumatic events, works to heal women and girls by supporting them to move forward, while encouraging them to become agents for change, and prevents ongoing harm by challenging those actions and narratives that dehumanize and stigmatize. As an advocate for impacted families, WAB2G champions the rights of those affected by violence and incarceration through partnerships with other stakeholder agencies and representatives within our legal and legislative systems.
Chinue helped We Are Better Together Warren Daniel Hairston Project identify their program’s success metrics and teach them how to collect and analyze data to regularly measure the effectiveness and impact of their programs. This project was important to track growth, but also to figure out the organization's baseline. As a small organization, they needed to quantify how the impact of their services and how they were helping their community. It also provided accountability to their funders with clear outcome metrics.
Chinue says, "I thoroughly enjoyed working with Brianna and Ruth from We Are Better Together Warren Daniel Hairston Project! It was an amazing opportunity to support the organization by leveraging the information they had collected and bringing it to life with data analysis and charts. If you have the opportunity to work with Brianna and Ruth, definitely take it. It's a rewarding experience!"
Get involved with Catchafire
Catchafire is a great way to make a lasting impact on the lives of women and girls, and contribute to uplifting communities. If you’re a grantmaker and would like to learn more about equipping nonprofits in your community with responsive, high-quality capacity building support, let’s connect. Email us here.
Or you can use your skills to support organizations serving women and girls by donating your time and talent. Sign up today to volunteer and directly support women and girls nonprofits and gender equity initiatives. Lend your expertise and boost capacity of nonprofit staff through one hour consultation calls and longer-term projects. Projects range from 1-50 hours across several categories such as design, marketing, operations, finance, IT, and more.
