Feminist News and Information
WEEKLY NEWS // FEBRUARY 27, 2025
// FROM THE DESK OF ANNA WADIA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE CARE FUND
Funders Must Unite to Save Medicaid
Dear Colleagues,
The stakes could not be higher. As funders and advocates committed to gender equity and justice, we face a critical moment in protecting decades of progress for women, children, older adults, people with disabilities, and workers. In my recent article, Saving Medicaid - And Our Democracy, I detail the stark choice we face between tax cuts for wealthy individuals and corporations and devastating cuts to Medicaid and other vital care programs.
Medicaid is essential to women’s health and economic security. It covers 41% of all births and provides health insurance for one-third of all children. Home care workers - mostly women of color - would be doubly impacted. Medicaid is the largest payer of home care workers’ already low wages, and a quarter depend on Medicaid for their own health care coverage. Furthermore, cuts to the program will make it harder for older adults and people with disabilities to find and retain the care they need to live independently with safety and dignity.
The Care for All with Respect & Equity (CARE) Fund community stands at the forefront of organizing against these massive tax giveaways. I am heartened by the solidarity of our grantees joining forces to defend justice and envision a future where we can all thrive with respect and equity. We refuse to let children’s needs be pitted against those of older adults or care workers against care recipients. Unity is our strength, and our diverse and growing partners are joining forces to build the capacity, cohesion, and power needed to win care for all.
We were thrilled to collaborate with WFN on this webinar featuring the care movement’s organizing against federal tax and budget cuts. The overwhelming response from 400 diverse funders signals this is truly an all-hands-on-deck moment for philanthropy. No matter your organization’s focus, these budget and tax debates are mission critical.
In solidarity,
Anna Wadia
The CARE Fund
Executive Director
You're Invited
RSVP to be the first to hear about ticket sales for Feminist Funded '25, presented by the Women's Funding Network. The 2023 conference was a sold-out event. This is an opportunity you won't want to miss.
September 10-11,
2025 in Washington, D.C.
Pre-Conference Policy Action Day on September 9, 2025
News from WFN
NEW MEMBER & 2025 WFN MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
Our network thrives on the strength and diversity of its members. Please join us in welcoming new WFN member Uma Mishra-Newbery to the network.
Please also join us in appreciating WFN members who have renewed for 2025:
- Boston Women’s Fund
- Victorian Women’s Trust
- Women's Foundation for a Greater Memphis
- Women’s Foundation of Mississippi
If you have questions about membership, please contact us.
News from WFN Members
MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Metrowest Women's Fund is accepting 2025 grant applications for programs which meet the needs of women and girls in Metrowest MA in the following three impact areas: Educational Opportunity, Girls: Our Next Generation, and Safety from Violence. Apply by March 14 at 5:00 p.m. EDT.
Apply for Washington Area Women's Foundation's DC Rock Star Fund. This fund provides young women of color, inclusive of transgender young women and gender non-conforming youth (ages 12-24) to invest in their own community project, learning, or ideas that advance the Blueprint for Action. Apply by March 14.
The Women's Fund of Hawai'i supports programs serving women and girls in Hawai'i that embody their values and beliefs. Grassroots organizations working for the benefit of women and girls in Hawai'i can apply for their Spring Grants from March 1 - March 31.
New Hampshire Women's Foundation's Community Grant applications are open. Their grantmaking program fuels positive change in our communities by supporting organizations and programs working to address issues impacting women, girls, and marginalized genders in New Hampshire. Apply by April 11.
MEMBER EVENTS
Women's Fund SouthCoast is holding information sessions for its 2025 Grantmaking Program. Those who want to apply are strongly encouraged to join one of these sessions.
March 5, 2025 | 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. EST | Register here
March 7, 2025 | 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. EST | Register here
Join Women's Foundation of Oregon, APANO, and East County Rising for a new Equal Rights for All campaign, which will make sure the Oregon Constitution guarantees the right to abortion and other reproductive health needs, transgender rights, and marriage equality. Join to strengthen Oregon’s resistance to Trump’s dangerous, extremist agenda.
March 8, 2025 | 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. PST | Register here
What if hot flashes weren't just a symptom—but a superpower? Join The Women's Fund Miami-Dade for an inspiring evening with Bunny Gonopolskaya, author of Holy Menopause, a groundbreaking graphic novel that reimagines menopause as a force of transformation and power.
March 8, 2025 | 7:00 - 10:00 p.m. EST | Register here
Join How Women Lead's Meet Her: World 2025 Global Cohort. Hear from social impact leaders as they share their inspiring work and vision for creating a fair, just, and equitable world. Meet these resilient leaders, and learn how to amplify them and play a role in their journey.
March 13, 2025 | 8:00 - 9:30 a.m. PDT | Register here
Join Fundación de Mujeres en Puerto for an evening of connection, celebration, and purpose at Tejedoras de Equidad: Connecting Gender Equity Champions for Puerto Rico. This evening will bring together gender justice leaders from Puerto Rico and the diaspora, alongside key allies in New York City. Share achievements, strengthen alliances, and explore how to play a vital role in shaping the future of gender justice in Puerto Rico and beyond.
March 18, 2025 | 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. EDT | Register here
Tickets are available for Chicago Foundation for Women's 2025 CFW Impact Awards, an evening celebrating bold organizations and changemakers driving meaningful change for women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals. Come highlight their contributions and the possibilities they create.
March 20, 2025 | 5:00 - 9:00 p.m. CDT | Register here
The Aurora Women and Girls Foundation will hold its annual meeting and kick off its 25th anniversary year with the release of Toward Equity: Investing in Women and Girls for Connecticut’s Future, a seminal report examining the status of women and girls during the first quarter of the 21st century.
March 27, 2025 | 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. EDT | Register here
Join The Women’s Foundation of Colorado (WFCO) to welcome Renee Ferrufino as WFCO's new President and CEO. Connect with fellow changemakers and hear Renee's vision for building a stronger, more inclusive future for Colorado women and families.
April 24, 2025 | 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. MDT | Register here
Opportunities and Resources
Outright International has published a groundbreaking rapid response report, Defunding Freedom – Impacts of U.S. Foreign Aid Cuts on LGBTIQ People Worldwide, which shares data and stories of immediate impact from grassroots LGBTIQ groups in 59 countries and recommendations for policymakers, governments, media outlets, donors, and partners in various advocacy spaces and sectors.
What We're Reading
The women who made America’s microchips and the children who paid for it — The Verge
Mississippi’s C-section problem: A third of low-risk women are undergoing surgery for their first birth — The Fuller Project
New Report: Beyond the Global Gag Rule — Fòs Feminista
What We're Watching
After filing for a new passport, 'Euphoria' star Hunter Schafer was confronted with the reality of the Trump administration when her gender marker was changed to 'male.'
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