John,
In Monday’s email, before we knew of the national abortion ban Lindsey Graham would introduce in the U.S Senate, we announced that this week our emails will focus on the fight for abortion access. With a national ban now being debated in the Senate, as well as West Virginia passing a statewide ban yesterday, these conversations are as urgent as ever — and we can’t talk about that fight without talking about abortion funds.
Below we answered some of the most common questions we’ve received about what abortion funds do and why they’re important. If you don’t have time to read through these questions, but are ready to support these vital on-the-ground organizations, you can split a donation between 90 abortion funds and pro-choice organizations here.
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What is an abortion fund?
Abortion funds work directly with patients and clinics to manage financial or logistical barriers around abortion care, primarily by helping pay for abortion services. They are usually volunteer-run and rooted in their respective communities as a form of mutual aid — many have been around in some form for decades. In many cases, abortion funds work together regionally to support patients.
Do abortion funds just pay for abortions?
Not necessarily! Some abortion funds offer child care, transportation to and from appointments, lodging if a patient has to travel, and other practical support services.
How do they work?
Many abortion funds have hotlines (or “coldlines,” a phone number that is not staffed 24/7) for patients to reach out to begin the intake process. Abortion funds do not make patients prove their need — as a form of mutual aid, abortion funds trust the people reaching out to them — and do not require proof of citizenship. Fund volunteers return calls to patients and have to work with the patient, clinic, and other funds to try and cover the costs of the procedure.
Most abortion funds are not able to pay for a patient’s entire procedure — they can only provide some financial assistance. Many times, patients must reach out to various funds to try and receive aid. Even then, most funds have to limit how much they give each patient in order to help as many patients as possible. And it’s not uncommon for funds to have to turn patients away due to a lack of resources, often leaving patients with few other options.
Why do abortion funds exist?
Even before the Dobbs decision overturned Roe, it was not easy for everyone to get an abortion in the United States — especially for those from historically marginalized communities, who often faced multiple barriers to abortion care. According to Planned Parenthood, an abortion can cost up to $750 in the first trimester and up to $1,500 later in pregnancy.1 As the cost rises as the pregnancy proceeds, this adds an additional financial burden to patients who have to coordinate child care, time off of work, and traveling across states.
Additionally, there are only 16 states where Medicaid helps pay for all or part of a “medically necessary” abortion.2 This lack of support from the government creates even more financial barriers for the folks living in the other 34 states.
Why should I donate to abortion funds?
Abortion funds provide direct aid to patients. From July 2019 to June 2020, 90 abortion funds across the country were able to help 81,692 people, according to the National Network of Abortion Funds — but that’s only 35% of the 229,510 calls their network received that year.3 As previously mentioned, it is rare that abortion funds can afford to cover the cost of an entire procedure.
Yet, abortion funds are on-the-ground and ingrained in their communities more than larger organizations can be. When you donate to an abortion fund, you can trust that your funds will be used to directly support patients.
Which is why we’re asking if you can split a donation of any amount today among 90 abortion funds across the country. These groups are working harder than ever to ensure everyone who needs an abortion can get one.
Donate Now »
Thank you for supporting this critical work, John.
—Team WFP
P.S. If you’re interested in learning more about abortion funds and how to get involved, please check out the National Network of Abortion Funds.
1. How much does an abortion cost?, Planned Parenthood, April 29, 2022.
2. Will State or Government Insurance Cover My Abortion?, National Network of Abortion Funds.
3. Abortion Funds 101, National Network of Abortion Funds.
