Feminist movements have emerged as crucial agents of social change, yet they remain significantly underfunded and undervalued. Recent research by The Bridgespan Group alongside Shake the Table emphasizes the urgent need for philanthropy to contribute an additional $6 billion towards these initiatives by 2026.
Understanding Feminist Movements
At its core, feminist movements encompass a network led primarily by those who directly experience gender inequities along with other injustices. These networks employ an intersectional approach that seeks not only equality but also transformative societal changes through collective advocacy against entrenched power structures.
Recent successes from activist-led campaigns illustrate this effectiveness:
- In Argentina during significant reproductive rights legislation.
- Farmworkers' improved conditions within U.S fields addressing wage disparities.
- Protests organized against police brutality in Nigeria demonstrate tangible outcomes achieved via grassroots mobilization despite negligible financial backing from traditional funding sources like foundations or international aid agencies focusing on women's empowerment.
Recommendations for Funders
The report provides actionable recommendations aimed at philanthropists interested—even indirectly—in supporting gender equity:
- Re-evaluate Risk: Recognize that failing to fund feminist leaders actively combating established systems is far riskier than investing resources into them.
- Fund Feminist Funds: Prioritize contributions toward entities specifically dedicated to advancing female-focused initiatives.
- Diversify Funding Practices: Expand your donor circles beyond familiar networks ensuring evaluation processes do not inadvertently exclude feminine voices or agendas while providing sustained operational support over multiple years rather than one-off grants tailored solely around specific projects.
- Focus on Unrestricted Support: Channel funds particularly towards regions where marginalized communities face acute struggles (i.e., Global South), especially emphasizing leadership roles filled predominantly by Black Indigenous people & persons of color globally facing layered challenges due largely because existing frameworks often overlook complex realities surrounding identity-based oppressions experiencedby these communities, ensuring that financial resources are allocated in a manner that empowers them to shape their own narratives and solutions while fostering resilience and self-determination.
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Lighting the Way: A Report for Philanthropy on the Power and Promise of Feminist Movements
Feminist movements are powerhouses for social change, but they are under-resourced, undervalued, and grossly underestimated. New Bridgespan research with Shake the Table shares five recommendations for funders on how to find and fund feminist movements, and calls on philanthropy to invest an additional $6 billion in them by 2026.
Nidhi Sahni, Deborah (Debby) Bielak, Stephanie Kater, Jasmine Reliford
