The Gender Justice Giving Project was made up of 24 dedicated and members. From the beginning, this group has been a dream. They had great chemistry, asked all of the hard questions, and really dug in when it came time for action. They surpassed their original goal of $160k and smashed through their second goal of $190k thanks to the awesome fundraising and support from the Gender Justice Learning Group!

The first Learning Group ever in Social Justice Fund history! 13 Gender Justice Learning Group members came together to explore the intersections of gender justice and the criminal justice system; especially centering the experiences of queer and trans people of color. They each gave a meaningful gift and fundraised their networks to help support the Gender Justice Giving Project and the broader gender justice movement in the NW.

Together, the Gender Justice Giving Project and Learning Group raised $216,557​ by engaging 265 donors!

We’re excited about the work of these amazing organizations funded through this project.

Read a message from Saara Ahmed, 2015 Gender Justice Giving Project member, about her experience funding this movement!

Center for Intercultural Organizing – Portland, OR

Center for Intercultural Organizing is a diverse, grassroots organization that leads community-based efforts to protect and expand immigrant and refugee rights through education, civic engagement and policy advocacy, community organizing and mobilization, and intergenerational leadership development. This grant would support bulding Resilient Connections, a group formed by LGBTQ immigrants and refugees in the Portland Tri-County area. Funds will be used to staff Resilient Connections, increase CIO’s capacity to play a leadership role on LGBTQ issues, and partner and/or launch issue campaigns that will further LGBTQ justice for immigrants, refugees, and people of color.

Incarcerated Mothers Advocacy Project (IMAP) – Gig Harbor, WA

IMAP is a coalition of law students, lawyers, social service providers, activists, and formerly incarcerated women and seek to change the rights afforded incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women in the State of Washington. IMAP seeks to provide legal education and information to help prevent the separation of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated mothers from their children. We believe that the incarceration of women, and further, the separation of incarcerated mothers from their children due to incarceration, is a form of violence and reproductive oppression. We envision a day in which women of every color, ability, class and sexual orientation are able to help shape the policies that affect them and their families. In such a world, the rights of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women as persons and mothers would not only be respected but also supported. This grant will provide a mechanism for IMAP to be advised and led by a group of formerly incarcerated individuals who will drive IMAP’s work, develop projects, and keep all participants accountable to the organization’s mission and to currently incarcerated women.

Montana Women Vote (MWV)Missoula, MT

MWV is a statewide coalition that organizes with and alongside low-income women as informed voters, policy advocates, and community leaders. MWV believes that civic action, policy change, and leadership development can together shift the balance of power and improve the lives of women and families experiencing poverty. Support will allow Montana Women Vote to expand and deepen economic and gender justice work through community organizing, leadership development, and political education with and alongside low-income women in Montana.

Momentum Alliance – Portland, OR

Momentum Alliance is a youth-led non-profit, with experienced coaches, whose mission is to inspire youth to realize their power individually and collectively and to mentor future social justice leaders.This grant would provide support for the next stage of their cultural and community organizing and policy work for gender, LGBTQ, sexual and reproductive justice that began in 2013 in coalition with the We Are BRAVE Collaborative (Building Reproductive Autonomy and Voices for Equity), convened by Western States Center. This new project supports a diverse group of youth leaders to intensively engage these issues through organizing, storytelling, art and advocacy in 2015/2016.

Na’ah Illahee FundSeattle, WA

Na’ah Illahee Fund works to advance sustainable Indigenous cultures in the Pacific Northwest through support of women, youth, artists and culture-keepers. Na’ah Illahee Fund exists to facilitate the fulfillment of our responsibilities as caretakers of Na’ah Illahee, Mother Earth, and to catalyze the movement towards wellness-based, sustainable Indigenous cultures. This request is in support of community organizing events – A community forum to address trafficking from a grassroots perspective, and a series of small gatherings to educate and train community members on how to see and address trafficking.

NCBI MissoulaMissoula, MT

NCBI Missoula creates a more just and inclusive society by developing leaders who work to end mistreatment, correct systemic inequalities and strengthen community cohesion. NCBI Missoula seeks funding to expand the number of school based GSA’s in to the communities of Whitefish, Billings, Helena and Kalispell. NCBI Missoula selected these communities to target because there are active campaigns in each of those communities to protect the rights of LGBT people through school based anti-bullying and non-discrimination policies, city non-discrimination ordinances, or in the case of Great Falls bringing the Pride March to that city.

PFLAG Portland Black Chapter – Portland, OR

Portland’s African-American/Black PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) chapter promotes the health and well-being of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons, their families and friends through: support, to cope with an adverse society; education, to enlighten an ill-informed public; and advocacy, to end discrimination and secure equal human rights. PFLAG provides an opportunity for dialogue about race, sexual orientation and gender identity, and acts to create a society that is healthy and respectful of human diversity. This grant would support increasing capacity though infrastructure building, staff increase and development work.

Seattle Young People’s Project Seattle, WA

Seattle Young People’s Project is a youth-led, adult supported social justice organization that empowers youth (ages 13-18) to express themselves and to take action on the issues that affect their lives. We build youth power through community organizing. Members build a political anti-oppression analysis, learngrassroots community organizing skills, and take action for positive community change. Funds will go towards supporting the building of a gender justice curriculum for YWC organizers leading up to the conference and on-going political education and community organizing skills for YWC organizers and participants post conference. Curriculum will be focused on building the political analysis of organizers towards a gender justice framework as well as organizing skills, to include but not limited to topics as: sexism and patriarchy, heterosexsism and homophobia, gender self-determination and sexuality, and the intersections of these with other forms of oppression.

Voz Workers’ Rights Education Project – Portland, OR

Voz Workers’ Rights Education Project VOZ is a workers-led organization that empowers diverse day laborers and immigrants to improve their working condition and protect civil rights through leadership development, organizing, education and economic opportunity. We operate the MLK Jr. Worker Center, which connects hundreds of workers a week with local employers and jobs. This grant would cover personnel expenses, network materials, local travel, and leadership development as they relate to their gender justice work.

Women of Color Alliance (WOCA)Boise, ID

WOCA’s mission is to unite women of color in a common bond to achieve social, economic and political justice in Idaho. These funds would allow WOCA to continue to provide training, leadership development, and opportunities for organization for women of color in Idaho, and our allies within the LGBTQ community, and women in rural, low economic areas in Idaho.