Washington Area Women's Foundation

Impact of funding for women goes far beyond fairness.

Abby Disney, president and co-founder of the Daphne Foundation, spoke today on NPR’s Tell Me More about the power of women to move communities by moving millions in the direction of women.

Disney’s message was clear.  Because of the way women are positioned in communities, the most powerful way to change the world, to make it better for children–for good–is to change and improve the circumstances of women.

Empowering women, investing in women, supporting women, Disney noted, is no longer just about fairness or equity.  It’s about strategy.  People are getting the relationship between the status of women and poverty, she explained, and that’s why you’re seeing such power behind the women’s funding movement.

Which is currently set to raise $150 million in $1million donations through the Women Moving Millions campaign, which will bring the women’s funding movement beyond the $1 billion mark.

But whether you have $10 to give, or $10 million, Disney noted that this is really about empowering women at all levels.  To give, to grow, to speak out and say that the power of their achievement, their resources, their success, their talent, will be directed in support of other women and the programs and strategies that improve their lives.

Programs for women have always received less funding than other programs, Disney reminded us. 

And that’s not just unfair.  It’s ineffective.  

To read more, check out Julie Jensen’s story of how giving a million to women and girls changed her and how you can get involved in the women’s funding movement whether you have $10 million to give, or $10.