Women’s foundations and funds are a powerful force in philanthropy dedicated to women and girls. Giving from these organizations is substantial, but aside from a 2009 landscape report from the Foundation Center and Women’s Funding Network, research focused on women’s foundations and funds is quite limited.

Our new report, Women’s Foundations and Funds: A Landscape Study, helps fill a gap in knowledge about these grant-making organizations that support giving by women to women. The report explores patterns across more than 200 women’s foundations and funds, demonstrating the importance of these organizations in creating positive change for the broader community by investing in women and girls.

Key findings include:

  • Most women’s foundations and funds (76 percent) fund nonprofits in their local communities.
  • While women’s foundations and funds primarily exist for the purpose of grant-making, nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of these organizations also engage in other activities to support their mission.
  • Education initiatives receive the most funding from women’s foundations and funds. 

Read the full report below.