Updates

MacKenzie Scott’s Giving Is Transforming Philanthropy – And The Urgent Action Funds Too!

It is with gratitude and irrepressible smiles that the sisterhood of Urgent Action Funds announces our collective receipt of MacKenzie Scott’s generous, transformative, and indeed “human and soft” gift of $20 million. All the words we could possibly use would be an understatement of the impact that this gift will have on the Urgent Action Funds. Wholly unrestricted, it aligns with our own Sister Fund principles of philanthropy, which center

Meet UAF’s New Director of Programs, Otibho Obianwu!

UAF is thrilled to introduce our new Director of Programs, Otibho Obianwu. We hope that you will join us in welcoming Otibho and know that you will enjoy getting to know her, her work, and her impact for and with our communities and movements. “I feel very fortunate to be joining a formidable feminist institution at a pivotal time for women, trans, and non-binary activists, our movements and communities. I

Feminist Activist Are Organizing Through The COVID-19 Pandemic

Today COVID-19 is as much a risk to feminist activists as it was when it first emerges across continents. Activists have been organizing and mobilizing in their communities to be able to respond as they continue to advocate for the rights of women, trans and non-binary activists everywhere. The emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic prompted UAF to reimagine what resourcing activists and funding movements looked like. We listened to our

Grantee Highlight: Louisiana Bucket Brigade and RISE St. James

The Gulf Coast has a rich history of grassroots activism to combat environmental pollution and climate crisis. Many community organizations have spearheaded intersectional movements to oppose extractive industries that are exasperating already polluted areas that are home to majority communities of color. In Louisiana alone, the notorious Cancer Alley is situated along an 85 mile stretch of land that has over 150 plants and refineries that release cancer-causing emissions in

UAF Featured In “Philanthropy Women” on the Launch of the COVID Crisis Fund For Feminist Activists

UAF Launches COVID Crisis Fund For Feminist Activists In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, feminist activists, institutions, and individuals around the world need immediate access to funding and other forms of support. Many aid packages have already been deployed to the people who need them most, but some other lesser-known populations are in danger of falling by the wayside. One of these groups of vulnerable people includes feminist activists:

Update on COVID-19 from the UAF Staff

COVID-19 (which comes from the new coronavirus) is impacting the entire world, but it’s having an even greater impact on our most vulnerable communities. In times of crisis, women, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities are always more vulnerable. The activists that UAF supports are already facing multiple threats to their safety and security, and we are aware that the additional threat of a global pandemic will force movement-builders to

A Window Into The Lives Of Activists

From the desk of Kate Kroeger reflecting on the meaningful and effective work done by the activists we support: Every year around this time, I make it a practice to look back on Urgent Action Fund’s work and take stock of what happened in the world and how feminist activists responded.  Reading through the descriptions of each grant we made provides a window into the lives and work of individual

Indigenous activists resist pipelines in Canada

“Our people’s belief is that we are part of the land. The land is not separate from us. The land sustains us. And if we don’t take care of her, she won’t be able to sustain us, and we as a generation of people will die.” – Freda Huson, Unist’ot’en Hereditary Spokesperson As a member of CLIMA, Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights is proud to partner with the

UAF Update: There Is A Current Change To Our Rapid Response Grantmaking For 2019

Greetings friends,   The UAF Program team would like to inform you of some small changes to our grantmaking for the remainder of 2019. We have implemented a new database to process our grants and as with all new systems, learning takes time. In addition, we are committed to wellbeing and care as central to UAF’s approach to funding and how we work. As the year comes to a close,

UAF Hosts Healing Justice Convening

In March, the UAF Sister Funds convened over 40 participants made up of global feminist activists, healers, academics, cultural workers, and staff and board members of the UAF Sister Funds. The convening offered a space for reflection and learning centered on healing justice as a political and spiritual framework rooted in ancestral traditions and cultural practices. Watch the video below on our Healing Justice Convening!