Reproductive Rights
With the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, millions of American women saw their basic reproductive freedom evaporate almost overnight. Progressives must invest time, energy and money to fight back against these attacks on women’s freedom and health at both the state and federal levels. Below, we offer guidance for how donors can make a difference in this hugely consequential battle, including tips for new givers just getting started.
Why Donate for Reproductive Rights?
Anyone reading this likely does not need an explanation of the importance of abortion access. A more difficult question to answer, however, is how to advance this cause in Republican-controlled states and in a divided Washington. Some pathways for progress are emerging. Ballot initiatives have been enacted in a number of states to protect abortion rights, most notably Kansas and Ohio, two red states, and also Michigan, a contested purple state. Similar ballot efforts are pending in other states, offering a way to sidestep the opposition of elected Republicans. Efforts in blue states to strengthen abortion access include “shield” laws that protect doctors who provide abortion medication to women in red states, as well as measures to protect the privacy of women who travel across state lines to secure abortions. Meanwhile, the Dobbs decision helped fuel Democratic electoral gains in key states in 2022 and 2023, demonstrating the potential to secure abortion rights by flipping state legislative chambers and state supreme courts.
Where to Donate for Reproductive Rights
Groups working broadly to win elections and build progressive power in the states. As a result of the Dobbs decision, state governments are now the ultimate arbiter of abortion rights. Donors can help impact state policies in several ways. The Fairness Project is the leading progressive organization mounting ballot measure campaigns, including on abortion rights. The States Project and Sister District Project are two leading organizations working to win state legislative elections and advance progressive policy change in the states. The Movement Voter Project offers donors an easy way to support electoral organizing in key states, while the Center for Popular Democracy is an important hub for organizing work in multiple states.
Groups focused specifically on advocating for reproductive rights. The top national organizations working to protect abortion access operate at both the federal and state levels and often engage in advocacy and direct electoral work — including Planned Parenthood Action, Center for Reproductive Rights and Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America). The National Women’s Law Center litigates cases surrounding not only abortion but also access to contraception and a wide variety of other women’s rights issues. The National Network of Abortion Funds is a network of 100 grassroots organizations that support people seeking abortion access. Plan C helps women across the U.S. secure access to abortion medication by mail.
Organizations fighting to reform the courts and legal system. Democrats cannot allow the federal courts to enact a minoritarian agenda on the country, and the only way to do so is to pack the courts with like-minded judges and neutralize the power of the anti-abortion legal movement. Groups like Demand Justice and Take Back the Court have helped force Democrats to prioritize filling the courts with more progressive jurists, while making policies like term limits and court expansion central to the progressive agenda. Donors should also look for opportunities to donate to key state supreme court races, since these bodies can play a major role in arbiting abortion rights.
For Donors Getting Started
Consider a funding intermediary. Donors who are eager to get started with their giving but are unable to invest a lot of time in research can turn to intermediaries that distribute money to carefully selected groups. Groundswell Fund supports front-line grassroots organizing groups, with a central focus on reproductive justice. The Collaborative for Gender and Reproductive Equity is a funding community that provides opportunities for donors to give easily to support organizations and also engage in peer-to-peer learning.
Make sure you understand the different types of nonprofits and political groups, and what that means for your giving. The examples we cited above include different types of organizations, from standard 501(c)(3)s to the more politically minded (c)(4)s. Donors should read up on the different limits and tax incentives when it comes to giving to these groups, especially when looking to give through a foundation.