Funders for Gender Equity

Funders for Gender Equity was a circle of funders at Philanthropy New York active for many years to increase awareness of, and investment in, the needs of women and girls in New York City and beyond. The group sought to build a community within philanthropy committed to strategic dialogue and action around social equality and economic security for NYC’s women, girls and gender nonconforming persons, within the context of class, race/ethnicity and sexual orientation.

While the group is no longer active, Philanthropy New York continues to seek to produce programming that:

  • builds awareness among funders of the overlapping impact that education, health and economic security have on the lives and well-being of girls, women, and gender nonconforming persons;
  • deepens understanding of issues affecting diverse populations of girls, women, and gender nonconforming persons;
  • encourages strategic collaborations with key stakeholders including policy makers, nonprofits, business and constituent groups to advance improvements for girls, women, and gender nonconforming persons; and foster innovation and new ideas in the field; and
  • increases philanthropic investments in strategies that benefit girls, women, and gender nonconforming persons.

Interested funders, please contact Marlon Williams, VP of Collaboration and Policy.


Examine Organizational Blind Spots With This Gender Lens Tool!

Applying a gender lens to your grantmaking highlights the gaps and trends that would otherwise be invisible if you didn’t employ it. With a gender analysis, grantmakers can avoid supporting “gender blind” policies or programs that unintentionally discriminate based on gender roles. Without this lens, funders can fail to recognize the disproportionate effect that a range of issues has on women and gender-nonconforming people – especially those from communities of color. Instead of reinforcing gender inequality by failing to account for women, girls, and LGBTQ people’s lack of access or opportunity, funders can extend the impact of their grantmaking by using a gender lens framework to see how gender interacts with and compounds their issues – and shift funding strategies to address them.

FGE's steering committee created this tool for those looking to apply a gender analysis to their grantmaking practice: Starting the Conversation: Using a Gender Lens in Your Grantmaking. It is a graphical representation of how to get a deeper conversation on gender started in any foundation.  (Click here to view a large printable version).