Since 1987, every March marks Women’s History Month, a time during which to recognize the achievements and contributions of women in American history. Despite comprising half the world’s population, many women have seen their accomplishments buried, their credit stolen or their work trivialized and omitted from history books. Yet, women have always been there, fighting for equality. 

More than 200 years before Women’s History Month began, Abigail Adams wrote to her husband, John Adams, as he took part in founding the United States of America, asking him to “​​remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands. Remember, all men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.”

Although women today have more voice than the women of Abigail Adams’ time, equal representation hasn’t been achieved. 

• The 19th Amendment guaranteeing a woman’s right to vote was only passed in 1920, by a narrow margin. 
• Women could permanently serve in the regular Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps as of only 1948. 
• In 1961, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon with an official number finished the race, despite facing physical attack by the race director while running. 
• Education was only recognized as an equal right to all when Title IX was passed in 1972. 
• A woman couldn’t open her own bank account without her husband’s signature until the Equal Credit Opportunity Act in 1974. 
• The federal government did not require women to be included in federally funded medical research until 1993.
• Today, women only make up 28% of the United States Congress, the highest percentage in U.S. history. 
• The Equal Rights Amendment, proposed in 1923, has never passed.

Every inch towards equality has been hard won, and the battle continues today, assisted by the work of the following Give Lively nonprofit members.  

Look back at a related nonprofit spotlight: Five nonprofits striving for women's equality.

The Nonprofits

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The Brave House Inc

This organization cultivates a community of support for young immigrant women and gender-expansive youth, ages 16-24, in New York City, with a focus on survivors of gender-based violence. The Brave House Inc provides free legal aid, community events and holistic services, including leadership training, one-on-one advocacy, wellness classes, job and school assistance, support for new and expecting moms and much more.

In March 2024, The Brave House Inc linked to a Campaign Page from its website to “Support Immigrant Women in NYC for International Women's Day 2024.” This other 2023 Campaign Page, which accumulated nearly $100,000, is an excellent example of using embedded video in conjunction with impact stories to connect donors to the people and causes their contributions support. 

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Girl Talk Inc

The mission of this organization is to empower girls to become their best selves by reducing the likelihood of teen pregnancy and helping them to advance educationally. Girl Talk aims to help young women connect to their purpose in whatever field they choose, lower the incidence of teen pregnancy and achieve educational goals through a combination of 1:1 mentoring, school and site-based programs for 4th- and 5th-grade girls, and a four-year LIFE Prep Academy for high schoolers.

Girl Talk Inc used a Give Lively-powered Campaign Page to fundraise over $125,000 during its “2023 Girl Talk Fashion Show Gala.”

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Women’s Reproductive Rights Assistance Project

This organization is the largest national, independent, nonprofit abortion fund. Women’s Reproductive Rights Assistance Project (WRRAP) provides urgently needed financial assistance nationwide to individuals seeking abortion services or emergency contraception. It also provides funds directly to pre-screened, pre-qualified health clinics and doctors that serve them. Its highly trained volunteers staff a telephone hotline five days a week, working directly with over 700 clinics, hospitals and doctors across the country, getting funds to women in need. WRRAP is here to help, not judge. 

WRRAP has used every one of Give Lively’s digital fundraising tools. One successful combination was the “2023 SCARE-A-THON” Campaign Page and Peer-to-Peer Fundraising push, a month-long series of roundtables taking a stand for reproductive justice in parallel with a horror film YouTube channel. One Peer-to-Peer page contributed over $3,000 to the total of $7,500+ raised. 

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Kiran Anjali Project

The mission of this organization is to give guidance and financial support to institutions providing education to children from underserved communities, especially girls, in India. It’s risky to be born a girl in India today. Cultural traditions such as dowries and a preference for boys can make having a girl seem like a burden to some families, particularly those already struggling economically. As a result, girls from underserved communities are less likely to be educated or receive medical attention when sick, more likely to be malnourished because they are fed less than their brothers and are at high risk for early marriage, child labor and trafficking. The Kiran Anjali Project envisions a bias-free world in which all children are given a high-quality education and job skills to be self-sufficient.

Kiran Anjali Project uses a Give Lively-powered Simple Donation Widget to collect donations on its website. 

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Daring Girls

This nonprofit knows that when girls grow up in communities where they are not valued or viewed as equal, access to a strong woman mentor is key to helping girls understand their worth and see their potential. That’s why Daring Girls offers mentoring for girls who dare to do something different, who choose to prioritize their education and take control of their futures. Every week, these girls get to learn together in a supportive environment from a successful, university-educated woman mentor who exemplifies what they can become. As a result, girls become more resilient, more confident and more prepared to set and reach their goals.

Daring Girls uses a Branded Donation Widget to collect donations on its website. It also uses a Give Lively-powered Event Ticketing page to register participants for the 2024 Trip to Kenya to visit its newest partner, CWE-TECH (Centre for Women Empowerment in Technology).

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Starlings Volleyball

This nonprofit believes every girl deserves the opportunity to play club volleyball, regardless of socioeconomic background or level of play. Starlings dues, if any, are a fraction of most junior club costs, with the goal that no girl is turned away because of inability to pay. Beginning in 1996 with a single inner-city San Diego team, Starlings has become the nation's largest junior volleyball club, serving more than 3,000 girls in more than 75 clubs.

Starlings Volleyball uses a Give Lively-powered Simple Donation Widget on its website.