NNAF Invests in Abortion Funds
The Need for Abortion Doesn’t Stop. Neither Do Abortion Funds.
Constantly changing laws mean new difficulties for abortion funds and an increasingly hostile landscape for reproductive choices. Our grantmaking programs help provide member abortion funds with the money they need to do their critical work.
NNAF Grant Programs
Financial Support for Abortion Funds
The National Network of Abortion Funds (NNAF) grant programs get money directly to abortion funds. The programs below were designed with the input and partnership of abortion funds. These programs focus on reducing unnecessary barriers to funding and quickly moving money to where it is needed most.
The bottom line: NNAF grants support abortion funds so funds can support abortion seekers.
In the past three years, NNAF grantmaking programs have dramatically increased their support for abortion funds. This change was possible because of donations from folks who care deeply about abortion access and Reproductive Justice.
Never doubt our collective power!
Keep reading to learn more about how NNAF supports abortion funds through grantmaking.
For more than ten years, NNAF had its own national abortion fund, the Tiller Fund. This fund worked directly with abortion seekers and other abortion funds.
Then in 2018, the National Network of Abortion Funds connected with abortion seekers, abortion funds, clinics, and other key stakeholders in our network to learn how NNAF could better support direct abortion funding.
Here’s what we learned:
- Abortion seekers often said calling their local fund was the best part of their abortion experience.
- There was an immense need for more money to pay for abortions.
- Stakeholders prioritized providing abortion funding in the South and Midwest of the U.S.
- Abortion funds, clinics, and abortion seekers all wanted a streamlined system for accessing extra funds.
The Collective Power Fund (CPF) was created as a response. Today, the CPF provides support to 24 member organizations across more than 20 states.
In 2020, NNAF launched the Abortion Funds Crisis Relief Campaign as a temporary response to the increased need caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We set an initial goal to raise $2 million for member abortion funds.
When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, NNAF increased this commitment to member abortion funds. The Crisis Relief Fund became a permanent grant program focused on moving money quickly to abortion funds across the NNAF network.
Legal Grants
Abortion funds can apply for $15,000 in legal grants annually. These grants help funds cover the cost of discrete legal needs in a post-Roe landscape.
Funds have used these grants to obtain local attorneys who can help them understand legal risk, offer general counsel, and provide training for the funds.
Technical Assistance Mini Grants
Technical Assistance Mini Grants can range from $500 – $5,000. NNAF gives these grants to member abortion funds for projects that build organizational capacity. The Technical Assistance Mini Grants are “rapid grants.” They are awarded as needed, available on demand, and free of difficult application and reporting requirements.
Abortion funds have used these Mini Grants for board development, strategic planning, updating websites for accessibility, staff training, and more.
These grants are investments in abortion funds and are critical to organizational sustainability and growth.