by Rachel Ayotte | Mar 6, 2025 | Article
Women are instrumental in making the world a better place. In fact, women make up approximately 75% of the nonprofit workforce.
Yet, despite their overwhelming presence, they remain underrepresented in leadership roles, facing systemic barriers that make climbing the ranks far more challenging.
Despite this, women leaders are making remarkable strides, breaking barriers and driving transformative change in their communities and beyond.
In celebration of International Women’s Day, we’re highlighting some amazing women-led nonprofits that are creating enormous amounts of impact. From organisations aimed at educating women in underserved communities to charities that lead the charge on environmental justice, we’re inspired by all the good these nonprofits — and the women who lead them — do every day.
Women’s Earth Alliance (WEA), led by Meldina Kramer, empowers women in leading change at the forefront of environmental justice.
To do this, WEA provides women with the right training, funding and network connections in order to support them in spearheading some of the top environmental justice projects around the world. To date, the organisation has supported over 52,000 women in leading initiatives.
According to Room to Read — a nonprofit founded in 2000 by Erin Ganju — more than 773 million people worldwide cannot read; two-thirds of these individuals are women and girls.
To fix that, Room to Read focuses on closing the gender learning gap, helping to develop girls’ literacy with quality learning materials and spaces, robust educator coaching and training and more. Since its inception, more than 45 million children worldwide have benefited, and in particular, the foundation has supported 3.7+ million girls through their Girls’ Education Program.
Founded by Mahnas Aflatooni Javid in 1999, the Mona Foundation supports grassroots educational initiatives and programmes that empower women and girls in 19 countries. Their model, which emphasises female empowerment, has grown to provide access to quality education to over 4 million students through 41 partner organisations across four continents.
Founded by Rachel Cargle, The Loveland Foundation provides Black women and girls financial assistance in accessing mental health resources, addressing a critical gap in healthcare.
With a focus on collaboration, opportunity, access, validation and healing, Loveland offers fellowships, residency programmes, listening tours and more, in order to empower and liberate the communities they serve.
Women Moving Millions, founded by sisters Helen LaKelly Hunt and Swanee Hunt, is a foundation made of 400 philanthropists who have collectively committed over $1B to improve the lives of women and girls.
Unlike more traditional philanthropy, Women Moving Millions aims to transform giving by removing typical giving barriers for leaders and innovators, inspiring bolder investments for lasting change.
Founded by Nancy Lublin, Dress for Success is a global organisation that has empowered more than one million women toward economic independence by providing professional attire, development tools, and a support network.
An organisation that started in 1997, Dress for Success has expanded to 136 affiliates in 20 countries. Since its inception, the organisation has helped more than 1.3 million unemployed and underemployed women achieve economic independence.
Founded by Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafsai, the Malala Fund works to ensure girls worldwide receive 12 years of free, quality education.
The Fund has supported education programmes in countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria, helping thousands of girls access schooling despite challenging circumstances. Since it began, the organisation has provided $47 million in Malala Fund Programmes.
According to CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education), 95% of girls from the most disadvantaged communities in rural Africa never complete secondary school. That’s why this women-led organisation, founded by Ann Cotten, has taken action.
Since its founding in 1993, the organisation has sent 7.2 million children to school in Ghana, Tansania, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, including 2.2 million girls to secondary school.
Women around the globe are working to create change that will last for generations to come. Whether they’re focused on enhancing equality in education or empowering women’s economic prosperity, these organisations showcase how powerful and impactful women leaders are today and every day.
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