Feel Good Friday - World Pulse

March is Women’s History Month and we’re celebrating an organization that connects and supports women across the globe, World Pulse.

Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, the mission of World Pulse is “to create a world where all women thrive: one connection, one collaboration at a time.” They believe that “when women are heard and connected they transform the world for the better.” World Pulse is facilitating these connections through their social network.

Here’s how it works. World Pulse provides a digital space for 85,000 members across 233 countries and territories. Women and allies in this network connect, share their stories, access resources and collaborate to create change. The women on the platform take on different roles such as leaders, mentors, encouragers, and innovators. This new model of philanthropy connects funding directly to changemakers through technology, community, and storytelling. 

It starts with people joining the community and sharing their stories. Themes for the stories span a variety of gender justice topics including, but not limited to, economic power, health, education, human rights, technology, arts and culture. Some of the people and organizations receive financial support for their initiatives. Examples of recent grantees include a woman in Zimbabwe helping people navigate cyberbullying, a disability rights advocate in Kenya and peace activist in Cameroon.

In addition, people who are members of the community can connect to share ideas and resources and partner to develop their businesses, build movements, run for office and improve the lives of millions. In a 2023 survey, World Pulse found that 70% of members said their actions as a result of World Pulse made an impact, 25% trained or educated others, 22% changed behaviors in their community and 9% influenced a law or policy. You can read more about global collaborations on the impact page.

If you’d like to help World Pulse expand connections, amplify voices and build agency for women worldwide there are several ways to do so. Read the latest stories and connect with changemakers, make a donation, and amplify their work on social media. Follow World Pulse on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn and subscribe to their YouTube channel.

Feel Good Friday - Ukrainian Women's Fund

March is Women’s History Month and we’re kicking it off by highlighting work being done by the Ukrainian Women’s Fund.

Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Kyiv, Ukraine, the Ukrainian Women’s Fund (UWF) is the only women’s foundation in Ukraine. Their mission is to “support women's/feminist organizations, make for their participation in the development of a powerful, effective and mass women's/feminist movement capable of protecting women's rights and promoting gender equality in all areas.”

Current efforts by UWF are focused on rapid response grants to support women and girls who face humanitarian challenges caused by the Russian invasion as well as activists who are at the forefront of the volunteer movement. Funds are used to cover the urgent needs for water, food, medicine, hygiene, and communication with a focus on the most vulnerable groups of women and girls.

In addition to these immediate needs, funding provided by UWF supports women’s rights and feminist organizations in Ukraine, women activists and entrepreneurs, young women leaders, and journalists and editors in the media.

Examples of the work being done in current projects includes advancing women’s security, economic empowerment, and leadership in post-conflict Ukraine; continuing Ukraine's EU integration-related reforms; and training teenagers on how to create a culture of consent, define their own boundaries and respect the boundaries of others.

UWF shares many success stories on their website which involve developing girls’ independence and leadership skills through a girl scout program, creating a Women’s Leadership Academy that trains women how to make improvements in their communities, and a grant competition to support female veterans and military families. From February 2022 to February 2025, UWF has received over $54,000 in donations which they apply to these programs.

If you’d like to to help the Ukrainian Women’s Fund change systems with and for women in Ukraine there are several ways to get involved. Make a donation and amplify their work on social media. Follow UWF on Facebook or Instagram and subscribe to their YouTube channel. 

 

Feel Good Friday - BlaqOut

We’re closing out Black History Month by highlighting BlaqOut, an organization working to improve health and social outcomes for Kansas City's Black LGBTQ+ community.

Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, BlaqOut's mission is “to create a community where Black people of queer and trans experience are connected and supported, have access to safe spaces, and enjoy sufficient resources to help them thrive.” They achieve this through a variety of programs and easily accessible, no-cost services.

Programs include: Let’s PrEP, designed to reduce HIV incidence and prevalence; the LEAD Fellowship Program, an immersive 12-month program designed to cultivate and empower the next generation of Black LGBTQ+ leaders; Level Up, which uses peer-driven recruitment to connect to populations at high risk for contracting HIV; Mpox, providing education and vaccination resources for this infection formerly known as monkeypox; SWAG (Sexual Wellness and Growth), providing holistic sexual education; and VEAP (Vaccine Equity and Awareness Program), promoting vaccinations, boosters and encouraging good health practices for all. Whew!

Examples of the no-cost services BlaqOut provides include primary care, health insurance navigation, HIV testing, medication delivery, transportation and supportive services such as emergency housing, food and clothing. To access any of these services, fill out this request form. Their website also has links to numerous resources specific to housing, mental health, substance abuse and more.

Finally, BlaqOut recently launched a community-based pubic awareness campaign called "Give A F_ck", which is designed to spark conversations, bridge gaps, and inspire action to protect the lives, health, safety, and acceptance of the Black LGBTQ+ community.”

If you’d like to support BlaqOut’s vision of “a world where all Black people of queer and trans experience live with dignity and are free from racial injustice and health inequity” there are many ways you can do so. Volunteer your time, donate your money, and spread the word on social media. Follow BlaqOut on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn and subscribe to the BlaqOut YouTube channel.

Feel Good Friday - Akonadi Foundation

As the celebration for Black History Month continues, let’s learn about an organization working towards a racially just Oakland, Akonadi Foundation.

Founded in 2000 and headquartered in Oakland, California, the mission of  Akonadi Foundation is “to support the development of powerful social change movements to eliminate structural racism.” They do this by investing in racial justice organizing and policy advocacy that will lead to enduring systems change. 

A majority of grants awarded by Akonadi Foundation are focused on ending the criminalization of Black youth and youth of color in Oakland and Alameda County. Currently, there are two funds the Foundation supports.

The So Love Can Win Fund provides general support grants of $10,000 to Oakland’s “organizers, storytellers, culture bearers, and healers who seek to ignite and implement a radical collective vision of freedom and racial justice.” In 2024, the Foundation awarded $500,000 to 49 initiatives and organizations. Examples of recipients include Arab Resource and Organizing Center, West Oakland Mural Project and the Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District.

The goal of the  All in for Oakland fund is to end the criminalization of Black youth and youth of color. Over the next five years, Akonadi Foundation will invest $12.5 million in partners who prioritize movement building and organizing, research, organizational capacity and policy advocacy.

Since they began, the Foundation has given over 1,900 grants totaling $43 million to nonprofit organizations that have centered power-building and organizing to fuel a racial justice movement. 

In addition to these funds, Akonadi Foundation runs a program called We Love Oakland which celebrates the vibrant and joyful culture, relationships, and activism that can be found in The Town. There are short videos you can watch where residents explain how Oakland’s history and culture inspires their work. You can also read letters from community leaders and post your own story of why you love Oakland.

If you’d like to see a community where young people of color have the support systems they need to thrive, spread the word about Akonadi Foundation. Read their blog, follow them on Facebook or Instagram, and subscribe to their YouTube channel.

Feel Good Friday - The Valentine Foundation

Today is Valentine’s Day so let’s spend a moment learning about the Valentine Foundation.

Well, the first thing I learned is it has nothing to do with the holiday and is named after founder, Phoebe Valentine, but we’re sticking with it. Headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, the Valentine Foundation has been funding social change for women and girls since 1985.

As they explain on their website, “we fund nonprofits in the Philadelphia region focused on racial and gender justice, prioritize leadership in organizations serving women and girls, and align our investments with these goals.” In a world where DEI initiatives are getting cut by many companies, the Valentine Foundation prioritizes organizations led by or focused on BIPOC, women, trans, and gender-expansive people.

Their grants are divided into two areas. Foundation grants support efforts that redefine issues, enhance community engagement, shift policies, or preserve past gains in gender equality. The amount of these grants ranges between $7,000 and $15,000 and can be single, or multi-year. The money can be used for either general operations or project-specific funding. Examples of 2024 recipients include Maternity Care Coalition, Gender Justice Fund and the Women’s Community Revitalization Project.

The second set of grants comes from the Visionary Leadership Fund which was established in 2005. These are targeted to support leadership development for women executives and aspiring leaders in organizations that uplift women and girls in the Greater Philadelphia region. Amounts for these grants average at or around $3,000 per applicant. Examples of 2024 recipients include leaders from the Education Law Center, Girls Inc., and Women Against Abuse.

In 2024, the Valentine Foundation awarded $201,332 to recipients in both categories. You can review the grantee page for details on recipients and grant amounts each year going back to 2000.

Finally, the Valentine Foundation allocates 20% of their endowment to mission aligned investing and provides low interest loans to nonprofits that support community projects.

If you’d like to help the Valentine Foundation achieve their vision of a society where all women and girls can thrive, you can make a donation and amplify their message on social media. Like their Facebook page and follow them on Instagram and LinkedIn. Happy Valentine’s Day! 

Feel Good Friday - Black Women's Health Imperative

February is Black History Month. Let’s kick it off by highlighting an organization dedicated to the health and wellness of Black women and girls, Black Women’s Health Imperative.

Founded in 1984 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the mission of Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI) is “To lead the effort to solve the most pressing health issues that affect Black women and girls globally.” They do this by making investments in evidence-based strategies, delivering bold new programs, and advocating health-promoting policies. Watch this 3-minute video or keep reading for details.

BWHI has seven signature programs designed to address the most pressing health issues currently impacting 21 million Black women and girls across the United States. They are: lifestyle change, reproductive health, HBCU advisory, rare diseases, menstrual equity, maternal health and HIV awareness. The focus of most of these programs is self-explanatory. For the other, lifestyle change is a support system to help Black women prevent, or manage, type 2 diabetes. The HBCU advisory is an advocacy and leadership-building initiative for women on Historically Black College and University (HBCU) campuses that provides training, skills, and strategies to advocate for wellness, education, and policy related to Black women.

There is also a policy and advocacy team that evaluates and develops national and state policies to hold elected officials accountable for addressing issues most critical to Black women’s health, especially regarding: maternal health, reproductive health, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, breast and cervical cancers, intimate partner violence and sexual assault.

In addition to all the actives above, BWHI has special initiatives which focus on specific topics such as periods, uterine fibroids and menopause. They also train lifestyle coaches to support the lifestyle change program and publish a variety of reports, including the 2024 Health Policy Voters Guide.

If you’d like to support these programs and help the Black Women’s Health Initiative achieve their vision where “all Black women will enjoy optimal health in a society that promotes health equity and social justice”, there are many ways to do so. Start with a donation or shop for merch, then amplify their message on social media. Follow BWHI on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn and subscribe to their YouTube channel.

Feel Good Friday - Goods Unite Us

If current events are motivating you to find multiple ways to support your political beliefs, whatever they may be, you’ll want to keep reading about today’s highlighted organization, Goods Unite Us.

Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, the mission of Goods Unite Us is “to empower people to become political consumers and investors so that we can all collectively put an end to corporate political donations.” Watch this one minute overview video from CEO Abigail Wuest to learn more.

Goods Unite Us has a research team that hand curates and certifies all of the data they share on their website and app. By bringing more accountability and transparency to political donations made by corporations, they help consumers more easily align their everyday purchases with their politics. Search for a company or brand to find out “what percentage the company, its affiliates and its senior management and executives collectively donate to Republicans and Democrats, what percentage comes from the company itself versus its employees, and the top five politicians donated to.” 

After downloading and using the app, I was very sad to find out that, despite their Berkeley, California roots, Peet’s coffee gives more money to Republicans than Democrats and earns a -37 Campaign Finance Reform Score. These scores can range from -100 to +100. The higher the score, the more likely that purchases from the company or brand will lead to meaningful campaign finance reform. Time to switch to Starbucks since they rate a score of 66.

Not only can you explore brands and companies one at a time, you can also take this quiz to rate yourself, find out where your money goes, and make any needed adjustments. If you also want your investments to reflect your political beliefs, and those beliefs are Democratic, you can invest in the DEMZ fund. Designed to provide similar risk and performance as the S&P 500, it only includes companies that have made over 75% of their political contributions to Democratic causes and candidates.

If you’re ready to reclaim your voice and align your spending with your political beliefs, download the app and start checking on the brands you support. To help more people learn about Goods Unite Us, spread the word on social media. Like their Facebook page, follow them on Instagram.

Feel Good Friday - California Community Foundation

Another week and fires are still burning around Los Angeles so again we’re going to highlight an organization providing support to the impacted communities. Today, it’s the California Community Foundation.

Established in 1915 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California, the mission of the California Community Foundation (CCF) is “to lead positive systemic change that strengthens Los Angeles’ communities.” They do this through fundraising and awarding grants to organizations that provide “long-term, comprehensive solutions that address the vital issues concerning quality of life in Los Angeles County.”

Let’s start with the wildfires. This falls under CCF’s focus area on community resilience and empowering communities to adapt and thrive in the face of climate change. In response to the current wildfires, CCF created a Wildfire Recovery Fund. As of January 17th, they have raised over $30 million from a cross-section of donors, including major corporations, foundations, and more than 27,000 individual donors. Over $15 million in grants has already been awarded to nearly 130 nonprofit organizations and future donations will help people in the region recover and rebuild.

Other areas of focus for CCF include housing and homelessness, education, health, immigration, arts and culture, and civic engagement. Examples of what the funding provides includes: low-interest loans and grants to create and preserve affordable housing, making art accessible for all, healthcare and health education for economically disadvantaged residents in greater South Los Angeles, creating more equity and inclusion so immigrants and their families can thrive, and education initiatives for students from underserved communities.

In the last fiscal year, CCF gave out more than 9,837 in grants, which totaled just over $440 million. Since 2004, they have given more than $3.9 billion in grants, which has impacted hundreds of thousands of lives across Los Angeles County.

If you’d like to help the California Community Foundation respond to the wildfires or otherwise help strengthen Los Angeles communities, you can. Make a donation and spread the word on social media. Like the CCF Facebook page and follow them on Instagram and LinkedIn. 

Feel Good Friday - Disaster Relief

The fires in Los Angels are still burning so we’re going to highlight another organization providing support to the impacted communities. Today, it’s Direct Relief.

Established in 1948 as the William Zimdin Foundation and headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, Direct Relief “provides appropriate and specifically requested medical resources to community-based institutions and organizations throughout the world and across the United States.”

Let’s start with the fires in California. Direct Relief has coordinated their response efforts with local and state agencies and health associations, deploying emergency response teams to deliver critically needed relief items. This includes 2.3 million N95 respirators and more than $100 million in medicines and medical supplies. This short video shows what Direct Relief is bringing to community centers in the region.

This is just one example of how Direct Relief responds to disasters around the world. Whether the event is caused by fires, hurricanes, earthquakes, typhoons, disease outbreaks or is a humanitarian crisis as a result of war, the focus is on rapid mobilization. Direct Relief responds to specific requests from local partners and coordinates with other organizations and public agencies in the affected areas to ensure the most efficient use of resources.

They also provide healthcare for vulnerable communities. This work focuses on maternal health,  tribal health, health equity and disease prevention. Direct Relief supports locally-run facilities around the world providing essential health services, as well as supporting facilities in all 50 US states. You can explore this interactive global aid map to see the distribution of humanitarian aid and their international network of healthcare partners.

Since July, 2024, the beginning of fiscal year 2025, Direct Relief has provided over $98 million in medical aid, 763,780 pounds of medicine and supplies and more than 21 million doses of medicine to people in need.

If you’d like to help Direct Relief improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty and disaster, there are many ways you can support them. Volunteer in their Santa Barbara office, make a general donation to the organization, or a specific donation to respond to the California wildfires. You can also amplify their work on social media by following Direct Relief on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn and subscribing to their YouTube channel. 

Feel Good Friday - Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation

This week a series of devastating wildfires have been burning in the Greater Los Angeles area and the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) is leading the response. Time to learn about an organization that supports these firefighters, the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation.

Established in 2010 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California, the mission of the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation is to “provide essential equipment, training and public outreach programs for the Los Angeles Fire Department to supplement city resources.” 

According to statistics on their website, there are “over 3,500 firefighters embedded in 106 stations throughout the city” and “the LAFD responds to an emergency call every 35 seconds, making it one of the busiest in the nation.” Right now there are over 400 firefighters from LAFD battling the Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst fires.

What you may not know is that approximately 97% of the city's fire budget is allocated towards personnel costs, which leaves only 3% to cover all other life-safety costs. That includes things like fire engines, gear such as gloves and rescue flashlights, and specialized equipment like thermal imaging cameras, drones, and swift-water rescue boats.

That’s where the LAFD Foundation comes in. They channel donations from private, corporate, and community partners and turn them into tangible resources to help firefighters protect the people of Los Angeles. They also use this money to fund a variety of programs that include: addressing the mental health of firefighters; training and deploying canine therapy dogs to critical incidents; an adopt-a-fire-station program that makes improvements at individual stations; and youth programs that “offer students the opportunity to learn about a career in the fire service through engaging task-driven activities where they develop skills in leadership, teamwork, and overall confidence.”

Since 2018, the LAFD Foundation has provided over $25 million to LAFD to fund programs and  fire station grant requests. They have recently issued an Emergency Funding Alert to provide crews fighting the current wildfires with emergency fire shelters, hydration backpacks and wild land brush tools. You can help by making a donation in response to this alert.

Other ways to support the LAFD Foundation include shopping for LAFD swag, donating to the Adopt-a-fire-station program and spreading the word on social media. Follow the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation on Facebook and Instagram.

Feel Good Friday - Bridges to Prosperity

The start of a new year is a great time to think about building new connections and metaphorical bridges. It’s also a great time to learn about an organization building literal bridges, Bridges to Prosperity. 

Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Kigali, Rwanda, Bridges to Prosperity (B2P) “partners with communities, governments, private sector, research and technology, and other stakeholders to help plan, prioritize, assess, construct, and manage transport access for rural communities around the world.” 

Why bridges? According to info on their website, “almost a billion people around the world don't have safe transportation access to critical resources like health care, education, or employment due to an impassable river.” This lack of connectivity affects more than 1 in 7 people living in rural areas and is a root cause of poverty. B2P believes that “connection is the foundation to opportunity” and that’s what inspires their work. 

It starts by building better data. As CEO Nivi Sharma explains in this TedX talk, 60% of rivers and waterways in Africa are not mapped making it difficult to know where a bridge might have the most impact. Working with data scientists and deep learning models, they’ve been able to map waterways and can now predict travel paths and travel times.

Next, B2P works with local communities, governments and foundations to build footbridges, also known as trail bridges, in areas where they’ll have the most impact. Right now work takes place in Rwanda, Uganda, and Ethiopia with plans to expand into Zambia and Kenya. This 1 minute overview video shows many examples of the bridges that have been built.

Trail bridges are an effective solution for rural communities where people mostly travel by foot, bicycle or small vehicle. They’re easy to build, maintain, and replicate in addition to being cost-effective, durable, and safe. By connecting people to educational, health care and economic opportunities, B2P impacts households across multiple dimensions.

Since they began, they’ve built over 600 bridges providing more than 2.5 million people with safe access to the resources they need. In the areas surrounding the new bridges, farmer profits increased by 70% because they were able to take their crops to market, household incomes increased by 30%, girls’ attendance at school is up by 200% and vaccination rates increased by 45%. That’s a lot of prosperity!

If you’d like to help Bridges to Prosperity reach their vision of “a world where poverty caused by rural isolation no longer exists” there are a few ways to do so. Make a donation and help amplify their message on social media. Follow on them Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.