What Philanthropy Can Do For Abortion Access — and Where It Is Currently Going Wrong

‘Well, we could have called that one.’

That was my first reaction last month when news outlets reported a leaked draft of the US Supreme Court opinion that overturns federally protected abortion rights for women in the United States. Without ambiguity, the opinion argued that Roe vs. Wade and Planned Parenthood vs. Casey — both settled, decades-old decisions — should be overruled, making it clear that the US Supreme Court is committed to upholding anti-abortion values held by less than 20% of Americans.

For me, and even more so for those working on the frontlines of abortion access in the US and around the world, this was not a surprise. Grassroots organisations have been preparing for this moment for a long time, long before President Trump confirmed three Supreme Court justices in almost as many years. Both rulings — Roe and Casey — have been constantly under threat and even with these rulings in place, almost 90% of states have no provision of abortions or more than one clinic in the whole state. For many women and pregnant people in the US, it is as if Roe doesn’t exist.

Even though the mainstream news cycle has died down — as there are countless other atrocities that continue to leave us speechless — the fight for reproductive rights must remain front of mind for anyone who cares about justice, and social and environmental progress. Philanthropy — in the US and globally — has been inconsistent in supporting abortion rights. Support for reproductive care makes up only a small portion of overall philanthropy giving — just 2.2% of US foundation giving between 2015 and 2019 was dedicated to reproductive rights, while only $361 million was earmarked specifically for abortion access and healthcare.

Not only can and should philanthropists be doing more to support safe and equal access to abortion care, they should also be doing it differently. This requires philanthropists to both challenge and adapt their current approaches but also acknowledge that they have an influential role to play beyond their giving. Here are my top five recommendations for philanthropists of any nationality who are looking to support reproductive justice around the world.

Invest in local clinics and support networks

When I spoke to Abortion Support Network’s CEO Mara Clarke about how philanthropists can support abortion providers in the US, her instruction was succinct: “Pick an abortion fund, any abortion fund”. This instruction comes out of a funding landscape that is neglecting the grassroots, in particular local abortion funds and clinics that are doing the on the ground work across the country. It also reflects a concerning movement by nationwide abortion organisations, many of whom are choosing to eliminate their state affiliates in favour of pouring resources into building one centralised institution.

As well as giving locally, philanthropists should look to specifically support clinics that provide second and third trimester abortions. Safe second and third trimester abortion continue to be difficult to access even in states and countries with strong protective rights and clinics that deliver these abortions are still subject to trap laws. Philanthropists can support organisations like the Abortion Care Network, which helps the independent abortion clinics that provide care to every 2 out of 3 abortion seekers in the US and provides the majority of second and third trimester abortions.

Ask the grassroots what they need and what you can do

The Abortion Support Network does not restrict its funds to specific countries or services, but that doesn’t stop donors from asking if it can. Much like in other cause areas, donors want to see a “bang for their buck” when it comes to supporting abortion access, and be able to point to a tangible example of their personal impact.

But to apply restrictions to a donation is counterproductive because it actively prevents abortion providers from efficiently delivering the work you want to support. Philanthropists will be most effective in supporting abortion access when they allow organisations to lead the way. Like any organisation, abortion service providers have overheads and additional costs that must be sustained in order for them to deliver their services, whether its staff salaries, transportation or simply the clinic’s phone bill. And, they need to be able to mobilise resources quickly in response to changing needs. To be impactful, funders should ask clinics and abortion access networks what they need and how their donation can be most valuable.

Essentially, donors need to apply the principles of trust-based philanthropy to funding abortion access. As much as possible, funding needs to be multi-year and unrestricted — adding stipulations to funding works against abortion providers, who not only have carry the cost of meeting those stipulations but also have to compromise on delivering the community-led support that is required. Moreover, philanthropists must trust that the service deliverers are the experts, and that the best way to support access to abortion is to defer to the organisations who are actually doing the work.

“We’re asking funders to trust us, like we trust women and pregnant people.” — Mara Clarke, CEO, Abortion Support Network

Voting

The link between the political landscape of the US and the overturning of Roe is obvious. Years of electing anti-abortion candidates across the country has created legislatures that have already been able to restrict abortion access in many states. And at the federal level, it is no longer possible to dismiss the reality that there is a Republican Party that want to pass a nationwide abortion ban, if they have the votes to do so.

If governments insist on interfering with women’s bodies, then the only way to fix that is by meeting them there. In order to keep abortion not just accessible but fundamentally safe, philanthropists must vote for governments that are willing to give it protection within the law, and push back against those who are attempting to dismantle access. Specifically in the US, without Roe, abortion access needs to be codified into federal law and the country needs representatives that are pro-choice — with no strings attached — in order to do that.

Be an advocate, be proud and be accountable

In the last several years, a number of high profile — and high-rolling — philanthropists have made significant contributions to reproductive health causes and abortion access. This year, Mackenzie Scott gave a record $275 million gift to Planned Parenthood. Through the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, Warren Buffett has poured $2 billion into supporting abortion access since 2000. While gifts of this size are significant and can be transformative (though still prioritising national organisations over local ones), for individuals with such large and powerful platforms, the scale of the crisis calls for them to do more and go further as advocates.

Given how highly politicised and stigmatised the issue of abortion is, and that in many countries (including the US) it is really in a state of emergency, part of ensuring access is making sure women know that having an abortion is a choice they can make proudly. Abortion and reproductive rights organisations need money but they also need advocates, who use their influential and powerful voices to loudly shout in their corner. A big part of being successful at this is not just passion and platforms, but also learning how to confidently talk about the issue in a rights-based way (here is a great guide from IPPF on this).

Remember the danger is not isolated

If the draft decision from the US Supreme Court is handed down, there will inevitably be ramifications felt beyond the country’s borders. With its global political influence and crucially, its visibility, anti-abortion activists across the world will look to the US as an example of how it can be done. And the stage is already set. Poland, Italy and the Republic of Ireland continue to have highly restrictive abortion laws — Northern Ireland still has not commissioned the provision of abortion services. In England, abortion is highly accessible but travel to the country from the mainland Europe now requires a passport. In Europe, any country can be one election away from a restrictive abortion law, and the threat to the bodily autonomy of women and pregnant people looms large. While global focus is understandably on the US right now, philanthropists needs to be aware of conditions outside of those borders and support global networks, international clinics and initiatives that continue to work to ensure women and people around the world can access an abortion. A World Abortion Laws map can be found here to help direct your resources where they are most needed.

Despite my initial reaction to the draft US Supreme Court opinion, I don’t actually think any prior amount of knowledge or insight would have made me any less exhausted, or any less filled with righteous anger. But at this moment, it feels appropriate and necessary to follow the lead of activists, providers and organisers who have time and again continued to push back against the agenda of a dominant minority. Philanthropists have the opportunity to not only support the access to abortion care but empower those working on the ground to continue their work to remove the stigma of abortion, and enshrine the rights of women and pregnant people to have total control of their bodies.