FISA Awards New Grants to Advance Opportunities for Women, Girls, and People with Disabilities
FISA Foundation has awarded nearly a half million dollars in grants to 15 organizations working on a range of issues that impact women, girls, and people with disabilities. The Foundation has a deep commitment to advancing health equity and is particularly pleased that a third of its June grants budget will promote reproductive health, rights, and justice for women and girls. “Given the current threats to reproductive healthcare, it’s more important than ever to support organizations that work to ensure that women, and anyone who identifies as female, has access to the full range of reproductive care,” explained Kristy Trautmann, FISA’s executive director. She also noted, “We are proud that these grantee partners are led by and/or center women of color, since we know that racism, sexism, ableism, and other forms of oppression have profound impacts on health and well-being.”
Grants that address reproductive rights and care.
- $20,000 to MAYA Organization for its programs that provide doula services for women of color and for advocacy to reduce race-based disparities in maternal and birth outcomes.
- $40,000 to New Voices for Reproductive Justice for programs and advocacy in southwestern PA that prioritizes the rights of Black women/people to control their bodies, sexuality, gender, work and reproduction.
- $50,000 to Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania for operating support to provide essential health services for low-income women at the Greensburg Family Planning Health Center.
- $50,000 to Women’s Law Project for its work to protect and advance the safety, security, and health of women, girls, and LGBTQ+ people in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Other grants benefitting women and girls:
- $75,000 to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh to support and expand the Coaching Boys Into Men program, an evidence-based sexual violence prevention program that trains high school coaches to teach their male athletes about healthy relationships.
- $25,000 to SisTers Pgh to support Project T, transitional housing and support services for Black trans women.
FISA Foundation also awarded grants to nine organizations that support the rights and advance opportunities for people with disabilities:
- $20,000 in general operating support to Autism Urban Connections, Inc. for programs and services that support African American and other minority families with an autistic family member.
- $20,000 to Bender Leadership Academy for its work-readiness programs for students with disabilities.
- $25,000 to Disability Rights Pennsylvania for a project to monitor nursing facilities to ensure that people with disabilities are not abused nor unnecessarily institutionalized, as well as support for its rights-based advocacy.
- $25,000 in general operating support to East Suburban Citizen Advocacy for its programs and advocacy that advance safety and inclusion for people with disabilities.
- $30,000 in general operating support to The Friendship Circle of Pittsburgh to promote social inclusion for adults with disabilities.
- $10,000 to Growing Together Aquaponics for a program that provides job training and leadership development for young women with disabilities.
- $15,000 to KidsVoice for advocacy for youth with disabilities transitioning to adulthood.
- $25,000 in general operating support to All Abilities Media (via fiduciary New Sun Rising) for its work to produce media with and about people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism.
- $25,000 in operating support to Pittsburghers for Public Transit to integrate disability justice into advocacy for accessible public transit.
FISA Foundation applauds these partner organizations for their commitment to addressing the rights and needs of women, girls and people with disabilities.
FISA Foundation accepts letters of inquiry any time, and awards grants three times per year. Learn more about FISA’s priorities and how to submit a letter of inquiry.