About the Fund
*Please note: Due to overwhelming demand, we have paused accepting applications for the 2025 Rapid Response General Operating Fund (RRGOF).*
The 2025 Rapid Response General Operating Fund (2025 RRGOF) is a pooled fund that was designed to quickly distribute funds to organizations impacted by our current socio-political landscape. Priority was given to organizations serving communities disproportionately impacted by our current socio-political landscape (including but not limited to immigrants and refugees, LGBTQIA+ community, BIPOC folks, low-income communities, and those seeking reproductive healthcare), and/or organizations anticipating a significant decrease in funding.
Once launched, grantees received up to $10,000 of general operating support – flexible, unrestricted funding available to use wherever it is needed most. Applications were accepted on a rolling basis, and decisions were made within 10 business days of receiving a complete application. In Spring 2025, we raised $160,000 and awarded $10,000 grants to 16 organizations, collectively impacting more than 90,000 people across the region. Of those funded, 94% are led by women, BIPOC folks, or LGBTQIA+ individuals, 75% have budgets under $1 million, and nearly 40% have budgets under $250,000.
The first round of this fund was launched thanks to the generous support from the Patricia Kind Family Foundation, Philadelphia Kids in Care, an Anonymous Foundation, and individual donors from across our network, in addition to WOMEN'S WAY's own investments.
To learn more about our 2025 RRGOF Grantee partners, check out our impact report here.
Background
Since 2017, WOMEN’S WAY has had a strong track record of rapid response funding, launching the Immediate Response Action Fund (IRAF) to support partners navigating urgent and unanticipated challenges. IRAF provides emergency funding to organizations primarily serving women, girls, and the gender-expansive community. Our streamlined process ensures grant decisions within 10 business days—no other foundation in the region responds this quickly. Since its inception, IRAF has awarded over $610,000 to 67 organizations, impacting more than 202,000 women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals.
In response to COVID-19, WOMEN’S WAY launched the Rapid Response General Operating Fund, providing two-year grants of up to $20,000 per year to organizations serving disproportionately impacted communities, such as low-wage workers, formerly incarcerated individuals, immigrants and refugees, and survivors of intimate partner violence. The first year of funding addressed immediate needs; the second year focused on economic stability.
Within six weeks, we distributed $135,000 to 12 organizations—10 of which were led by women of color, and 8 with budgets under $500,000. Click here for a RRGOF Report.
Help Build the Fund
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Together we can make a difference. Whether you represent a foundation or are an individual looking to take action, we need you!
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Help us spread the word – share this initiative with your network.
Know funders or corporate partners aligned with this work? Introduce us!
QUESTIONS? Please contact Diane Cornman-Levy, Chief Disruptor, at dcornmanlevy@womensway.org if you are interested in investing in the 2025 Rapid Response General Operating Fund.
Criteria
Organizations should meet the following criteria to be eligible for funding:
- has operated consistently for at least two years
- primarily serves women, girls, and/or the trans/gender non-conforming community
- operates in at least one of our eight counties of coverage: Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Montgomery, Delaware, Gloucester, Burlington, and Camden
- is a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or has a fiscal sponsor (WOMEN'S WAY cannot grant to individuals)
- affirms that they do not have any policies, programs, services, or advocacy that are in conflict with WOMEN'S WAY's policy positioning, public messaging, and communications regarding issues (including our position that all people should have access to the full range of reproductive health care)
- can demonstrate how a General Operating Grant could have a measurable impact on organizational and programmatic capacity
- has programming that advances one of the following areas:
- Advancing reproducitve justice and sexual health
- Increasing safety against gender-based violence
- Promoting economic self-sufficiency & justice
- Priority will be given to organizations that:
- serve communities disproportionately impacted by our current socio-political landscape (including but not limited to: immigrants and refugees, LGBTQIA+ community, BIPOC, low-income communities, or those seeking reproductive healthcare) AND/OR
- are anticipating a significant decrease in funding due to the socio-political climate
APPLICATION CURRENTLY CLOSED
*Please note: Due to overwhelming demand, we have paused accepting applications for the 2025 Rapid Response General Operating Fund (RRGOF).*
Questions about your application? Please contact Jessica Muslin at (215) 985-3322, ext 226 or jmuslin@womensway.org.
