Women illustration./ PHOTO ; Pexel
Over 80 organizations worldwide have been awarded funding ranging from $1 million to $5 million through Action for Women’s Health, a $250 million global initiative supporting programs that improve women’s mental and physical health across all stages of life.
The awardees work across regions, including West Africa, Central America, and Melanesia, with more than 65 percent being community-based organizations operating within their home countries.
Each organization brings solutions tailored to local contexts, reflecting the unique needs and lived experiences of the communities they serves.
Despite representing half of the global population, women face persistent inequities across nearly every aspect of health.
Resources and research for women’s health remain underfunded, and existing solutions often fail to reach those who need them most.
Action for Women’s Health was created by Melinda French Gates as part of her $1 billion commitment in 2024 to advance women’s power globally.
The initiative is funded by Pivotal, founded by Gates, and managed by Lever for Change, a nonprofit that identifies and supports bold solutions to global challenges.
“I want to see women everywhere making decisions, controlling resources, and shaping policies and perspectives, but women can’t do well unless they can be well,” Gates said.
“These 80+ organizations have proven that when it comes to improving women’s health, progress is possible and solutions exist. We hope this funding will help them expand their lifesaving, life-changing work, scale their impact, and reach millions more women around the world.”
Awardees cover a range of interventions, from delivering reproductive health services in rural communities to ensuring culturally relevant mental health care in the U.S.
Other focus areas include maternal and perinatal health, public health education, and improving access to quality healthcare in underserved communities.
Many of these organizations have historically lacked access to major philanthropic funding.
“We believe the best change agents are those closest to the challenges. The awardees of the Action for Women’s Health Open Call exemplify that truth. They are bringing forward powerful, community-informed ideas that address urgent health inequities women face every day and are seeking funding to implement their plans,” said Cecilia Conrad, CEO of Lever for Change.
“Philanthropy alone cannot close every gap, but it can shine a light and create momentum for change. This initiative is a call to funders, partners, and advocates to invest boldly, listen deeply, and act urgently.”
The initiative received over 4,000 applications from 119 countries.
Entries were evaluated through a multi-stage process, including administrative screening, participatory review, and assessment by an external panel of experts in health, gender, and philanthropy.
Following additional due diligence, Pivotal and Lever for Change selected the final awardees. Grants are being administered through a donor-advised fund supported by Pivotal at the National Philanthropic Trust (NPT).
More information about the initiative and awardees is available at: https://leverforchange.
About Pivotal
Founded by Melinda French Gates in 2015, Pivotal works to advance social progress and expand women’s power and influence in the U.S. and around the world.
Through high-impact investments, philanthropy, partnerships, and advocacy, Pivotal seeks to remove the barriers that hold women and all people back.
Pivotal is comprised of Pivotal Ventures, LLC, and Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization launched in 2022.
About Lever for Change
Lever for Change is a nonpartisan nonprofit that creates equitable access in the world of philanthropy, enabling donors to discover and invest in organizations with transformative potential.
Through an inclusive open call approach, the team invites organizations of all sizes from around the world to showcase their big ideas and receive donor funding and resources to make them happen.
To date, Lever for Change has influenced over $2.5 billion in grants and worked with more than 500 organizations worldwide.
