Although marginally increasing over the years, reports show that less than 2 percent of philanthropic giving in the U S. directly benefits women and girls, a percentage that is likely even lower on a global scale. Amidst rollbacks on women’s rights, cuts to federal funding, economic uncertainty—and so many other issues and inequities that inevitably hit women and girls the hardest—philanthropy‘s role is more important than ever.  

“This is precisely when philanthropy must step forward with courage, doubling down on long-term, flexible funding that sustains organizations through uncertainty,” says Ana Marie Argilagos, president and CEO of Hispanics in Philanthropy.

Women funders and donors, along with an increasing number of women-led philanthropic organizations, are rising to meet the moment, knowing that the benefits of centering women and girls are far reaching and profound.

“From removing barriers to women entering tech to ending violence against women, there are so many areas where philanthropy is making both problems and solutions visible and leading to real improvements in the lives of women and girls,” says Brooke D. Anderson, president of Pivotal Ventures, founded by Melinda French Gates.

I had the opportunity to ask Anderson, Argilagos and several other women leaders in philanthropy—Sarah Haacke Byrd, CEO of Women Moving Millions; Cecilia A. Conrad, Ph.D., CEO and founder of Lever for Change; Asha Curran, CEO of GivingTuesday; and Valerie Jarrett, CEO of the Obama Foundation—to share their perspectives on the potential for philanthropic dollars to make meaningful change for women and girls worldwide and what critical issues need support.

I asked them all the same question:

How can philanthropy be used to improve the lives of women and girls globally? And what are some of the critical issues facing women and girls that need support?

Here’s what they had to say.

Their answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity. Read extended versions of the interviews here.

Brooke D. Anderson, president of Pivotal Ventures

Women make up half of the U.S. population, yet we are in the minority in every major position of power in our society. Ten percent of Fortune 500 CEOs. Seventeen percent of check writers in venture capital. Twenty-six percent of U.S. senators. I know from personal experience that we are a small percentage of leaders in the national security space.

When Pivotal set out to advance women’s power and influence, it was because we knew that when you have more women making decisions, it’s better for society as a whole. But the barriers to women’s power are frustratingly high.

Consider women’s health. Women spend 25 percent more of their lives in poor health than men, with severe consequences for their families and communities. Pivotal launched a global open call to support an array of organizations—of diverse geographies, sizes, perspectives and approaches—united by their goal to improve the mental and physical health of women.

I also think about our work on caregiving. I know firsthand from taking care of my mom and dad that there is nothing more universal than care. At some point we will all be a caregiver, or need a caregiver, or both. But caregiving falls disproportionately to women. To showcase the opportunity to update the caregiving system, we supported a report that highlighted for entrepreneurs and investors how big the care market actually is: $648 billion! And that helped them understand why they should be working toward new solutions that meet more families’ needs. 

From removing barriers to women entering tech to ending violence against women, there are so many areas where philanthropy is making both problems and solutions visible and leading to real improvements in the lives of women and girls.

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U.S. federal cuts are creating a dangerous domino effect, with many foundations pulling back rather than stepping forward. Philanthropy cannot afford to mirror the government’s retreat. This is precisely when philanthropy must step forward with courage, doubling down on long-term, flexible funding that sustains organizations through uncertainty. We need to respond with solidarity and a strategic vision that recognizes women’s organizations as essential infrastructure for democracy and human rights. 

Philanthropy can unlock profound change when it centers and trusts women and girls.

One example is our Fondo LILAS. HIP is investing in survivor-led organizations across Latin America—groups that are tackling child sexual violence with courage, creativity and care. These leaders aren’t just advocating for change—they are the change. From legal and psychological support to national and regional advocacy strategies, they are building networks of healing and resilience.

We are backing these efforts, not as charity, but as strategy. The urgent issues—violence, displacement, systemic inequity—require us to shift from funding services to fueling movements that are already in place. 

We think philanthropy must evolve beyond traditional donor-recipient dynamics to become a true co-creator, designing funding strategies that shift power back to our communities. Our role isn’t to dictate solutions but to transform the realities of people in the way they believe it needs to be. This means relinquishing control, embracing community wisdom and funding with the understanding that those closest to the pain already hold the vision for healing. When philanthropy truly honors the leadership of women, trans and nonbinary people, we don’t just address symptoms—we create the conditions for generational transformation grounded in dignity and justice.

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Gender equality is not only a moral imperative—it is central to building more just, prosperous and resilient societies.

Philanthropy plays a vital role in transforming the lives of women and girls globally by providing the catalytic capital needed to dismantle systemic barriers and drive bold, lasting change. At a time when democratic institutions are declining and civic spaces are shrinking, the very foundations that support gender equality are under threat. Nearly 40 percent of countries—home to over 1.1 billion women and girls—are stagnating or backsliding on key gender equality indicators. The rise in economic inequality, political polarization and restrictions on fundamental freedoms are compounding these challenges.

Gender equality is not only a moral imperative—it is central to building more just, prosperous and resilient societies. Yet traditional funding streams often fall short of addressing the root causes or responding with the speed and scale required. This is where philanthropy can lead. The moment calls upon us to continue to work relentlessly, unapologetically and collaboratively to move capital and challenge the status quo to remove barriers based on gender.

Philanthropic capital is uniquely positioned to fuel innovation, take risks and invest in long-term, systemic solutions. It can be the first to fund new ideas, amplify underrepresented voices, and support movements before other forms of capital are willing or able to engage. 

At Women Moving Millions, we understand that accelerating gender equality will require many things, but most critically, it will require strategic capital and stakeholder collaboration. We are at the forefront of this effort, mobilizing resources and leadership to unlock the full potential of women and girls worldwide. We know that together, we can power a world where all women have full autonomy, freedom and agency over every aspect of their lives.

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Cecilia A. Conrad, Ph.D., CEO and founder of Lever for Change

The ability of women to exercise their full power in society is directly connected to the quality of their health. Yet, today, women experience inequities across all aspects of their health. These inequities can negatively impact their daily lives, as well as their economic prospects and prosperity, their ability to engage in their communities and their opportunities to achieve their goals. 

More than one billion women and girls around the world suffer from malnutrition. Reproductive healthcare is being denied in the U.S. and other countries. And globally, a woman dies in childbirth every two minutes. These are urgent issues that need to be addressed. 

Women and girls’ health is one area where philanthropy can make a big difference. We are partnering with Pivotal, a Melinda French Gates organization, on a $250 million global open call, Action for Women’s Health, that will fund organizations around the world improving women’s mental and physical health. We’ve witnessed an incredible global response to Action for Women’s Health and have received thousands of applications from teams working on various aspects to support women’s health. We’re seeing lots of great teams take innovative approaches to address these challenges, and this open call is about getting them the resources they need to scale up and reach as many people as possible. 

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Throughout the GivingTuesday movement, we see grassroots women leaders around the world who generously give time, skills and financial resources to catalyze positive change in their communities. The critical issues facing women and girls—health and education access, underrepresentation in leadership, conflict—globally remain persistent and interconnected, and many crisis moments often affect women and girls first and most severely.

We have to shift from treating women as the receivers of help and instead as the problem solvers and leaders of change. When resources flow to women leading, we consistently see approaches that are more collaborative, empathetic and attuned to local contexts. This isn’t just good for women and girls—it strengthens entire communities.

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The Obama Foundation is doing its part to ensure that women and girls around the world are provided with the tools and resources to reach their full potential. Through our program Girls Opportunity Alliance, we are empowering and educating adolescent girls. 

To date, the Girls Opportunity Alliance has supported more than 150 grassroots organizations in more than 35 countries. This funding has impacted more than 120,000 girls around the world—from providing scholarships and mentorship to funding new learning centers and school dormitories.

When girls are given the resources to overcome obstacles, amazing things start to happen: Poverty goes down, economies grow, families get stronger, babies are born healthier and the world, by all accounts, gets better. By addressing critical systemic issues, we will see broader, more transformative changes across our communities, driving local economies and creating a more equitable future for girls around the world.