When we began this year, we set out to deepen our reach, strengthen our partnerships, and amplify the voices of women most often unheard. Today, I'm proud to share what we accomplished — together.

This year, the Global Women's Foundation reached 28,416 women directly through our education, economic empowerment, health, climate, leadership, and culture programs across 47 countries. We supported 312 local partner organizations, welcomed 48 new fellows into our Leadership Program, and brought women's stories to digital audiences in 75 countries.

But numbers alone don't capture what happened this year. Behind each statistic is a story — of a textile artist in Senegal who exhibited her work for the first time, of a technologist in Bangalore who built an inclusive AI tool, of an organizer in Lima who led a community land defense that protected 2,000 acres from mining.

Key 2025 outcomes

  • 28,416 women reached through direct program participation
  • 68,200 family members indirectly benefited
  • 94% completion rate in girls' secondary school scholarships (vs. 41% national average)
  • +240% average income increase among cooperative participants (sustained at 5-year mark)
  • 28 policy reforms contributed to across 14 countries
  • 87% of every dollar reached programs — top 5% of charities globally

Where we grew

This year we expanded into 6 new countries (Bolivia, Moldova, Romania, Kyrgyzstan, Vanuatu, and Tonga), launched the Climate Adaptation Fund for indigenous women leaders, and deepened our collaboration with the UN Women partnership in East Africa. We also completed our first 5-year longitudinal study, confirming that 82% of cooperative participants sustained +200% income gains five years post-program.

"Our model isn't about scaling programs. It's about scaling trust."

— Priya Raman, Chief Programs Officer

Where we fell short

Transparency requires honesty. In 2025, we fell short of our goal to expand the Maternal Health Network into two additional conflict zones. Both expansions were delayed by partner organization capacity constraints. We're investing in 2026 in partner capacity-building grants specifically to address this gap.

Financial summary

Total revenue: $21.8M (37% individual donations, 42% institutional grants, 13% corporate, 6% investment income, 2% other). Total expenses: $21.7M (87% programs & grants, 8% operations, 5% fundraising). Net assets increased by $0.1M to $24.6M, with 4.2 months of operating reserves — within our 3-6 month target range.

Our 2025 Independent Financial Audit, conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, found no material weaknesses. The full audit report is included as Appendix A of this document.

Looking ahead

In 2026, we will deepen our focus on three priorities: (1) expanding the Climate Adaptation Fund to 50 new communities; (2) launching the second cohort of the Leadership Fellowship in five new regions; and (3) publishing the first-ever Global Index on Women's Cooperative Governance, developed with our 312 partners.

We are deeply grateful to every donor, partner, fellow, and storyteller who made 2025 possible. This report is, truly, a record of collective power.

With gratitude,
Dr. Amara Mensah
Executive Director
July 02, 2026