Bold Ideas

Community Health and Health Care Access

Alternatives For Girls assists homeless and high-risk young women and their children in avoiding violence, pregnancy, and exploitation while providing the resources and opportunities necessary for safety, growth, and making positive choices in their lives.

“There is growing momentum in Detroit to support the physical and mental health of girls and young women. Alternatives For Girls is joining with other organizations to address safety, housing, and economic stability as foundations of wellness.”

Tonya Adair, President & CEO, Alternatives For Girls

Mental Health Care

House of Ruth will scale their no-cost counseling services to address the gap in accessible mental health care for domestic violence survivors in Washington, D.C.

“This funding will expand our Domestic Violence Support Center, the only outpatient mental health provider that delivers free, trauma-informed, unlimited mental health counseling with no insurance requirements in our region.”

Sandra Jackson, President & CEO, House of Ruth

Reproductive Health and Rights

Tiko powers girls' futures by connecting them to services addressing unintended pregnancies, HIV, and sexual violence. Using technology to bridge health care gaps, we ensure girls receive the timely support they need, wherever they want.

“This investment from Action for Women's Health gives us the opportunity to expand our sexual and gender-based violence prevention, screening, referrals, and recovery for girls. My hope for the future is fixed firmly on the potential and hopes of African girls and the possibilities that these investments unlock for them.”

Serah Malaba, Co-CEO, Tiko

Community Health and Health Care Access

ChildFund partners with communities, organizations, and governments delivering scalable, evidence-driven programs so that children and young people, especially women and girls, can say 'I am safe. I am educated. I contribute. I have a future.

“Flexible, multi-year funding is a game changer for ChildFund, especially in the context of global aid and women’s health funding cuts. This funding will enable ChildFund to build on our strong track record in child and maternal health, nutrition, and sexual and reproductive health and rights – while creating new and scalable solutions to the most urgent health needs of young women and children in the Asia-Pacific, bringing new collaborators and partners to amplify our impact.”

Sophie Jenkins, International Programs Director – Strategy, Partnerships & Humanitarian Response, ChildFund Australia

Reproductive Health and Rights

CEHURD will deepen and scale their tested approach to address social injustices in health including the violations of health rights faced by women, girls, and other vulnerable populations in Uganda and East Africa.

“CEHURD utilizes the law to enable women, girls, and other vulnerable communities access justice and enjoy their health rights. We use a combination of strategic litigation, legal aid, and alternative dispute mechanisms to address social injustices, inequalities, and health rights violations in the health system and other sectors that impact health outcomes for the people we serve.”

Fatia Kiyange, Executive Director, Center for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD)

Maternal and Perinatal Health

Mujeres Aliadas advances women’s and adolescents’ health and rights by expanding local, community empowerment networks, increasing access to professional midwifery care, and driving evidence-based advocacy — transforming health care in Michoacan and paving the way for nationwide impact.

“Supporting Mujeres Aliadas is investing in a movement where women lead the transformation of their own healthcare. By combining midwifery expertise, community networks, and feminist principles, we amplify local voices, shift cultural norms, and build enduring systems.”

Lisel Lifshitz, Executive Director, Mujeres Aliadas

Reproductive Health and Rights

Converge revolutionizes reproductive health care access across the Deep South through innovative telehealth, clinical partnerships, and person-centered care models, serving thousands of women who previously lacked affordable, quality care options.

“While public funding and political will may ebb and flow, the need for accessible, high-quality sexual and reproductive health care never fades. The demand for care is constant, and so is the opportunity to make a foundational impact on people’s lives.”

Audrey Sandusky, Vice President, Communications and Marketing, Converge

Mental Health Care

Friendship Bench builds the capacity of community grandmothers to deliver therapy to primarily women clients in communities across Zimbabwe, to improve women's mental health and empower them with tools to flourish.

“Our scale strategy focuses on integrating our proven, community-led model into the national health system so that the government can deliver mental health care to every woman, even in the most remote areas. True progress comes when mental health is no longer a standalone project, but a lasting, government-embedded service reaching the last mile. This award is catalytic towards this audacious goal.”

Dr. Esther Tumbare, Chief Executive Officer, Friendship Bench

Maternal and Perinatal Health

Open Arms’ belief in equity as a birthright drives their community-based, culturally responsive birth doula services, lactation support, and community-building initiatives to create a world that cherishes women, their babies, and their families.

“True positive impact in women’s health begins with trust. When resources reach community-based organizations led by and for the people most affected, lives transform. Our doulas and lactation specialists do more than deliver services; they restore dignity, connection, and confidence to birthing people.”

Dila Perera, Executive Director, Open Arms Perinatal Services

Reproductive Health and Rights

FORWARD transforms responses to tackling violence against women and girls through specialist support services, community-based interventions, and leadership and partnership development to end abuse against women in the UK and Africa.

“We will expand our leadership training and movement-building to reach 500 young women, strengthen capacity of 20 young women's organizations and partner organizations to deliver effective programs so women and girls thrive and are free from violence, and develop evidence to drive systems change at multiple levels.”

Naana Otoo-Oyortey, Executive Director, Foundation for Women's Health Research and Development (FORWARD UK)

Public Health and Education

SAS Brasil delivers specialized health care to underserved communities in Brazil, using telemedicine and mobile units to prevent and treat cervical and breast cancer, ensuring access and equity for vulnerable women.

“Innovation is at the core of SAS Brasil. We constantly design smarter, more effective ways to solve critical health gaps. Investing in digital health for women is not charity, it is systems transformation. It is smart, scalable, and cost-efficient. Every dollar expands access, prevents advanced-stage disease, and strengthens the public system.”

Dr. Adriana Mallet, Cofounder and Chief Medical Officer, SAS Brasil

Reproductive Health and Rights

Likhaan integrates the provision of health services, organizing-education, and policy actions to improve the sexual and reproductive health and rights of marginalized women and youth in the Philippines.

“Likhaan community organizers are organic to the disadvantaged communities we work in because they live there. They understand the needs and aspirations of the women and youth, and embed these in our mission and programs. Communities trust and support Likhaan and the services and advocacies we bring because of this vital linkage by community organizers.”

Dr. Junice Lirza Melgar, Executive Director, Likhaan Center for Women’s Health Inc.