Dear Colleagues,
The retraction of funding for feminist movements and foreign aid has continued to decimate grassroots organizations since January 2025. But the truth is that, even prior to 2025, resources never flowed adequately or equitably.
Last week, three Women’s Funding Network member organizations — Fundación de Mujeres en Puerto Rico, Haitian Women’s Collective, and VidaAfrolatina — joined forces to host Resourcing Feminist Power in Underfunded Regions of the Americas. We designed this dialogue to expose the funding gaps we tackle and to generate more equitable, trust-based solutions for the Caribbean and Latin America.
Each of our women’s funds was created to address profound, persistent underfunding. In the case of Fundación de Mujeres en Puerto Rico and Haitian Women’s Collective, this results from geographic and political marginalization.
Some funders assume that as U.S. territory, the needs of Puerto Rico’s movements are met. Many funders of Latin American movements exclude Puerto Rico because it doesn’t fit neatly into geographic portfolios.
Haiti has experienced geopolitical interference, economic, and human rights crises for decades. As a result, many funders have neglected working in its complex context.
VidaAfrolatina resources Black women’s movements throughout Latin America, where exclusion from economic and political systems stems from racial discrimination throughout the region. People of African descent are one-third of Latin America’s population but receive less than 3% of grant funding.
Communities across the Caribbean and Latin America are experiencing a convergence of anti-rights policies, unchecked gender-based violence, and climate crises. Funding volatility limits our partners’ ability to move from short-term survival mode to long-term, scalable impact. An important and promising highlight of our event was excitement around diversifying funding resources, beyond traditional grant funding. We welcome continuing this conversation with others in the WFN community and beyond.
We are excited to build on this partnership so that uniquely excluded movements become generously resourced. We are absolutely stronger together.
In solidarity,
Verónica Colón Rosario
Fundación de Mujeres en Puerto Rico
Executive Director
Carine Jocelyn
The Haitian Women’s Collective
Founder & Director
Lori Robinson
VidaAfrolatina
Founder & Executive Director