National Organizations

The National Women’s Studies Association

The NWSA supports and promotes feminist/womanist teaching, learning, research, and professional and community service at the pre-K through post-secondary levels and serves as a locus of information about the inter-disciplinary field of Women’s Studies for those outside the profession.

Albany Chapter of NOW

State-level action to promote NOW’s goals.

Women’s Studies Database

The University of Maryland women’s studies database, begun in September 1992, serves those people interested in the women’s studies profession and in general women’s issues. (This is an excellent site!)

The Center for Women’s Policy Studies

A multiethnic and multicultural feminist research, policy analysis and advocacy group that brings women’s diverse voices to important debates — on women and AIDS, violence against women and girls, welfare reform, access to health care, educational equity, work/family and workplace diversity policies, reproductive rights and health, and much more.

The Women’s Legal Defense and Education Fund

NOW Legal Defense pursues equality for women and girls in the workplace, the schools, the family and the courts, through litigation, education, and public information programs.

The Feminist Majority Foundation

Research and action programs that focus on advancing the legal, social and political equality of women with men, countering the backlash to women’s advancement, and recruiting and training young feminists to encourage future leadership for the feminist movement in the United States. To carry out these aims, FMF engages in research and public policy development, public education programs, grassroots organizing projects, leadership training and development programs, and participates in and organizes forums on issues of women’s equality and empowerment. Their sister organization, the Feminist Majority, engages in lobbying and other direct political action, pursuing equality between women and men through legislative avenues.

Ms. Foundation for Women

The Ms. Foundation for Women, a national, multi-issue, public women’s fund, supports the efforts of women and girls to govern their own lives and influence the world around them. It funds and assists women’s self-help organizing efforts, and pursues changes in public consciousness, law, philanthropy, and social policy. The foundation directs resources to break down barriers based on race, class, age, disability, sexual orientation and culture.

The National League of Women Voters

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

The United Nations Development Fund for Women

UNIFEM promotes women’s empowerment and gender equality. It works to ensure the participation of women in all levels of development planning and practice, and acts as a catalyst within the UN system, supporting efforts that link the needs and concerns of women to all critical issues on the national, regional and global agendas.

The International Women’s Tribune Center

The IWTC is an international, activist organization dedicated to achieving women’s full participation in shaping a development process that is just, peaceful and sustainable.

The Global Fund for Women

A grant-making foundation supporting women’s human rights around the world working to address critical issues such as gaining economic independence, increasing girls’ access to education and stopping violence against women.

Feminista!

The online journal of feminist construction, featuring an article about The Women in Black’s protest about the war in Yugoslavia.

The Berkshire Conference on the History of Women

The Berkshire Conference of Women Historians formed in the early decades of the 20th century in response to women academics’ sense of professional isolation. Although allowed to join the American Historical Association (the professional organization for historians in the U.S.), women were never invited to the “smokers,” the parties, the dinners and the informal gatherings where the leading men of the profession introduced their graduate students to their colleagues and generally shepherded them into history jobs in colleges and universities. In an attempt to get to know each other, women who later formed the basis of the Berkshire group began to sponsor breakfasts at the AHA, to establish a network among female historians, as well as to exchange ideas on professional activities.

The National Women’s History Project

The National Women’s History Project is an educational nonprofit organization. Our mission is to recognize and celebrate the diverse and historic accomplishments of women by providing information and educational materials and programs.

Planned Parenthood Federation of America

Their mission is to provide comprehensive reproductive and complementary health care services in settings which preserve and protect the essential privacy and rights of each individual; to advocate public policies which guarantee these rights and ensure access to such services; to provide educational programs which enhance understanding of individual and societal implications of human sexuality; and to promote research and the advancement of technology in reproductive health care and encourage understanding of their inherent bioethical, behavioral, and social implications.

The Center for Reproductive Law and Policy

A non-profit organization dedicated to promoting women’s equality worldwide by guaranteeing reproductive rights as human rights. Reproductive rights, the foundation for women’s self-determination over their bodies and sexual lives, are critical to all women’s ability to achieve their full potential.

The National Abortion and Reproduction Rights League

The political arm of the pro-choice movement and a strong advocate of reproductive freedom and choice. NARAL’s mission is to protect and preserve the right to choose while promoting policies and programs that improve women’s health and make abortion less necessary. It works to educate Americans and officeholders about reproductive rights and health issues and elect pro-choice candidates at all levels of government.

Futures Without Violence

A national non-profit organization that works to end domestic violence and help women and children whose lives are devastated by abuse, because every person has a right to live in a home free of violence.

The National Asian Women’s Health Organization

NAWHO designs and implements innovative educational programs to end racial and ethnic health disparities, involve Asian Americans in health promotion activities, and raise awareness among health professionals and policy-makers of the specific challenges that Asian Americans face in accessing care and information.

The National Center for Lesbian Rights

NCLR is a national legal resource center with a primary commitment to advancing the rights and safety of lesbians and their families through a program of litigation, public policy advocacy, free legal advice and counseling, and public education.

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

A think tank that works to eliminate prejudice, violence and injustice against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people at the local, state and national level. As part of a broader social justice movement for freedom, justice and equality, NGLTF is creating a world that respects and celebrates the diversity of human expression and identity where all people may fully participate in society.

The Capital District Gay and Lesbian Community Center

A multifaceted organization serving New York State’s Capital Region gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered (GLBT) community. It seeks to promote the understanding and acceptance of the GLBT community and to provide important programs and services to the community.

The International Lesbian and Gay Association

A world-wide federation of national and local groups dedicated to achieving equal rights for lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgendered people everywhere.

LGBTQ Students and College Affordability

AffordableColleges.com generated a list of resources for LGBTQ students. This isn’t just a list of scholarships (although they have those too!). Their guide includes actionable strategies to assess a school on its inclusivity and programs to help make the transition to college easier for LGBTQ students.

AddictionResourse.net mission is to break down the barriers and stigmas that surround substance abuse with free, accurate, and valuable information.

A list of LGBTQ-friendly drug and rehab facilities can be found here.

RehabSpot is an information hub on substance use, rather than a facility ourselves. Their primary focus is to educate people on all aspects of substance-use and the recovery process: from selection of treatment center, to what you can expect during treatment, to entering back into a healthy and fulfilling life.