Abortion Funds
What are abortion funds?
Abortion funds are usually non-profit volunteer-run organizations that function primarily to assist a person monetarily in obtaining abortions. Abortion funds raise money, then distribute it to low-income persons who are in need of abortion care. The money is usually sent as a voucher directly to the clinic the person is going to. Sometimes this organizations also provide practical support, such as helping with transportation, lodgings, and child care for that person.
Abortion funds come in two sizes: local, and national. Local funds help people in a specific region (they can either help residents of X, no matter where they obtain their abortion, people who are obtaining an abortion in X, no matter where they are from, or often both.) Some of these local funds work directly with one specific clinic, some of these funds are willing to send money to any clinic. National funds are much larger and usually help people seeking abortion throughout a country and can send funding to just about any clinic with which they have relations.
In the United States there exists a network of these funds, called the National Network of Abortion Funds. In the network are also a few funds from outside of the United States.
If you are thinking of starting your own fund, here is a good write up on how to do it. Also make sure to check out NNAF’s guide, too.
NNAF has already made the best map imaginable for abortion funds – so if you are trying to find one near you to volunteer with, check out their map here.
