About the pocket change series

Ms. Foundation for Women’s Pocket Change series closely observes how organizations by and for women, girls, and gender-expansive people operate and how philanthropic support for them evolves over time. The series describes a chronic state of severe challenges and risks resulting from persistent underfunding. The first report, Pocket Change: How Women and Girls of Color Do More With Less, sought to depict how these organizations accomplish their mission and the support they need in order to thrive. It turned a critical lens on the philanthropic sector, showing how the support has fallen far short of the need. The second report, Living With Pocket Change: What it Means to Do More with Less, dove deeper into the perspectives of women, girls, and gender-expansive leaders working in this space, documenting the cost of chronic disinvestment in a time of mounting threats to democracy, organizational sustainability, and personal well-being.

About the Ms. Foundation

Mission

The mission of Ms. Foundation for Women is to build women’s collective power in the U.S. to advance equity and justice for all.

We achieve our mission by investing in, and strengthening, the capacity of women-led movements to advance meaningful social, cultural and economic change in the lives of women.

Vision

We believe in a just and safe world where power and possibility are not limited by gender, race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or age.

We believe that equity and inclusion are the cornerstones of a true democracy in which the worth and dignity of every person are valued.

For more information, visit: forwomen.org.

Methodology & Data collection

Ms. Foundation and Strength in Numbers Consulting Group (SiNCG) began this study by outlining research questions for each of the five elements of the funding landscape to be explored. The full list of research questions for the survey can be found in Appendix A of Beyond Pocket Change: Creating Stability and Strength.

To test and refine the research questions and begin the data collection process, SiNCG:

  1. Conducted qualitative consultations with grantmakers,
  2. Co-facilitated a participatory process engaging an Advisory Council of leaders from organizations by and for women, girls, and gender-expansive people of color to inform the landscape survey,
  3. Co-designed a landscape survey of organizations by and for women, girls, and gender-expansive people of color, and
  4. Conducted an analysis of Candid data from 2017–2023 (the most recent data available by early 2025).