New $680K Zoom Cares grant helps women and girls access more opportunities

Around the world, women and girls continue to face barriers in accessing education and employment. Despite notable progress in the last three decades, systemic challenges such as poverty, cultural norms, and inadequate resources persist, preventing many from realizing their full potential. These obstacles not only limit individual opportunities but stifle societal and economic growth and innovation.

The World Giving Institute reports that less than 2% of philanthropic funding supports causes focused on women and girls. Women's labor market participation globally remains roughly 30% lower than men's; women still shoulder an overwhelmingly disproportionate amountof unpaid domestic and care work, and refugee girls are half as likely to enroll in secondary school than male peers.

At Zoom, we care about creating a better future for women and girls. So today we're proud to announce the Her Future Opportunity Grant. This $680,000 Zoom Caresgrant will help women and girls access and sustain educational and economic opportunities to pursue the futures they want for themselves.

The grant provides support for nonprofits working to empower women and girls in global geographies - Africa, Australia, England, India, Ireland, Singapore, and the United States - with $85K going to each organization. We're also offering optional in-kind Zoom licenses and tech support, giving more of their users access to our products and opening up premium features.

The eight diverse nonprofits we're supporting

We've selected organizations that have a deep understanding of the challenges women and girls face. In particular, we're supporting nonprofits that help women who are affected by persistent challenges that compound unemployment, such as poverty, identity-based discrimination, natural disasters and conflict, or being a sole parent.

"We know women and girls in each economy and community face different challenges, so the right solutions will look different from place to place," said Tilly Josephson, philanthropy and community impact lead at Zoom. "In some locations, part of the solution may be expanding programming to drive high school completion, in others, more pathways to flexible jobs and entrepreneurship or improving labor rights education. We chose these nonprofits because they're deeply committed to uplifting women and girls, offer locally relevant solutions, and engage their communities to ensure women's voices, experiences, and aspirations directly inform the work."

Congratulations to our inspiring partners

• An Cosan(Ireland) empowers women through learning, leadership, and enterprise.
• African Women's Entrepreneurship Cooperative(African Continent) supports African women entrepreneurs to build resilient businesses.
• BelEve(UK) creates the next generation of women leaders by equipping girls and young women with the skills, support, and confidence to find their voice and make informed choices about their future.
• Daughters of Tomorrow(Singapore) supports low-income women in achieving financial independence and enabling social mobility for their families.
• Girls Inc. of Alameda County(USA) connects girls from underserved neighborhoods with access to the resources and opportunities they need to navigate gender, economic, and racial barriers, and realize their potential.
• Head Held High Foundation(India) works to eradicate poverty, with an emphasis on improving opportunities for youth, empowering women, and supporting livelihood development in rural communities.
• Sister Works(Australia) empowers women-particularly refugees, asylum-seekers, or migrants-through employment opportunities and entrepreneurship programs that help them develop their skills, confidence, and connections.
• WIEGO(global)- a nonprofit dedicated to empowering the working poor to secure their livelihoods, striving for equal economic opportunities, rights, and protection.

Zoom's technology plays an important role in enabling hybrid work and learning, and that allows more women to participate in jobs and economic opportunities. And while female empowerment through flexible work is important to us, we want to do even more to ensure girls and women can access opportunities.

"This funding will have a positive impact on multiple levels," Smita Hashim, Zoom's chief product officer said. "If we can open doors for more women and girls, it's good for those individuals, of course. They can pursue their dreams. They can build a better future for themselves. But if we take a big-picture view, it's also good for their communities and, ultimately, for economies and societies around the world."

After distributing $35 million in grant funding since 2020, we're excited to take another step forward with the Her Future Opportunity Grant. When every girl around the world has the opportunity to realize her potential, the possibilities for our future are limitless.