This March, we are celebrating Women’s History Month by highlighting nonprofits that advocate for women’s empowerment  around the world. 

Introduction

The roots of Women’s History Month trace back to 1975, when the United Nations recognized March 8 as International Women’s Day. Inspired in part by this, women’s rights champions in Santa Rosa, California began celebrating Women’s History Month as early as 1978. These symbolic celebrations carried immense cultural weight, and pushed the U.S. Congress to pass multiple resolutions throughout the 1980s, culminating in the official designation of March as Women’s History Month in 1987. 

Today, that passion lives on every day but especially in March when people of all identities come together to think about how to uplift all women. According to the National Women’s History Alliance—the nonprofit that spearheaded the movement in 1978—this year’s theme is “Women who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.” At Deed, we believe that by supporting the women and girls alongside the organizations showcased in this toolkit, we can amplify unheard voices and improve quality of life. 

In addition to establishing systematic approaches to empower women within your workplace, we urge you to contribute through donations and volunteer work. In this toolkit, you will find a curated global list of organizations supporting many different populations (often with an intersectional approach, sensitive not only to sex and gender but also race and class). Furthermore, we offer opportunities and recommendations for engaging your employees, employee resource groups (ERGs), and the wider community.

What is Deed’s “Cause of the Month” initiative?

Deed launched our “Cause of the Month” initiative in response to the important moments we see happening in the world around us. With our toolkits, we aim to inspire our client-partners and rally employees to become volunteers, donors, and leaders by supporting causes they really care about. 

With “Cause of the Month,” we aim to bring greater context to periods of observance—from Pride Month to Black History Month—such that anyone who reads our toolkit will have a clear plan of action for how to maintain their support today, tomorrow, for the rest of the month, and throughout the year. 

What will I get in every “Cause of the Month” toolkit? 

While every “Cause of the Month” toolkit has unique insights and engagement opportunities relevant to each particular cause, you can always expect us to cover certain areas.

For a better idea of what you’ll be getting, here’s what’s included in our Breast Cancer Awareness Month toolkit: 

• Volunteering and giving opportunities in the U.S. and around the world.
• A calendar of awareness days.
• Employee and employee resource group (ERG) engagement ideas, as well as a walkthrough of how to craft a social impact campaign.
• Recommendations of worthwhile books, podcasts, and films that explore the science of breast cancer and advocacy for better patient outcomes
  

Three things your organization should do this Women's History Month to demonstrate your authentic commitment to sex and gender equality 

1. Support the life-saving work of International Rescue Committee, the first humanitarian aid group to develop an international aid team dedicated to preventing violence against women and girls. The IRC is working in all major crisis areas, where multilateral support is needed now. 

2. Engage your employees in social impact through volunteering, donating, and community events. Your leadership can help foster good deeds and genuine social connections throughout your organization.

3. Learn alongside your employees with virtual museum activities from the National Museum of American History, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and more. Exploring new perspectives and stories together can lead to greater empathy and a refreshed commitment to social change. 

With Deed, your organization can do all of this and more. Our inclusive, user-friendly platform can support all aspects of organization's Women's History Month program can engage more employees in social impact than ever before.

Deed makes it fun and easy for millions of employees to share their time, money, and talent with causes they care about. We started as a viral volunteering app, and today our platform gives the world’s most inspiring brands—from Airbnb to lululemon—one exceptionally-designed home for all of their purpose-driven activities.

Corporate grantmaking, employee donations/matching, diversity & inclusion, and employee resource groups (ERGs) are only the beginning. Because over the past three to five years, everyone’s expectations for Fortune 500 corporate social responsibility have radically changed. But with our trusted integration partners like Workday and PayPal, hand-in-hand customer service, and a collaborative product team, Deed’s platform moves at the speed of work. 

To work with a true partner in social impact this February, reach out now and receive the full “Cause of the Month: Women's History Month” toolkit.