PRESS RELEASE // PRESS STATEMENT
[New York, NY], March 25, 2024 – Sakhi for South Asian Women, a prominent nonprofit organization based in New York City, has been named as one of the awardees of the Yield Giving Open Call, announced by philanthropist MacKenzie Scott on March 19, 2024. Yield Giving, in partnership with Lever for Change, a nonprofit affiliate of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, selected Sakhi from a competitive pool of organizations dedicated to addressing critical issues in the United States. Sakhi has been granted an exceptional $2 million, exceeding initial expectations.
In March 2023, Yield Giving launched an Open Call for community-led, community-focused organizations whose explicit purpose is to enable individuals and families to achieve substantive improvement in their well-being through foundational resources.
The Open Call received 6,353 applications and initially planned for 250 awards of $1 million each. In the Fall of 2023, organizations top-rated by their peers advanced to a second round of review by an external Evaluation Panel recruited for experience relevant to this cause, and underwent a final round of due diligence. In light of the incredible work of these organizations, as judged by their peers and external panelists, the donor team decided to expand the awardee pool and the award amount. Sakhi was one of 279 organizations to receive the increased $2 million grant amount.
“We are thrilled and deeply honored to receive this significant grant,” said Kavita Mehra, Executive Director of Sakhi. “This recognition underscores our unwavering commitment to our community and is a resounding endorsement of our mission of ending gender-based violence.”
Founded in 1989, Sakhi has been at the forefront of advocating against gender-based violence and promoting gender justice within the South Asian community, providing essential services to survivors of gender-based violence in New York for over 35 years.
“We are excited that our partnership with Yield Giving has resonated with so many organizations,” said Cecilia Conrad, CEO of Lever for Change. “In a world teeming with potential and talent, the Open Call has given us an opportunity to identify, uplift, and empower transformative organizations that often remain unseen.”
“While this grant is a significant step forward, we recognize that our work is far from done,” added Kavita Mehra. “Our mission remains pressing, and we are committed to continuing our efforts until all individuals have access to safety and justice.”
“Lever for Change’s rigorous and peer reviewed assessments makes this generous Yield Giving gift a testament to the organization that Sakhi has become as a result of the hard work and dedication of generations of leaders, employees, and volunteers who have collectively contributed to Sakhi’s mission,” said Beesham A. Seecharan, Board Chair of Sakhi.
This grant not only recognizes Sakhi’s significant contributions to date but also emphasizes the urgent need for continued efforts in addressing gender-based violence within the South Asian community. Despite progress made, challenges persist, with 48% of South Asian Americans experiencing gender-based violence in their lifetime.
More information on the Yield Giving Open Call and other initiatives can be found at
www.leverforchange.org.
Media Contact:
Name: Zainab Muzaffar
Title: Sr Associate Director, Development & Communications
Email:
Phone: 646.258.5783
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Yield Giving
Established by MacKenzie Scott to share a financial fortune created through the effort of countless people, Yield Giving is named after a belief in adding value by giving up control. To date, Yield’s network of staff and advisors has yielded over $16,500,000,000 to 1,900+ non-profit teams to use as they see fit for the benefit of others. To learn more, visit www.yieldgiving.com.
Lever for Change
Lever for Change connects donors with bold solutions to the world’s biggest problems—including issues like racial inequity, gender inequality, lack of access to economic opportunity, and climate change. Using an inclusive, equitable model and due diligence process, Lever for Change creates customized challenges and other tailored funding opportunities. Top-ranked teams and challenge finalists become members of the Bold Solutions Network—a growing global network that helps secure additional funding, amplify members’ impact, and accelerate social change. Founded in 2019 as a nonprofit affiliate of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Lever for Change has influenced over $1.7 billion in grants to date and provided support to more than 145 organizations.
To learn more, visit www.leverforchange.org.
Sakhi for South Asian Women
Sakhi for South Asian Women’s mission is to represent the South Asian diaspora in a survivor-led movement for gender-justice and to honor the collective and inherent power of all survivors of violence. Since 1989, Sakhi has been committed to serving survivors through a combination of efforts including—but not limited to—direct services, advocacy and organizing, technical assistance and community outreach.
For more information about Sakhi, visit www.sakhi.org.