National Network of Abortion Funds Records
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Historical Note
The National Network of Abortion Funds is a national social justice organization dedicated to increasing access to abortion for low-income women and girls across the U.S. It was founded by twenty-two grassroots abortion Funds at a conference held May 1-2, 1993 at the National 4H Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland; the NNAF incorporated in 1994. A six-person national board was elected at the 1993 conference, and each board member was assigned several Funds for which they had networking and communicating responsibilities. Since 1994, the NNAF has charged its board with increasing the organization's diversity of age, race, and ethnicity. From 1993 to 2003, the NNAF functioned with minimal paid infrastructure: office space was donated by Hampshire College (Amherst, Mass.); Marlene G. Fried served as unpaid executive director and fundraiser; Shawn Towhey acted as unpaid communications director; and other national board members coordinated and implemented the programmatic work of the organization through task forces. Beginning in 1998, grants from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation enabled the NNAF to hire three consultants (development, organizational, and technology), which enabled it to reach new levels of sustainability and growth. In 2005, the board created the position of National Case Manager to oversee distribution of monies specifically designated for abortion funding. The NNAF works to facilitate networking and to provide support and technical assistance to local member funds, which in turn provide direct assistance to women seeking abortions. The organization also conducts national and state-based advocacy to ensure that those most in need (low-income women, women of color, and young women) have access to abortion and full reproductive health care. NNAF is a member of several national coalitions, including the Training and Access Working Group (TAWG), the Communications Group (communications directors from pro-choice organizations), and SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Health Collective. For more information see the NNAF Web site: http://www.nnaf.org/index.html |