About
MADRE is an international women's human rights organization based in New York City. Founded in 1983, it advances women's human rights by meeting urgent needs in communities and building lasting solutions to crises defined by women and girls themselves. Working through feminist values and an intersectional approach to justice, MADRE partners with grassroots women- and girl-led organizations in more than 40 countries.
Mission
MADRE's stated mission is to advance women's human rights by meeting urgent needs in communities and building lasting solutions to crises defined by women and girls. The organization centers the leadership of grassroots women and girls, builds deep trust-based relationships with its partners, and takes a holistic approach to sustainable change across gender, racial, climate, and disability justice.
What they do
MADRE works through three integrated program areas:
- Grantmaking: MADRE provides trust-based grants to women- and girl-led groups, prioritizing organizations led by women, girls, Indigenous women, Afro-descendant women, LGBTQIA+ people, and people with disabilities. Grants fund humanitarian aid, direct services, community organizing, leadership development, organizational support, and legal assistance for activists. The organization reports having provided $65 million and counting to support groups in over 40 countries.
- Advocacy: MADRE pairs legal expertise with communications work to drive policy change, working with partners to identify human rights violations and pursue legal and policy reforms. Its feminist foreign policy initiative prioritizes climate and gender justice, women peacebuilders in conflict zones, and feminist economic justice policies.
- Capacity bridging: a newer initiative that convenes partners globally for knowledge-sharing, organizational strengthening rooted in local expertise, cross-collaboration in the Global South, and advocacy network-building.
History
MADRE was founded in 1983 after women activists traveled to Nicaragua and witnessed the impact of the Contra War. They returned with a mandate from Nicaraguan women to inform US public opinion and work to change US policy. Founding Director Kathy Engel built a women-led organization that has continued this work across multiple US administrations.
Scale and impact
MADRE's partnerships span more than 40 countries, including Myanmar, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Brazil, and Yemen. Over its 40-plus-year history, the organization reports providing over $69 million in grantmaking and in-kind support to its grassroots partners.
Financials
According to ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer, MADRE, Inc. (EIN 13-3280194) is a 501(c)(3) organization that reported total revenue of $13,270,268, total expenses of $12,406,390, and total assets of $27,594,622 for the fiscal year ending September 2025. The IRS issued its tax exemption in September 1984.
Governance
MADRE is led by Executive Director Yifat Susskind and governed by a board of directors, with staff based in New York City.
