The Abortion Care Network (ACN) is a pro-abortion advocacy group that files amicus briefs in court cases and engages in public advocacy efforts related to preserving and extending legal protections for abortion in the United States. ^{1 2 3}

Overview

The Abortion Care Network is one of a number of abortion advocacy groups within the Alliance for Justice. ⁴ The Alliance for Justice is a left-of-center coalition of more than 100 organizations across the United States. The organization is most well known for the Judicial Selection Project, which promotes left-wing and Democratic-appointed judges while seeking to defeat the nominations of conversative and Republican-appointed judges. ⁵

On February 5, 2018, ACN sponsored six billboards in the San Francisco Bay Area opposing the California Board of Registered Nursing’s approval of a continuing education course on medication abortion reversal. ³ On September 20, 2021, ACN filed an amicus brief in the U.S Supreme Court case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization along with other pro-abortion and abortion-rights based organizations such as Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health, Medical Students for Choice, National Abortion Federation, Physicians for Reproductive Health, and Planned Parenthood Federation of America. ²

ACN has released statements on various political topics, including its support of the ideals and activities of Black Lives Matter. ^{6 7}

Funding

Abortion Care Network has received grants from numerous foundations across the United States. The David and Lucile Packard Foundation gave a $50,000 grant to the ACN in 2018 to support abortion providers. ⁸ The foundation gave a similar grant to ACN in 2020. ⁹ Arnold Ventures gave ACN a grant of $602,027 to support its work on contraceptive and abortion issues. ¹⁰ In 2020, ACN received grants from the Tara Health Foundation under its reproductive health and religious healthcare category. ¹¹

People

Nikki Madsen is the executive director of the Abortion Care Network. ¹² She is also an author for politically left-leaning and feminist publications such as Ms., ¹³ Bustle, ¹⁴ and Rewire News Group. ¹⁵

1. “About Abortion Care Network.” Abortion Care Network. Last modified April 28, 2021. https://abortioncarenetwork.org/about-abortion-care-network/.
2. “Leading Health Organizations File Amicus Brief on Behalf of Abortion Providers Opposing Mississippi Ban.” Planned Parenthood. Last modified September 20, 2021. https://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/newsroom/press-releases/leading-health-organizations-file-amicus-brief-on-behalf-of-abortion-providers-opposing-mississippi-ban.
3. “New Billboard Campaign Counters ‘Abortion Reversal’ Misinformation.” Colorlines. Last modified February 15, 2018. https://www.colorlines.com/articles/new-billboard-campaign-counters-abortion-reversal-misinformation.
4. “Abortion Care Network.” Alliance for Justice. Last modified October 16, 2020. https://www.afj.org/member-organization/abortion-care-network/.
5. “Alliance for Justice.” Activist Facts. Last modified July 23, 2014. https://www.activistfacts.com/organizations/529-alliance-for-justice/.
6. Abortion Care Network. “Another World Is Possible.” Medium. Last modified June 3, 2020. https://abortion-care-network.medium.com/another-world-is-possible-e3e4ef78d708.
7. Abortion Care Network. “Reimagine and Shape a Different World.” Medium. Last modified April 21, 2021. https://abortion-care-network.medium.com/reimagine-and-shape-a-different-world-d46a68d5638.
8. “Abortion Care Network.” David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Last modified September 14, 2021. https://www.packard.org/grants-and-investments/grants-database/abortion-care-network/.
9. “Abortion Care Network.” David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Last modified September 14, 2021. https://www.packard.org/grants-and-investments/grants-database/abortion-care-network-2/.
10. “Abortion Care Network.” Arnold Foundation. Accessed October 14, 2021. https://www.arnoldventures.org/grants/abortion-care-network/.
11. “Grantees.” Tara Health Foundation. Accessed October 14, 2021. https://www.tarahealthfoundation.org/grantees.
12. “Our Team.” Abortion Care Network. Last modified September 14, 2021. https://abortioncarenetwork.org/our-team/.
13. “Nikki Madsen, Author at Ms. Magazine.” Ms. Magazine. Accessed October 14, 2021. https://msmagazine.com/author/nmadsen/.
14. “Nikki Madsen.” Bustle. Accessed October 14, 2021. https://www.bustle.com/profile/nikki-madsen-1909978.
15. “Nikki Madsen.” Rewire News Group. Last modified January 24, 2017. https://rewirenewsgroup.com/author/nikki-madsen/.