The Young Women’s Christian Association, commonly known as the YWCA, is the national umbrella group of the female version of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA). The YWCA provides basic services to young women, including poverty relief and the operation of women’s shelters. In 2015, the “Young Women’s Christian Association of the United States of America, Inc.” changed its official name to “YWCA USA, Inc.” ¹

The YWCA organization also engages in left-wing racial- and women’s-interest advocacy. The YWCA’s stated mission is “eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.” ²

The YWCA was founded in London in 1855 and its first American branch opened in 1858. The YWCA has over 225 global chapters in over 1,300 locations in over 120 countries that serve more than 2.3 million individuals through 52,000 volunteers. ^{3 4} In 2022, the YWCA distributed between $10,000 and over $300,000 to dozens of local chapters. ⁵

Funding

As of 2017, the national YWCA and its American chapters received almost 50 percent of their funding from government sources, including $206 million from the federal government and $102 million from state and local governments. Of the government funding, almost $119 million was generated for childcare and early learning services, over $29 million for workforce development, $25 million to combat gender-based violence, almost $17 million for housing and community development, and over $11 million for health and nutrition. ⁶

In 2017, the YWCA’s major federal funding sources included the Violence Against Women Act, the Victims of Crime Act, the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, Social Services Block Grants, Emergency Solutions Grants, Community Development Block Grants, the FEMA Emergency Food and Shelter Program, Veterans Transitional Housing Grant and Per Diem Program, Head Start, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). ⁷

Stand Against Racism

In 2004, the YWCA held its Summit on Eliminating Racism. Prior, racial equity was not considered a major cause of the YWCA. ⁸

In 2007, the YWCA’s Stand Against Racism campaign to support racial equity as an organizational goal was launched by two New Jersey YWCA branches in Trenton and Princeton. The campaign soon spread to 39 states and 250,000 participants. ⁹

In 2015, Stand Against Racism was adopted by the national YWCA organization, thereby making racial equity a “signature campaign” goal of the entire organization. ¹⁰

Political Advocacy

The YWCA engages in advocacy through its Action Center which amasses emails from members to send to U.S. Congress. ¹¹

The YWCA supports government efforts to close an alleged pay gap between men and women, including passing updates to the 1963 Fairness Pay Act, such as prohibiting employers to use pay history to determine salaries, creating federally funded programs to educate women on how to negotiate pay, and limiting regulations on pay discrimination lawsuits. ¹²

The YWCA supports increased federal funding for women’s shelters and violence prevention programs. Supported bills include the Family Violence Prevention Services Act and the Violence Against Women Act. ¹³

The YWCA supports the Women’s Health Protection Act, a bill to federally legalize abortion. ¹⁴

The YWCA supports increased federal funding for nonprofits that provide basic charitable services. ¹⁵

Racial Justice Challenge

Since 2019, the YWCA has run an annual campaign known as the “Racial Justice Challenge” in 2023, but previously known as the “Stand Against Racism Challenge,” the “21 Day Racial Equity Challenge,” and the “Social Justice Challenge.” During the four-week campaign, an app and website dedicated to the Challenge hosts daily challenges to participants to improve their ability to advocate for left-of-center racial equity through activities including reading articles, listening to podcasts, and “reflecting on personal experiences.” ¹⁶

Controversies

In April 2023, the YWCA was criticized for presenting a trans woman as a keynote speaker at its Women of Distinction award event. ¹⁷

In 2016, the YWCA’s Stand Against Racism campaign posted a call for racial minority girls to write blog posts about instances of racial discrimination. According to the YWCA, the post garnered a large backlash since “more than a few [critics] […] interpreted this ask as racist and discriminatory against White girls.” The YWCA alleged that the critics attacking the post were racist and that “equity feels like oppression to those who are privileged.” ¹⁸

1. “FAQ.” YWCA. Accessed June 23, 2023. https://www.ywca.org/about/faq/.
2. “YWCA USA Inc.” ProPublica. Accessed June 23, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/131624103/202310399349301371/full.
3. “YMCA, YWCA sexual abuse lawsuit claim review.” Top Class Actions. Decemeber 30, 2022. Accessed June 23, 2023. https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/sexual-assault-abuse/ymca-ywca-sexual-assault-class-action-lawsuit-investigation/.
4. “FAQ.” YWCA. Accessed June 23, 2023. https://www.ywca.org/about/faq/.
5. “YWCA USA Inc.” ProPublica. Accessed June 23, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/131624103/202310399349301371/full.
6. “YWCA FEDERAL FUNDING OVERVIEW.” YWCA. Accessed June 23, 2023. https://www.ywca.org/wp-content/uploads/YWCA-Federal-Funding-Overview-Handout-20180215.pdf.
7.  “YWCA FEDERAL FUNDING OVERVIEW.” YWCA. Accessed June 23, 2023. https://www.ywca.org/wp-content/uploads/YWCA-Federal-Funding-Overview-Handout-20180215.pdf.
8. “History.” YWCA. Accessed June 23, 2023. https://www.ywca.org/about/history/.
9. “History.” YWCA. Accessed June 23, 2023. https://www.ywca.org/about/history/.
10. “History.” YWCA. Accessed June 23, 2023. https://www.ywca.org/about/history/.
11. “YWCA Action Center.” YWCA. Accessed June 23, 2023. https://ywca.quorum.us/actioncenter/.
12. “It’s Time for Equal Pay for Equal Work!.” YWCA. Accessed June 23, 2023. https://ywca.quorum.us/campaign/45820/.
13. “Tell Us Your Story: Gender-based Violence.” YWCA. Accessed June 23, 2023. https://ywca.quorum.us/campaign/34533/.
14. “Support the Women’s Health Protection Act!.” YWCA. Accessed June 23, 2023. https://ywca.quorum.us/campaign/46504/.
15. “Tell Us Your Story: COVID-19 Impact on Nonprofits.” YWCA. Accessed June 23, 2023. https://ywca.quorum.us/campaign/34558/.
16. “About the Racial Justice Challenge.” Justice YWCA. Accessed June 23, 2023. https://justice.ywca.org/challenge/.
17. ^[1] “YWCA attacked online after announcing a transwoman as keynote speaker for Women of Distinction awards.” Global News. April 29, 2023. Accessed June 23, 2023. https://globalnews.ca/video/9660306/ywca-attacked-online-after-announcing-a-transwoman-as-keynote-speaker-for-women-of-distinction-awards#:~:text=at%205%20Regina-,YWCA%20attacked%20online%20after%20announcing%20a%20transwoman%20as,for%20Women%20of%20Distinction%20awards&text=The%20Regina%20YWCA%20has%20been,Women%20of%20Distinction%20awards%20presentation.
18. YWCA CEO DEFENDS CAMPAIGN TARGETING WOMEN AND GIRLS OF COLOR.” Ebony.com. April 11, 2016. Accessed June 23, 2023. https://www.ebony.com/ywca-stand-against-racism/.