The Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity, also known as CGRE, is a coalition of leftwing groups promoting abortion rights, organizing at the state and local level, and changes to the judiciary. ¹

MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, gave a $25 million grant to the organization. ²

Background

Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity was founded in 2018 as a partnership among donors focused on gender and abortion rights. ³

The group says it wants to focus on the “direct experience of inequity, including low-income women, women of color, and trans and gender expansive people.” ⁴

The CGRE says it raises money and supports organizations doing gender and abortion work at the national, state, and local level. ⁵

Funding

MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, donated $281 million in 2022, including to two abortion-advocacy organizations. Scott donated $15 million to the Guttmacher Institute and gave a $25 million grant to the Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity. ⁶ The group said the grant was an “unrestricted gift.” ⁷

The grant was to apply for “on-the-ground work” by the group aimed for state activism. CGRE Executive Director Margaret Hempel said the February 2022 grant was significant at a time “when abortion access is under severe threat.” ⁸

The advisory committee is made up of members of some of the largest donors on the left: the Ford Foundation, the JPB Foundation, the David and Lucille Packard Foundation, the Charles and Linn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, Acton Family Giving, and Bloomberg Philanthropies. ⁹

Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors contributed $1 million to the CGRE to support a project to work through state courts “to better support gender, reproductive, and racial equity.” ¹⁰

Leadership

Margaret Hempel is the executive director of the CGRE, a job she has held since the 2018 founding. Previously, she worked for nine years as the director of gender, racial and ethnic justice at the Ford Foundation. Before that, Hempel was vice president for programs at American Jewish World Service. She was also the former vice president for programs at the Ms. Foundation for Women. She also previously worked for Women of China magazine. ¹¹

Judy Wright is the director of state programs with CGRE. Previously, she was the founding director for the Ohio Transformation Fund. Before that, she worked as a community organizer in Chicago and Ohio. Wright also worked in program development for Planned Parenthood’s Ohio affiliates. ¹²

Jen Wylegala is the chief philanthropy and communications officer of CGRE. Previously, she was a senior philanthropic advisor at Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Planned Parenthood Action Fund. Before that, she was the strategic growth manager at Green for All. ¹³

Trishala Deb is the director of national programs for CGRE. Previously, she worked for organizations such as the Audre Lorde Project, the Arcus Foundation, Caring Across Generations, and Thousand Currents. ¹⁴

1. “About.” Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity. Accessed April 29, 2022. https://cgre.org/about
2. Press Release. “Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity Announces $25 Million Gift from MacKenzie Scott.” Accessed April 29, 2022. https://cgre.org/scott-announcement
3.  “About.” Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity. Accessed April 29, 2022. https://cgre.org/about
4.  “About.” Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity. Accessed April 29, 2022. https://cgre.org/about
5.  “About.” Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity. Accessed April 29, 2022. https://cgre.org/about
6. Reyes, Ronny. “Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife MacKenzie Scott donates $281 MILLION to Boys & Girls Club.” The Daily Mail. March 17, 2022. Accessed April 29, 2022. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10625257/Jeff-Bezos-ex-wife-MacKenzie-Scott-donates-281-MILLION-Boys-Girls-Club.html
7.  Press Release. “Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity Announces $25 Million Gift from MacKenzie Scott.” Accessed April 29, 2022. https://cgre.org/scott-announcement
8. “Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity receives $25 million.” Philanthropy Digest. March 1, 2022. https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/collaborative-for-gender-reproductive-equity-receives-25-million
9. “About.” Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity. Accessed April 29, 2022. https://cgre.org/about
10. “For The Collaborative For Gender + Reproductive Equity Judicial Work To Advance Reproductive Equity.” Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. Accessed April 29, 2022. https://hewlett.org/grants/rockefeller-philanthropy-advisors-for-the-collaborative-for-gender-reproductive-equity-judicial-work-to-advance-reproductive-equity/
11.  “About.” Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity. Accessed April 29, 2022. https://cgre.org/about
12. “About.” Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity. Accessed April 29, 2022. https://cgre.org/about
13. “About.” Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity. Accessed April 29, 2022. https://cgre.org/about
14. “About.” Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity. Accessed April 29, 2022. https://cgre.org/about