Investing in Women is Investing in Puerto Rico: What Our Latest Study Reveals

In Puerto Rico, there is a network of community organizations that, day after day, sustain essential services where the State does not reach: shelters for survivors of violence, legal and psychological support, health programs, housing, education, and economic opportunities for women, girls, and feminized trans people.

Their work saves lives, breaks cycles of violence, and strengthens entire communities. Yet, this sector has been historically invisible and poorly documented. Globally, less than 2% of philanthropic contributions go to organizations that work directly with women and girls. In Puerto Rico, that gap is even deeper.

At a time when some narratives seek to discredit the fight for gender equity, having concrete data is more than a tool: it is a form of defense. It is the way to demonstrate that investing in women, in all their diversity, multiplies the well-being of any society.

As the first and only philanthropic entity in Puerto Rico dedicated exclusively to advancing gender equity, we have the responsibility to deeply understand the landscape in which we work.

This study is not an isolated academic exercise. It is a strategy to make philanthropy more intentional, efficient, and transformative. To ensure that investments reach the organizations that truly sustain our communities. To guide donors and allies toward proven solutions with far-reaching social impact.

Our strategic plan commits us to generating reliable data that strengthens public policy and social investment. This report is part of that commitment.

Findings

This study identified 59 community organizations that, together, serve more than 15,000 people each year in Puerto Rico. Their work focuses on vital areas such as addressing gender-based violence, education and rights, housing, economic development, and disaster response.

The diversity of their services is striking: they offer everything from shelters and case management to training in non-traditional trades, emotional support, food distribution, and prevention workshops. Their main beneficiaries are women living below the poverty line and survivors of violence, as well as the LGBTTQI+ community and rural women—populations that have historically been marginalized.

Most revealing is that, in some programs, every dollar invested translates into three to four dollars in social and economic benefits—a tangible return that proves this work is not an expense, but a strategic investment.

However, this sector faces critical risks: more than half have experienced funding cuts and increased operating costs, nearly 40% have had to reduce services, and 11% have even had to close temporarily. In practice, this means fewer shelters, fewer prevention programs, fewer opportunities for community-based employment, and less support for those seeking to break the cycle of violence and poverty.

Presentation during our Annual Assembly

Financing gender equity is, in essence, financing Puerto Rico’s sustainability

To achieve real change, we need the private sector, the public sector, and philanthropy to recognize that the most effective solutions come from the communities themselves—from the experience and knowledge of those living the realities we seek to transform.

At the Fundación de Mujeres en Puerto Rico, we act as a safe and strategic bridge, channeling resources to the organizations leading this change with transparency, accountability, and a long-term vision.

Investing in women is not an act of charity: it is a smart decision to build a more just, strong, and prosperous country.

Communities already have the proposals and the will to transform Puerto Rico; all they need now are the resources to make it happen.