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CREATING RESOURCES FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ACTION INC
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 311812979 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE S80 · Community Improvement · Large ($10M-$50M) · creaworld.org
revenue
$10.6M
expenses
$11.0M
net assets
$16.9M
employees
2
program ratio
85%
mission · from form 990

CREA BUILDS FEMINIST LEADERSHIP, STRENGTHENS MOVEMENTS, CHALLENGES UNJUST POWER STRUCTURES, EXPANDS SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOMS, AND ADVANCES THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF STRUCTURALLY EXCLUDED PEOPLE.

profile · synthesized from sources

CREA builds feminist leadership and strengthens movements to advance sexual and reproductive freedoms and human rights for structurally excluded people. The organization operates globally with a focus on the Global South, implementing training institutes, advocacy campaigns, and community-level programs. It supports elected women representatives, women collectives, and young people in India and partners across multiple regions.

named programs · 10 · from sources

What they call their work

#AbortTheStigma
Campaign to normalize abortion conversations and advocate for access to safe abortion services.
#FLAWSINLAWS
Advocacy campaign challenging laws that criminalize young people’s sexuality and promote protectionist policies.
Disability, Sexuality and Rights Online Institute
Virtual program exploring intersections of disability, gender, sexuality, and feminism, with attention to racial justice, SRHR, and media representation.
Feminist Leadership, Movement Building and Rights Institute
Intensive training in English and Hindi on feminist leadership, patriarchy, gender-based violence, and disability rights, conducted in South Asia and East Africa.
Ibtida
Network of women-led grassroots organizations in India that raises awareness on gender rights and justice among 30,000 women, girls, sex workers, trans persons, and women with disabilities annually.
Meri Panchayat, Meri Shakti
Training series for Elected Women Representatives in India to build feminist leadership, challenge patriarchal norms, and strengthen local governance participation in Jharkhand, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh.
Mujhe Bhi Gino
“Count Me Too” campaign under the It’s My Body program, promoting bodily autonomy and inclusion of marginalized voices.
Our Voices, Our Futures (OVOF) Deep-dive
Annual three-day virtual mini-institute for global human rights practitioners focusing on technology, expression, and activism.
Sexuality, Gender and Rights Institute
Residential training program that provides conceptual education on sexuality, gender, and rights for activists, researchers, and practitioners using a rights-based lens.
Women Gaining Ground
Global South-led consortium that builds leadership capacity of young women, girls, and women with disabilities to combat gender-based violence and integrate disability justice into feminist movements.
activities · 8 groups

What they do

  • Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Education 2 activities
    • Capacity building for elected women representatives and women collectives
      Has increased the capacity of over 2,000 Elected Women Representatives and 3,000 members from women collectives since 2013 through trainings and workshops on sexuality, gender, violence against women, and human rights. Also co-implements the 'Meri Panchayat, Meri Shakti' training series with 11 partner organizations in Jharkhand, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh.
    • Community-based advocacy campaigns
      Organizes community-based advocacy during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, uniting 30 organizations from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for cultural programs and local engagements. Also launched the 2019 #FLAWSINLAWS campaign with seven organizations across six countries to challenge laws criminalizing young people, and develops knowledge resources to support global sex worker collectives in decriminalization advocacy.
  • Women's Empowerment and Leadership Development 1 activity
    • Feminist leadership development and movement strengthening
      Advances human rights of structurally excluded people through feminist leadership development and movement strengthening, with a focus on young women leaders and feminist organizations in the Global South. The organization has operated for over 15 years, particularly advancing rights of women and girls with disabilities.
  • Podcast and Radio Production 1 activity
    • Feminist radio programming and media production
      Produces and airs feminist radio content in collaboration with AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, including over 36 episodes on gender-based violence, bodily autonomy, and accessibility broadcast on Radio Jamia. Also trains girls in filmmaking and videography to produce videos about their lived experiences, and creates animated videos based on participants' original comics on safe spaces and life choices.
  • Women's Rights and Empowerment Grants 1 activity
    • Funding movement-building initiatives through small grants
      Funds new movement-building initiatives by providing small grants to partner organizations, as identified by young women leaders, to support feminist and rights-based activism at the grassroots level.
  • Girls' Mentorship and Leadership Development 1 activity
    • Leadership and skills-building academies for girls and young women
      Operates a 15-day residential leadership and skills-building academy for girls and young women in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh, and participated in the SELF (Sports, Expression, Leadership, and Freedom) Academy in Delhi. These programs focus on empowerment through leadership, expression, and skill development.
  • Human Rights Advocacy & Accountability 1 activity
    • Reaching marginalized communities with gender rights awareness
      Reaches more than 30,000 women, girls, sex workers, trans persons, and women with disabilities annually through programs that spread awareness on gender rights and gender justice, particularly in the Global South.
  • Political Leadership Training for Underrepresented Groups 1 activity
    • Research and publication of feminist educational resources
      Conducts research and publishes educational resources for grassroots activists, including primers such as 'All About Power' and 'All About Movements', and the three-part guide 'Feminist Mentoring for Feminist Futures'.
  • Uncategorized 3 activities
    • Annual organizational events for staff and emerging leaders
      Hosts annual base camp for staff in Delhi and farewell events for Emerging Leaders, supporting internal cohesion and leadership transition within the organization.
    • Capacity-building on sexuality and disability
      Implements the 'Closing the Gap – Building Institutional Capacity' program in India, Nepal, Kenya, and Uganda to address sexuality and disability, strengthening institutional and movement capacity around the rights of women and girls with disabilities.
    • International feminist convenings and institutes
      Convenes and participates in international feminist gatherings, including the Gender and WaSH Institute in Mumbai (2024), the 10th anniversary of the Disability, Sexuality and Rights Online Institute in New Delhi (2024), and the AWID International Forum in Bangkok (2024), where it engaged in advocacy and movement-building activities.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$10.60M
Contributions & grants$9.83M93%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$618K6%
Other revenue$152K
expenses
Total expenses$11.03M
Program expenses85%
Admin / overhead8%
Fundraising6%
Salaries & benefits$351K
Grants paid out$4.01M
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$22.84M
Cash$1.50M
Investments$20.52M
Liabilities$5.93M
Net assets$16.90M
Liquid reserves24.0 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -26.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
Geetanjali Misra Executive Dir. 40 $283K
board members · 4
  • Ajay Agrawal — Member
  • Bindi Aibara — Secretary
  • Jyoti Makhijani — Treasurer
  • Shilpa Phadke — President
relationships · 19

Who they work with

  • 30 organizations from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar Partner — Collaborated during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign for community advocacy and cultural programs.
  • AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia University Partner — Collaborated with CREA to produce feminist content for Radio Jamia.
  • AWID Partner — Participated in the AWID International Forum in Bangkok in 2024.
  • Aahung Partner — Partner organization in the #FLAWSINLAWS campaign focused on challenging criminalization of young people's sexuality and rights.
  • Arrow Partner — Partner organization in the #FLAWSINLAWS campaign focused on challenging criminalization of young people's sexuality and rights.
  • Bandhu Partner — Partner organization in the #FLAWSINLAWS campaign focused on challenging criminalization of young people's sexuality and rights.
  • British Deputy High Commission, Chandigarh Funder — Past funder of CREATING RESOURCES FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ACTION INC
  • Disability rights organizations Partner — Partnered to implement the 'Closing the Gap' program in South Asia and East Africa
  • Global Fund for Women Partner — Co-designed the SAYWLM initiative to build young feminist leaders through systematic mentoring.
  • Hidden Pockets Partner — Partner organization in the #FLAWSINLAWS campaign focused on challenging criminalization of young people's sexuality and rights.
  • It’s My Body Partner — Community-level program using sports, art, media, and technology to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights, which feeds into the SELF Academy.
  • Meri Panchayat, Meri Shakti Partner — Local partner organization implementing community meetings and Pad Bank initiatives in Mahoba.
  • Our Voices, Our Futures consortium Partner — Participated in the feminist pub quiz organized by the Our Voices, Our Futures consortium at the AWID International Forum in 2024.
  • The Heimbinder Family Foundation Funder — Past funder of CREATING RESOURCES FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ACTION INC
  • The Kiawah Charitable Trust Funder — Past funder of CREATING RESOURCES FOR EMPOWERMENT AND ACTION INC
  • Women Gaining Ground consortium Coalition — CREA integrated its MPMS program into the Global South-led Women Gaining Ground consortium to build leadership capacity among young women, girls, and women with disabilities.
  • YP Foundation Partner — Partner organization in the #FLAWSINLAWS campaign focused on challenging criminalization of young people's sexuality and rights.
  • YUWA Partner — Partner organization in the #FLAWSINLAWS campaign focused on challenging criminalization of young people's sexuality and rights.
  • Youth Advocacy Network Partner — Partner organization in the #FLAWSINLAWS campaign focused on challenging criminalization of young people's sexuality and rights.
strategies · 4

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Amplifying Marginalized Voices through Participatory Media and Critical Dialogue
    methodology: community_radio
    By using community radio and critical dialogue programming, the organization advances gender justice because accessible, localized communication platforms surface unspoken norms and elevate community-specific perspectives, fostering reflective engagement and social change.
  • Feminist Leadership Development through Intersectional and Multilevel Engagement
    methodology: feminist-leadership-development
    By developing feminist leadership and working across grassroots, national, regional, and international platforms, the organization advances sexual and reproductive freedoms because it builds collective power and challenges unjust power structures through an intersectional lens.
  • Intersectional, Rights-Based Framework to Challenge Structural Exclusion and Carcerality
    methodology: intersectional-rights-based-framework
    By applying an intersectional and rights-based framework centered on structurally excluded communities, the organization addresses gender-based violence and challenges criminalization because it replaces punitive systems with public health and education-centered, non-punitive alternatives that affirm human rights.
  • Power-Sharing and Collective Agency through Feminist Convening and Mentoring
    methodology: sharing_and_shifting_power
    By redistributing resources, knowledge, and space through catalytic convening and structured feminist mentoring, the organization builds collective agency because these practices challenge patriarchal power dynamics and create safe spaces for reflection, experimentation, and feminist identity development.