named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Connect
Operates a 19,000-square-foot facility in Brooklyn where community members co-work, host events, access resources, and build relationships.
Convene
Creates space and opportunities for impacted leaders to gather, collaborate, learn, rest, and build collective power through movement-aligned events and programming.
Fund
Provides financial support to grassroots organizations led by and for women, girls, and gender-expansive people directly impacted by carceral systems, using a care-based philanthropy model that prioritizes trust and minimizes reporting burdens.
activities · 3 groups
What they do
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Flexible Grants to Grassroots Organizations 1 activity
- Funding grassroots organizations led by women, girls, and gender-expansive people impacted by incarcerationProvides financial resources through care-based philanthropy to grassroots organizations led by and for women, girls, and gender-expansive people impacted by carceral systems, with over $2 million granted to more than 20 organizations in 2025. At least 65% of funding is directed to groups led by those directly impacted by incarceration, operating at local, national, and international levels.
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Community Space Provision 1 activity
- Operating a community collaboration space in BrooklynManages and provides access to a 19,000-square-foot community space in Brooklyn (at 401 State Street) for co-working, hosting events, collaboration, and relationship-building among grassroots leaders and community members.
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Women's Empowerment and Leadership Development 1 activity
- Supporting transformative change among women and gender-expansive people impacted by carceral systemsEngages women, girls, and gender-expansive people impacted by carceral systems as leaders in transformative community change through direct support and programming.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$32.66M
Contributions & grants$31.46M96%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$1.19M4%
Other revenue$2K
expenses
Total expenses$2.71M
Program expenses23%
Admin / overhead74%
Fundraising3%
Salaries & benefits$896K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$61.26M
Cash$36.48M
Investments$0
Liabilities$345K
Net assets$60.91M
Liquid reserves161.3 mo
2 years on record · 2023–2024 · YoY revenue +5.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 3
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Susan Shah | Executive Dir. | 40 | $269K |
| Rudy Mulligan | Managing Director | 40 | $172K |
| Kimberly Westcott | Managing Director | 40 | $145K |
board members · 9
- Aisha Elliott — President
- Betty Lyons — Director
- Cheryl Wilkins — Treasurer
- Coumba Toure — Director
- Joanne Smith — Vice President
- Mariya Khvatskaya — Secretary
- Rosyln Smith — Director
- Sharon Richardson — Director
- Sharon White Harrigan — Director
relationships · 9
Who they work with
- 401 State Street Partner — Hosts community members at its 19,000 square foot space in Brooklyn.
- Facebook Partner — Users may interact with WBU through Facebook, including via social media objects such as a "like" button on WBU's services.
- Feminist Funding Principles Partner — Uses the Feminist Funding Principles as a guiding framework for its grantmaking approach.
- Instagram Partner — WBU operates social media pages or handles on Instagram as part of its services.
- LinkedIn Partner — WBU operates social media pages or handles on LinkedIn as part of its services.
- Trust Based Philanthropy Partner — Aligns its grantmaking practices with the Six Practices of Trust Based Philanthropy.
- Twitter Partner — WBU operates social media pages or handles on Twitter as part of its services.
- YouTube Partner — WBU operates social media pages or handles on YouTube as part of its services.
- grassroots leaders Partner — Direct recipients of financial resources and collaborative support from Women Building Up.
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.
- Non-Extractive, Trust-Based Grantmaking 379 orgsmethodology: trust_based_philanthropyBy building grantee relationships on mutual accountability, shared values, and trust—rather than compliance and surveillance—we produce more equitable and dignified partnerships that center justice and community autonomy.shared approach: Unrestricted Grantmaking →
- Care-Based Philanthropy 7 orgsmethodology: care_based_philanthropyBy investing in both the work and the well-being of grassroots leaders, we produce more sustainable and effective movement-building, because care is foundational infrastructure rather than a supplementary act.shared approach: Healing-Centered Empowerment →
- Movement-Accountable Space Creation 7 orgsmethodology: movement_accountable_philanthropyBy creating spaces for impacted leaders to convene, collaborate, and rest, we produce collective healing and peer-driven innovation, because movement strength grows through relational solidarity and shared restoration.shared approach: Healing-Centered Empowerment →
- Leader-Centered Resourcingmethodology: leader_centered_resourcingBy prioritizing the sustainability, wellbeing, and power of grassroots leaders as the primary resource, we produce more resilient and impactful movements, because leadership rooted in lived experience drives transformative change.