By Amanda Beatriz Williams, Abortion Bridge Collaborative Fund Director

June 24 marks the second anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, a landmark decision that overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, and decimated abortion access across the country. Since Dobbs, the majority of states – 27 and counting – have severe abortion restrictions in place, and 14 states have mostly or entirely banned abortion, making it next to impossible to access care. We’re seeing that:  

• The Arizona state legislature voted to repeal an 1864 ban on nearly all abortions. Officials warned that the near-total ban may be briefly enforceable this summer until the repeal takes effect in the fall. A 15-week ban remains in effect.
• A ban on abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy took effect in Florida, following a ruling by the Florida Supreme Court that the privacy protections of the state’s Constitution do not extend to abortion.
• In many states, the fight over abortion access is still taking place in courtrooms, where advocates and patients have sued to block bans and restrictions. Most recently, the Texas Supreme Court ruled against women who sued the state with claims that the state’s abortion ban had put their health at risk.  

And while the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a recent challenge to the FDA’s approval of mifepristone, today, over half of all U.S. states have laws on the books mandating medically unnecessary barriers that restrict access to medication abortion. Medication abortion continues to be under threat. 

Though abortion restrictions existed pre-Dobbs – and while we know the promise of Roe was never truly enough to protect access in the first place – the impacts of Dobbs are clear: recent shifts in abortion access have severely worsened the reproductive health care crisis in our country, especially for low-income communities of color living in the South and Midwest. 

The decimation of abortion access has fundamentally shifted the larger ecosystem that exists to support people seeking abortion care. From providers, local abortion funds, advocates, to disseminators of information, and funders alike – we are seeing new models of care and support being transformed from the ground up. Virtual options are becoming more prevalent, as more and more people are accessing medication abortion services through telehealth. Six states have shield laws in effect to ensure that abortion providers can offer said care regardless of a patient’s location. 

Providers in states with restrictions and bans are fighting to keep their doors open, while others in states with more expansive access are struggling to keep up with growing needs as people travel to them from across the country. Abortion funds and practical support organizations are navigating nuanced legal obstacles, supporting clients through countless logistical barriers, and assessing risk levels on a daily basis. 

Abortion Bridge Collaborative Fund’s Impact: 

We know that ensuring people can access abortion care is critical – and it requires our support and long-term investment. At the Abortion Bridge Collaborative (ABC) Fund, we are so proud that our collective efforts have resulted in over $6.7 million moved to 62 organizations since our inception, with an average grant of $105K. 

ABC Fund is committed to providing funding that allows organizations to survive and thrive in the present, while also imagining a radically different world of abortion access and equity. By design, ABC Fund utilizes a multi-faceted approach to our grantmaking.

Despite our tremendous impact, we recieve dozens of requests from organizations that are in dire need of support every month. In this post-Dobbs reality, the landscape will continue to change in unimaginable ways and organizations on the ground will need even more support to navigate and fight back. 

Knowing this, over the next year I’m excited to lead ABC Fund in: 

• Continuing to provide general operating support, increasing our grantmaking budget, and growing our average grant size to maximize big impact   
• Ensuring our grantmaking is swift and responsive to the ever-changing landscape with a focus on meeting the growing needs of our grantees 
• Expanding our donor network and mobilizing the funder community to bridge gaps and shift even more dollars to organizations on the ground 

As the new ABC Fund Director, I bring more than a decade of experience fighting on the frontlines for reproductive justice in Texas, and I am thrilled to partner alongside our incredible Grantmaking Advisory Council (GAC), community of donors and supporters, and the rest of the WDN team to take our work to new heights. 

At a time when traditional funder communities have pulled or are pulling back from funding abortion access work, we are rolling up our sleeves and cultivating even more dedicated support, resources, and capacity for the continued fight ahead.  

Because of our supporters, we will continue to invest in and grow ABC Fund’s work. Thank you to all who are a part of the building blocks that have made ABC Fund what it is today. Here are some ways to join our powerful work today: 

• Make a donation to ABC Fund
• Want to host a fundraiser? Reach out to us at [email protected]
• Spread the word by forwarding this post or sharing information about the ABC Fund your community with an invitation to join you in donating 
• Set up a one-on-one with me via [email protected] to talk about how you can make your impact even stronger

We’re doubling-down on our commitment to make strategic investments in organizations helping to build a new future of abortion access! 

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