Family Planning and Reproductive Health in the United States

Youth leaders prepare for the Asian Communities for Reproductive Justice Conference. Photo: Anthony Dimaano

Rates of abortion, sexually transmitted infections, and teen pregnancy in the United States are among the highest of all industrialized countries. Almost half the 6.3 million pregnancies in the United States each year are unintended. The burden of poor reproductive health falls particularly hard on teens, those with low incomes, and women of color.

The Foundation makes grants to organizations working to promote the reproductive health of Americans, to support their full access to services and education, and to assure that they are able to exercise their rights. Particular emphasis is placed on grants that reach America’s increasingly diverse population.

In early 2007, the Hewlett Foundation launched a ten-year initiative to dramatically reduce unplanned pregnancy in the United States. By reducing unplanned pregnancies, child and family well-being will improve; there will be less poverty, lower public sector costs, and far fewer abortions. This initiative will focus particular effort on reaching young adults in their twenties, as they have the majority of unplanned pregnancies. For more information, please visit http://www.thenc.org.

The Global Development and Population Program does not accept unsolicited Letters of Inquiry for its Domestic Family Planning and Reproductive Health grantmaking.