CEO Sarah Haacke Byrd Reflects on 2025: An End of Year Community Message
As we close an extraordinary year, we are again confronted with the stark realities of the world around us. This weekend’s horrific attacks—in places where we are meant to feel safe—in our places of worship, our schools, our community centers, and our homes—have shaken us to our core. These are spaces of refuge, learning, and belonging, now marked by profound loss. In times like these, we are reminded of the sacred responsibility we share—to hold space for one another, to offer comfort, and to stand firmly in community when the world feels unsteady beneath us.
At the same time, we continue to face sustained threats to democratic norms, the erosion of women’s rights, and the dehumanization of entire communities—both at home and abroad. These intertwined crises demand clarity, courage, and principled leadership from each of us and our entire community. More than ever, the values that define our community—trust, inclusion, and unwavering resolve—are urgently needed in the world we are building and that we share.
WMM is, and always has been, equal to the task. At each turn, our members have demonstrated the transformative impact of collaborative leadership. And today, we continue our important work with shared resolve to work together courageously, collectively, and joyfully. In facing darkness, we have turned to hope and determination, proving that the collective power of women’s leadership is equal to the urgency of this moment.
This year we have sought—and found—inspiration and strength in community—leaning on each other, listening deeply, wrestling with the heartbreaking complexities before us. When other funders pulled back, we scaled. We embraced risk and innovation. We held fiercely to our values. Whether in moments of upheaval or celebration, we remained steadfast in our mission: to build a gender-equal world where all who identify as women have full autonomy, freedom, and agency over every aspect of their lives.
When confronted with unprecedented headwinds, we turned from fear to bold action. We launched the first initiative in our effort to mobilize $1 billion for gender equality by 2030: a $10 million Art Catalyst Matching Fund to ignite $20 million for women artists. We pledged $10 million to strengthen global LGBTQ movements through the Fund Our Futures campaign. We advanced climate responsibility by completing our first emissions audit and moving toward carbon neutrality, while a growing media presence—from TIME100 Philanthropy to the Financial Times, Forbes, and Stanford Social Innovation Review—helped ensure that women philanthropists’ voices and leadership shaped the public conversation when it mattered most.
Every action we have taken this year reflects a shared acknowledgement that progress is driven not by each of us alone, but by the power and perseverance of community. Through collective, bold commitments, we have shown how strategic investment can shift systems, strengthen movements, and spark lasting change. And, we’ve demonstrated our readiness for what comes next.
As we enter 2026, our path remains clear. Hold tightly to our values and vision. Stay flexible and responsive. Uphold a philanthropic approach rooted in trust, collaboration, and deep listening. Share not only resources, but also knowledge, expertise, and, most importantly, our unshakeable belief that we can shape a world where all women and girls can thrive. Hope is contagious.
As I shared at our Annual Summit, “when we stand together, we can be courageous… Together, we can seize this opportunity and help build a collective future of abundance, promise, and equality for all.”
Thank you for making this work possible—your partnership, your leadership, and your trust are the bedrock of our collective future. United by purpose and powered by hope, Women Moving Millions will continue to meet this moment—and create the future we imagine together.
With gratitude and resolve,
Sarah Haacke Byrd
CEO, Women Moving Millions
