Organization: GirlSource (San Francisco)
Project: General Operating Support
Grant Years: 2000, 2005
Most recent award duration/amount: 2 years, $30,000 total

GirlSource was launched in 1999 to provide meaningful employment opportunities for low-income young women.  GirlSource serves a population highly at risk for dropping out of school. GirlSource participants are 100% low income, 98% girls of color-- primarily Latina and African American-- and 15% teen moms. High school diplomas and college enrollment are key predictors of young women’s future economic success and sustainability.  GirlSource produces a 96% high school graduation rate, and over 80% of GirlSource participants pursue post-secondary education (including 40% of whom enroll in a 4-year college). These results are exceptional. GirlSource’s leadership recognizes that this model needs to be shared with the field. The GirlSource Board is developing a strategic plan for scaling the GirlSource model.

GirlSource employs 130 young women each year to create media products, including:

• GirlSource!: a young women’s health book, published by Ten Speed Press


• GirlHealth.org: young women’s health website, by and for girls, 24,000 hits/month.


• Fo’ Real Resources: a young women’s resource guide, distributed to 5,000 young women

GirlSource is the only gender-specific agency employing low-income young women to create media products.

3GF's two-year $30,000 investment in GirlSource provides general operating support to help the organization through this critical capacity building and expansion stage.

Contact: Aisha Bilal, Executive Director
Aisha@girlsource.org
(415) 252-8880
www.girlsource.org