Kate Grant

Last updated

Kate Grant is an American nonprofit leader. She is the founding CEO of Fistula Foundation, a global nonprofit organization that provides surgical treatment for the childbirth injury obstetric fistula. [1] She has led the organization from supporting one hospital in Ethiopia to being the clear global leader in obstetric fistula treatment. Fistula Foundation funds more fistula surgeries than any organization in the world; their goal is to eliminate the suffering caused by the injury, which untreated leaves women incontinent and too frequently social outcasts. [2] An estimated one million women suffer from fistula worldwide, and due to a global shortage in awareness and funding, fewer than 20,000 are treated each year. [3] Under Ms. Grant's leadership, Fistula Foundation has raised more than $140 million and supported treatment in 34 countries. [4] Fistula Foundation is a recommended charity of ethicist Peter Singer's The Life You Can Save. [5] In addition, it has earned a 4-star rating [6] from Charity Navigator every year since 2005, and an A rating [7] from Charity Watch. In 2023, the foundation received its largest-ever gift—a $15 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. [8] [9] [10]

Contents

Early life and education

Kate Grant was born in the U.S., the eldest of four children; her father was an award-winning research scientist with NASA at Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California, [11] and her mother an elementary school teacher and later administrator at Zilog; she was raised in Sunnyvale, California. She earned a BS from the University of California at Berkeley, [12] graduating with honors from the Haas School of Business, and earned a Master in Public Affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University, [13] now called the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, [14] with a focus on International Development.

Career

Grant started her career with the advertising agency, Leo Burnett, in Chicago, as part of their account management training program, and then joined Foote, Cone and Belding (FCB) in San Francisco, rising to Account Director. [15] She managed multi-million dollar accounts for clients such as Levi Strauss, McDonald's and Clorox, but an extended seven-month trip through developing countries in north Africa and Asia on a leave of absence from FCB changed her career trajectory dramatically. Grant left her advertising career to pursue a career to help eliminate global poverty.

During graduate school she worked in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and in Dakar, Senegal, on aid projects. After graduating from Princeton, Grant served on the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee staff, for then chairman Lee Hamilton, with a policy portfolio including Population, Health and Gender Issues. From there, she went to USAID, serving as the Deputy Chief of Staff and Special Assistant to USAID Director Brian Atwood, and was a member of the United States delegation to the 1995 United Nations Women's Conference in Beijing, China, [16] as well as the 1994 United Nations Cairo International Conference on Population and Development. [17] [18] She also served as a consultant to International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Women's Funding Network and the USAID Mission in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and as Vice President of Nonprofit Programs at Network for Good. [19]

In 2004, Grant joined the board of Fistula Foundation, and in 2005 was appointed as its first CEO. She's led the Foundation from a focus on one hospital in one country, the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia, to a global operation, having supported programs in 33 countries. The Foundation has offices in San Jose, California, Nairobi, Kenya and Mansa, Zambia. She's formed key partnerships with corporate leaders Johnson & Johnson and Astellas Pharma EMEA. She's the architect of a pathbreaking program in Kenya, Action on Fistula, creating the first dedicated fistula treatment network throughout the country. The program will soon completed its second phase, treating double the number of women the program initially set out to treat, as reported by Reuters. [20] In addition, Grant has built partnerships with key NGO leaders, such as the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics —the organization that developed the Global Competency-Based Fistula Surgery Training Manual— and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to launch the Global Fistula Map. [21]

Grant has also formed partnerships with high-profile individuals that have supported Fistula Foundation in a number of ways. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nicholas Kristof has written numerous articles highlighting obstetric fistula [22] in his New York Times column. On October 1, 2019, on his 35th anniversary with the paper, he mentioned fistula as one of the most important issues to him personally in his career at the Times, and Fistula Foundation as the organization "now playing a major role." He also included Fistula Foundation his 2009 book Half the Sky, co-authored with Sheryl WuDunn. Fistula Foundation was included in a PBS documentary based on the book, as well as a 2012 campaign, Half the Sky Movement. This campaign included a Facebook-based game called Half the Game, [23] where players helped unlock $250,000 in donations to Fistula Foundation [24] by completing actions in the game. [25]

Renowned ethicist and Princeton professor Peter Singer has recommended Fistula Foundation through his book The Life You Can Save and organization of the same name. The organization recommends and raises funds for 22 top charities, [26] including Fistula Foundation, that work to improve the lives of people living in extreme poverty. In 2015, Grammy Award-winning musician Paul Simon put on a private concert in New York City [27] to support Fistula Foundation through The Life You Can Save. In 2019, Singer and Simon highlighted Fistula Foundation's effectiveness in a segment on CBS News. [28]

In 2005, Oprah Winfrey aired a segment on Fistula Foundation's work at the time supporting the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital. [29] Comedian Louis CK has long been a public supporter of Fistula Foundation, choosing the charity as the recipient of his winning Power Players Jeopardy! appearance [30] and wearing a Fistula Foundation t-shirt as host of Saturday Night Live on April 8, 2017.

In 2014, the American Marketing Association (AMA) awarded Grant the Nonprofit Marketer of the Year award. [31] She was the eighth nonprofit executive to receive this honor in the AMA's history. And, in July 2017, she participated in the Harvard Business School Executive Education program, “Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management."

In 2023, Fistula Foundation under Grant’s leadership received a $15 million donation from the philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. It was the largest donation in the foundation’s history, and Grant announced the gift alongside launching a five-year strategic plan that will advance the foundation’s In It to End It vision. As of August 2023, this donation was the largest reported donation made by Scott during that year. [32] [33]

Writing and public speaking

Grant also appears in the media frequently, having been interviewed by Reuters, [34] Newsweek, [35] Chronicle of Philanthropy, [36] USA Today, [37] the Silicon Valley Business Journal, [38] Nasdaq, [39] Africa54, [40] Women in the World, [41] The Good News Network, [42] The Guardian, [43] The Times, [44] SF Gate, [45] and Voice of America. [46] In 2019, she was featured in two podcasts: The Life You Can Save [47] and The Austin Meyer Podcast. [48]

Grant's work has been published in U.S. News, [49] The Lancet., [50] The Guardian, [51] The New York Times, [52] the London Economic Forum, [53] Global Citizen, [54] Ms. Magazine [55] and more. She is also a frequent contributor to the Huffington Post [56] and Medium. [57] She presented at her alma mater, Princeton University, in 2015 at the Center for Health and Wellbeing. [58] She has also spoken at public events such as the Effective Altruism Global conference at Oxford University [59] and Q Commons [60] in Oakland, California.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Way</span> Nonprofit organization

United Way is an international network of over 1,800 local nonprofit fundraising affiliates. Prior to 2015, United Way was the largest nonprofit organization in the United States by donations from the public. Individual United Ways mobilize a single fundraising campaign to raise money for various nonprofits, with most donations coming through payroll deductions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Obstetric fistula</span> Hole that develops in the birth canal as a result of childbirth

Obstetric fistula is a medical condition in which a hole develops in the birth canal as a result of childbirth. This can be between the vagina and rectum, ureter, or bladder. It can result in incontinence of urine or feces. Complications may include depression, infertility, and social isolation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goodwill Industries</span> American business founded 1902

Goodwill Industries International Inc., or simply Goodwill, is an American business that provides job training, employment placement services and other community-based programs for people who face barriers in their employment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tides Foundation</span> American public charity and fiscal sponsor

Tides Foundation is a left-leaning donor advised fund based in the United States that manages over $1.4 billion in assets. It was founded in San Francisco in 1976 by Drummond Pike. Tides distributes money from anonymous donors to other organizations, which are often politically progressive. An affiliated group, Tides Advocacy, is a "massive progressive incubator." Tides has received substantial funding from George Soros.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conrad N. Hilton Foundation</span> American non-profit charitable foundation

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation is an American non-profit charitable foundation, established in 1944 by hotel entrepreneur Conrad Hilton. It remained relatively small until his death on January 3, 1979, when it was named the principal beneficiary of his estate. In 2007, Conrad's son, Barron Hilton announced that he would leave about 97% of his fortune to a charitable remainder unitrust which names the foundation as the remainder beneficiary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WE Charity</span> Canadian charity

WE Charity, formerly known as Free the Children, is an international development charity and youth empowerment movement founded in 1995 by human rights advocates Marc and Craig Kielburger. The organization implemented development programs in Asia, Africa and Latin America, focusing on education, water, health, food and economic opportunity. It also runs domestic programming for young people in Canada, the US and UK, promoting corporate-sponsored service learning and active citizenship. Charity Intelligence, a registered Canadian charity that rates over 750 Canadian charities, rates the "demonstrated impact" per dollar of We Charity as "Low" and has issued a "Donor Advisory" due to We Charity replacing most of its board of directors in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Susan G. Komen for the Cure</span> American non-profit organization

Susan G. Komen is a breast cancer organization in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acumen (organization)</span> Nonprofit impact investment fund in the USA

Acumen is a nonprofit impact investment fund based in the U.S. that focuses on investing in social enterprises that serve low-income individuals. Acumen was founded in April 2001 by Jacqueline Novogratz. It aims to demonstrate that small amounts of philanthropic capital, combined with business acumen, can result in thriving enterprises that serve vast numbers of the poor. Over the years, Acumen has invested $154.4 million in 167 companies and has had a successful track record in sourcing and executing investment opportunities in the clean energy, education, financial inclusion, health care and agriculture sectors.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clinton Foundation</span> American non-profit organization

The Clinton Foundation is a nonprofit organization under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code. It was established by former president of the United States Bill Clinton with the stated mission to "strengthen the capacity of people in the United States and throughout the world to meet the challenges of global interdependence." Its offices are located in New York City and Little Rock, Arkansas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Direct Relief</span> Charitable organization

Direct Relief is a nonprofit humanitarian organization whose mission is to improve the lives of people in poverty or emergency situations by providing the appropriate medical resources. The charity provides emergency medical assistance and disaster relief in the United States and internationally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">PATH (global health organization)</span> Global health nonprofit

PATH is an international, nonprofit global health organization. PATH is based in Seattle with 1,600 employees in more than 70 countries around the world. Its president and CEO is Nikolaj Gilbert, who is also the Managing Director and CEO of Foundations for Appropriate Technologies in Health (FATH), PATH's Swiss subsidiary. PATH focuses on six platforms: vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, devices, system, and service innovations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fistula Foundation</span> American maternal health organization

Fistula Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization focused on treatment of obstetric fistula, funding more repair surgeries than any other organization, public or private. As of December 2024, Fistula Foundation supports hospital and doctors in more than 30 countries across Africa and Asia. The foundation is dedicated to treating obstetric fistula by covering the full cost of fistula repair surgery for poor women who would otherwise not be able to access treatment. It also provides fistula surgeon training, equipment and facility upgrades that make fistula treatment as safe as possible, post-surgery counseling and support for healed patients. The foundation has been recognized by several organizations for its transparency, effectiveness and efficiency, earning a top "A" rating from CharityWatch and a four star rating from Charity Navigator since 2006, placing it in the top 1% of charities reviewed on the site. In 2024, the foundation was recognized by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nicholas Kristof as a Holiday Impact Prize winner, and featured in TheNew York Times. In 2023, the foundation received a $15 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, announced alongside a new five-year strategic plan that will advance the foundation's In It to End It vision. The foundation has also been selected as one of 22 charities recommended by Princeton Professor Peter Singer's organization, The Life You Can Save. The organization's cost-effectiveness was also noted by GiveWell in 2019.

One Acre Fund is a social enterprise that supplies smallholder farmers in East Africa with asset-based financing and agriculture training services to reduce hunger and poverty. Headquartered in Kakamega, Kenya, the organization works with farmers in rural villages throughout Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Nigeria, Zambia, and Ethiopia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MacKenzie Scott</span> American philanthropist and novelist (born 1970)

MacKenzie Scott is an American novelist, philanthropist, co-founder of Amazon and ex-wife of Jeff Bezos. As of December 2024, she has a net worth of US$42.1 billion, according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index; owning a 4% stake in Amazon. As such, Scott is the third-wealthiest woman in the United States and the 38th-wealthiest individual in the world. Scott was named one of Time's 100 most influential people in 2020 and one of the world's 100 most powerful women by Forbes in 2021 and 2023.

GlobalGiving is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in the United States that provides a global crowdfunding platform for grassroots charitable projects. Since 2002, more than 1.6 million donors on GlobalGiving have donated more than $750 million to support more than 33,000 projects in 175 countries.

GivingTuesday, often stylized as #GivingTuesday for the purposes of hashtag activism, is the Tuesday after Thanksgiving in the United States. It is touted as a "global generosity movement unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities and the world". An organization of the same name is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports the global movement.

<i>Doing Good Better</i> 2015 book about effective altruism by William MacAskill

Doing Good Better: Effective Altruism and How You Can Make a Difference is a 2015 book by William MacAskill that serves as a primer on the effective altruism movement that seeks to do the most good. It is published by Random House and was released on July 28, 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BitGive Foundation</span> American nonprofit organization

The BitGive Foundation is an American nonprofit organization that solicits bitcoin donations for use in charitable causes.

The Association for Rehabilitation and Re-Orientation of Women for Development, abbreviated as TERREWODE, is a leading Ugandan nonprofit organization. It pioneered best practices for the elimination of obstetric fistula in Uganda over 16 years. The organization focuses on maternal and reproductive health. Headquartered in Soroti, TERREWODE's efforts target the empowerment and education of young women in rural communities. TERREWODE's activism focuses on women's rights to maternal, reproductive and sexual health, as well as the treatment and social reintegration of victims of obstetric fistula.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yield Giving</span>

Yield Giving is an American foundation which is the primary philanthropic vehicle for MacKenzie Scott, the former wife of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. The organization's name is based on her philosophy of adding value in her philanthropy by giving up control to local organizations (localization).

References

  1. ↑ "Our Team". Fistula Foundation. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  2. ↑ "Fistula Foundation : Help give a woman a new life". www.fistulafoundation.org. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  3. ↑ "Global Fistula Map".
  4. ↑ "Our History". Fistula Foundation. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  5. ↑ "Fistula Foundation". The Life You Can Save. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  6. ↑ "Charity Navigator - Rating for Fistula Foundation" . Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Charity Watch - Top Rated Charities".
  8. ↑ Foundation, Fistula. "Fistula Foundation Receives $15 Million Gift from MacKenzie Scott That Will Catalyze a $110 Million Plan to Treat Childbirth Injuries". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  9. ↑ "Billionaire MacKenzie Scott's 2023 Donations Near the $100 Million Mark". Observer. 2023-08-09. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  10. ↑ "Fabulous People: Kate Grant". Fabulous California. 2023-10-24. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  11. ↑ https://history.arc.nasa.gov/Astrogram/astrogram_1972_6.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  12. ↑ "Your Haas Network | Restoring Women's Lives - Fall 2014 - BerkeleyHaas Magazine". www.haas.berkeley.edu. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  13. ↑ "Alumni Dispatch: Kate Grant, CEO, The Fistula Foundation". Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. 2015-06-23. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  14. ↑ Slotkin, Jason (27 June 2020). "Home". Princeton To Remove Woodrow Wilson's Name From Public Policy School. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
  15. ↑ "Our Team". Fistula Foundation. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  16. ↑ Grant, Kate; ContributorCEO; Foundation, Fistula (2013-02-04). "20 Minutes That Changed The World: Hillary Clinton In Beijing". HuffPost. Retrieved 2019-12-13.{{cite web}}: |last2= has generic name (help)
  17. ↑ "1994 CAIRO CONFERENCE PROMPTED 'NO LESS THAN A REVOLUTION', POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TOLD | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". www.un.org. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  18. ↑ "International Conference on Population and Development". United Nations. Retrieved 2023-12-05.
  19. ↑ "A vital opportunity for global health". The Lancet. 350 (9080): 750–751. September 13, 1997. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(05)62559-7 . Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  20. ↑ "Reuters - As surgeries triple, Kenya aims to end shame of fistula".
  21. ↑ "Launch of First-Ever Global Map of Devastating Childbirth Injury". www.unfpa.org. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  22. ↑ fistula "New York Times - Search - Nicholas Kristof fistula".{{cite news}}: Check |url= value (help)
  23. ↑ "Half the Sky Movement: The Game". Games For Change. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  24. ↑ Kamenetz, Anya (2013-02-18). "Half The Sky Movement Is A Facebook Game For (Spare) Change". Fast Company. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  25. ↑ Jensen, Elizabeth (2013-02-17). "A Game Aims to Draw Attention to Women's Issues". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  26. ↑ "The Life You Can Save - Great Charities That Make a Difference".
  27. ↑ "Peter Singer and Paul Simon Team Up to Fight Fistula | Fistula Foundation". www.fistulafoundation.org. 4 November 2015. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  28. ↑ Raising awareness about "effective giving" on Giving Tuesday , retrieved 2019-12-13
  29. ↑ "My Friend, Oprah". Global Moms Challenge. 2018-03-19. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  30. ↑ "USA Today - Louis C.K. just won $50,000 for the Fistula Foundation on 'Jeopardy!'. But what is it?".
  31. ↑ "AMA & AMAF Honor Kate Grant as the 2014 Nonprofit Marketer of the Year".
  32. ↑ Di Mento, Maria (August 18, 2023). "MacKenzie Scott Has Given 24 Nonprofits $146 Million in the First Half of 2023". The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  33. ↑ "Fabulous People: Kate Grant". Fabulous California. 2023-10-24. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  34. ↑ "Reuters - As surgeries triple, Kenya aims to end shame of fistula".
  35. ↑ "Newsweek - The Afterbirth Miracle".
  36. ↑ "Chronicle of Philanthropy - How a Charity Made the Most of a Celebrity Supporter's TV Appearance — After Years of Patience".
  37. ↑ "USA Today - Louis CK just won $50,000 for Fistula Foundation on 'Jeopardy!'. But what is it?".
  38. ↑ King, Danny (May 17, 2019). "Fistula Foundation CEO works to heal the lives of women in developing countries". Silicon Valley Business Journal. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  39. ↑ Fool, Publisher The Motley. "Maximize Your Giving Dollars With an Investing Mindset". www.nasdaq.com. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  40. ↑ "Africa 54".
  41. ↑ "A million women in Africa and Asia suffer incontinence from fistula – Women in the World". womenintheworld.com. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  42. ↑ "2018 Nobel Peace Prize Winners Risk Their Lives to Make the World Better for Victims of Sexual Violence". Good News Network. 2018-12-06. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  43. ↑ "Kenyan women receive $2m fistula boost".
  44. ↑ "Making fistula history | Raconteur | The Times & The Sunday Times". Raconteur. 2018-06-28. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  45. ↑ Guzman, Dianne de; SFGATE (2016-05-19). "Louis C.K. wins $50,000 on "Jeopardy!" and donates to San Jose-based charity". SFGate. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  46. ↑ "Funding Boosts Fistula Treatment Program in Kenya".
  47. ↑ "The Life You Can Save: Peter Singer | Effective Altruism | Philanthropy | Effective Charities: Interview with Kate Grant from Fistula Foundation on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  48. ↑ "Telling Stories with Heart and Humility with Kate Grant | Ep. 026 from The Austin Meyer Podcast". www.stitcher.com. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  49. ↑ Grant, Kate (November 17, 2023). "Giving Birth Shouldn't Be a Death Sentence – or a Life Sentence". U.S. News.
  50. ↑ Anastasi, Erin; Romanzi, Lauri; Ahmed, Saifuddin; Knuttson, Anneka T.; Ojengbede, Oladosu; Grant, Kate (May 23, 2017). "Ending fistula within a generation: making the dream a reality". The Lancet. 5 (8): e747 –e748. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(17)30226-7 . PMID   28551407.
  51. ↑ Grant, Kate (May 23, 2016). "Why do a million women still suffer the treatable condition of fistula?". The Guardian.
  52. ↑ "Opinion | Treating Fistula". The New York Times. 2013-07-24. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  53. ↑ "Action on Fistula: Transforming the lives of over 2,300 women". The London Economic. 2017-04-26. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  54. ↑ "A tale of two mothers". Global Citizen. 20 August 2012. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  55. ↑ Grant, Kate (2023-05-12). "Skip the Flowers: This Mother's Day, Help Save Women Who Suffer During Childbirth". Ms. Magazine. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  56. ↑ "Kate Grant | HuffPost". www.huffpost.com. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  57. ↑ "Kate Grant". Medium. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  58. ↑ ""Underreported and Overperforming: How one nonprofit is escalating a little-known issue to help the world's poorest women" - Kate Grant *94". Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. 2015-02-23. Retrieved 2019-12-13.
  59. ↑ "CEO Kate Grant Speaks at Oxford University". 4 November 2015.
  60. ↑ "CEO Kate Grant addresses Q Commons".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.