What Chicago Abortion Fund does

Chicago Abortion Fund (CAF) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization founded in 1985 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. It provides financial, logistical, and emotional support to people seeking abortion care, primarily those based in or traveling to Illinois from states with restrictive abortion access laws. Since the U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs decision in June 2022, CAF has scaled to become the largest abortion fund in the country, helping over 50,000 people from 44 states and processing nearly 20,000 support requests in 2025 alone. Its core service is a multi-channel helpline (phone, online intake form, voicemail) operating in English and Spanish, backed by case managers who coordinate appointment funding, travel, lodging, and childcare. Beyond direct financial assistance — $10 million disbursed in 2025 for appointment and travel costs alone — CAF operates a portfolio of programs: CARLA, a hospital-based complex care collaboration with Rush, UI Health, Northwestern, and UChicago Medicine; RAP, a volunteer transportation program; the Pantry Program for post-abortion aftercare supplies; and A Home Here, monthly virtual post-abortion community circles. CAF also provides back-office case management and funding distribution on behalf of sibling abortion funds in Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Arkansas.

CAF's technology footprint is intentionally lightweight: a Squarespace-hosted website, EveryAction for donor and email list management, a Fillout intake form, and a relational case management database (managed by a dedicated Database Manager). The organization is funded almost entirely through individual donations, including one-time gifts and the recurring "Funding Abortion Monthly" (FAM) program, supplemented by occasional institutional grants such as the $250,000 received from the Chicago Department of Public Health in September 2022. All services are provided free of charge to callers regardless of insurance status or state of residence, and the organization reports that it has not had to turn anyone away relying on Illinois for care.

Name

Chicago Abortion Fund

Legal name

Chicago Abortion Fund

Website

https://chicagoabortionfund.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Chicago Abortion Fund is a Chicago-based 501c3 nonprofit that provides financial, logistical, and emotional support to people seeking abortion care in Illinois and from states with restricted access, operating the country's largest abortion fund and processing nearly 20,000 support requests per year.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Reproductive Health Support Services

NAICS

Family Planning Centers (621410)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Family Planning & Contraception (Including Abortion Care) (HLAKAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations (BPAGACAF), Maternal, Child & Family Health Program Funding (HLAJALAG)

Keywords

• Reproductive health funding
• Abortion access support
• Case management services
• Nonprofit charity services
• Patient logistics coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The organization is funded primarily through individual donations, including one-time and recurring monthly donations through the Funding Abortion Monthly (FAM) community. Donations are 100% secure and tax-deductible.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Chicago Abortion Fund provides free financial, logistical, and emotional support to people seeking abortion care, operating a centralized helpline and case management workflow that pays for appointments, travel, lodging, and childcare while coordinating with clinics, hospitals, and sibling abortion funds. It delivers these services directly to individuals in or traveling to Illinois, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Nebraska, and manages case flow on behalf of sibling funds in those states.

Product overview

Chicago Abortion Fund (CAF) operates as a 501c3 nonprofit offering a unified suite of support services centered on its Helpline. The core offering combines case management, financial assistance, and logistical support through programs including CARLA (hospital-based abortion partnerships), RAP (volunteer transportation), Sibling Fund Case Management, Pantry Program, and A Home Here (post-abortion support circles). CAF is the largest abortion fund in the country, supporting nearly 20,000 callers annually across Illinois and five states. All services are provided free of charge to callers regardless of insurance status or state of origin.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CARLA - Complex Abortion Regional Line for Access: Collaboration with four hospitals (Rush University Medical Center, UI Health, Northwestern Medicine, and University of Chicago Medicine) to expand access to hospital-based abortion care for patients needing complex abortion care.
• RAP - Responsible Adult Program
• Sibling Fund Case Management
• Pantry Program
• FAM - Funding Abortion Monthly
• A Home Here

Products and services

• Helpline Services Multi-channel helpline (phone 312-663-0338, online intake form, voicemail) providing financial, logistical, and emotional support to people seeking abortion care in Illinois, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Nebraska. Available in English and Spanish; nearly 20,000 support requests handled in 2025.
• Case Management Direct case management that pays for abortion appointments and travel expenses for callers accessing care in Illinois and on behalf of sibling funds in Arkansas, Iowa, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. Case managers respond Monday–Saturday 9am–5pm CT with a 3-business-day callback promise.
• CARLA (Complex Abortion Regional Line for Access) Collaboration with four hospital systems — Rush University Medical Center, UI Health, Northwestern Medicine, and University of Chicago Medicine — to expand access to hospital-based complex abortion care for patients needing higher-acuity services.
• RAP (Responsible Adult Program) Volunteer transportation program in which trained RAP volunteers accompany grantees to hospital-based abortion appointments and help them get home safely after procedures.
• Sibling Fund Case Management Outsourced case management, logistical coordination, and funding distribution performed by CAF on behalf of sibling abortion funds in Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Arkansas that lack infrastructure to handle post-Dobbs demand.
• Pantry Program Delivers post-abortion aftercare supplies through clinics across Illinois, including food for travel days, menstrual and aftercare supplies, diapers and wipes for children, and basic recovery comforts.
• A Home Here Virtual post-abortion community circles held monthly on the second Tuesday, hosted by Eboné McCloud, Tunisia Tai, and Vanessa Borjon, providing an inclusive space for people of all gender identities to process abortion experiences.
• Know Your Rights Educational resource informing callers of their legal rights regarding abortion access in Illinois, including shield laws, immigration-status protections, and constitutional rights related to abortion care.
• Insurance Navigation Service that helps callers understand Medicaid and private insurance coverage for abortion care, including Illinois Medicaid coverage of procedural and medication abortion for residents, and assistance with temporary Medicaid enrollment on the appointment day.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50,000+ people helped since June 2022 from 44 states
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Lt. Governor Juliana StrattonflagshipOthers · 10 November 2026Champion for Access Award recipient at CAF's 2026 benefit. Has championed landmark birth equity legislation and historic investments in abortion access as part of the Illinois administration.
• Sara ParetskyflagshipOthers · 10 November 2026Philanthropic Changemaker Award recipient at CAF's 2026 benefit. Has provided generous support and partnership for twenty years, helping sustain CAF's longevity and success.
• Rush University Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with CAF through the CARLA (Complex Abortion Regional Line for Access) program to expand access to hospital-based abortion care, reducing barriers for patients needing complex abortion care.
• UI Health (University of Illinois Chicago)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with CAF through the CARLA program to expand access to hospital-based abortion care.
• Northwestern MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with CAF through the CARLA program to expand access to hospital-based abortion care.
• University of Chicago MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with CAF through the CARLA program to expand access to hospital-based abortion care.
• Iowa Abortion FundscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAF provides case management, logistical coordination, and funding distribution on behalf of Iowa abortion funds that lack infrastructure to meet growing need in their state.
• Wisconsin Abortion FundscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAF provides case management, logistical coordination, and funding distribution on behalf of Wisconsin abortion funds that lack infrastructure to meet growing need in their state.
• Nebraska Abortion FundscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAF provides case management, logistical coordination, and funding distribution on behalf of Nebraska abortion funds that lack infrastructure to meet growing need in their state.
• Arkansas Abortion FundscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCAF provides case management, logistical coordination, and funding distribution on behalf of Arkansas abortion funds that lack infrastructure to meet growing need in their state.
• Family Planning Associates Medical GroupflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe largest independent abortion clinic in Illinois and one of CAF's longest standing and closest partners. Receives the Power in Action Award at CAF's 2026 benefit.
• Planned ParenthoodcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCAF funds Planned Parenthoods as part of their network of clinic and provider partners to ensure people can access abortion care regardless of location.
• Independent ClinicscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCAF funds independent abortion clinics as part of their provider network to ensure abortion access across Illinois.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Lilith Fund: Texas-based abortion fund providing financial assistance and practical support for people seeking abortion in Texas. Closely mirrors CAF's financial-assistance-plus-logistics model.
• Yellowhammer Fund: Alabama-based abortion fund providing financial and logistical support in the Deep South. Comparable to CAF in mission and post-Dobbs surge in out-of-state demand.
• New York Abortion Access Fund (NYAAF): New York-based practical-support abortion fund covering appointment, travel, and related costs for people seeking care in NY. Same model as CAF, serves as a counterpart hub for the East Coast post-Dobbs.
• Fund Texas Choice: Texas-based fund that specifically covers travel, lodging, and related logistical costs for people forced out of state - directly overlapping with CAF's case-management and travel-support model.
• The Brigid Alliance: National nonprofit that arranges travel, lodging, and logistical support for people seeking abortion across state lines. Highly comparable service stack to CAF's CARLA-adjacent case management.
• Midwest Access Coalition: Chicago-based practical-support organization providing travel, lodging, and escort support for people seeking abortion in the Midwest. Direct geographic and functional overlap with CAF.

Regional players

• Northwest Abortion Access Fund: Pacific Northwest-based fund providing abortion funding and travel logistics. Operates the same financial-plus-practical-support model as CAF in a different region.
• Access Reproductive Justice (formerly ACCESS Women's Health Justice): California-based fund offering financial assistance, practical support, and advocacy. Similar full-service practical-support model to CAF, anchored in a different state.

Others

• National Network of Abortion Funds (NNAF): Umbrella membership organization for 100+ abortion funds across the U.S. Directly comparable as the connective tissue of the category in which CAF is the largest member fund.

Broad incumbents

• Planned Parenthood Federation of America: National reproductive-health provider explicitly listed as a CAF clinic and funding partner. Provides the underlying clinical supply that CAF subsidizes, making it the most consequential adjacent player.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/chiabortionfund
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChicagoAbortionFund
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chi-abortion-fund

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Chicago Abortion Fund