Resources for women in the USA
Verified crisis helplines, workplace rights, grants, free mentoring and local directories for women in the United States. Free to use.
Everything on this page was opened and checked before it was listed. Where a helpline is not 24 hours, the real hours are stated. Where a programme has a revenue floor or a residency rule, it is named.
In an emergency, call 911 (Police, fire or ambulance).
Call or text
8 helplines
National Domestic Violence Hotline
Free and confidential. Advocates can talk through a safety plan with you and find the services nearest you.
RAINN — National Sexual Assault Hotline
English and Spanish. Routes you to a trained staff member at a sexual assault service provider in your area.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988. Spanish text and chat, and a dedicated route for Deaf and hard of hearing callers.
Crisis Text Line
Text only — there is no phone line. A trained volunteer crisis counsellor answers. Also reachable on WhatsApp.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
For anyone held under false terms, or forced into work or sex. Connects to shelter, medical and legal help.
StrongHearts Native Helpline
For Native American and Alaska Native survivors. Culturally grounded, anonymous, and the same number for calls and texts.
National Maternal Mental Health Hotline
Pregnancy and the year after. English and Spanish, with interpreters in 60+ languages.
love is respect
Dating abuse and unhealthy relationships, for teens and young adults — and for anyone worried about them.
Networks & business support
5 entries
SCORE score.org
Free one-to-one mentoring for the life of your business, from experienced business people, plus free live webinars most weeks. There is a hub built specifically for women entrepreneurs.
SBA resource partners near you sba.gov
Postcode search for your nearest Women’s Business Center, Small Business Development Center or SCORE chapter. Free advising, in person.
Association of Women’s Business Centers awbc.org
The network behind 140+ Women’s Business Centers. Free or low-cost training, one-to-one counselling and funding guidance. Use “Find a WBC near you”.
WBENC wbenc.org
Women’s Business Enterprise certification — the one large corporates ask for. Gets you into supplier databases, matchmaking events and corporate procurement programmes.
NAWBO nawbo.org
National Association of Women Business Owners — chapters across the country, advocacy and a member network. Dues-based, so check what your local chapter charges.
Funding
5 entries
SBA Women-Owned Small Business certification sba.gov
Free to certify. Opens federal contracts set aside for women-owned firms — the government has a statutory target of five per cent of contracting dollars.
Hello Alice — grants helloalice.com
Grant programmes funded by corporate partners, typically $5,000 to $10,000. Free to join and no application fees. More than $57 million distributed so far.
Kiva U.S. kiva.org
Microloans at 0 per cent interest — no fees, no collateral, no minimum credit score. You prove creditworthiness by getting people who know you to lend first. Roughly two months end to end.
Tory Burch Foundation toryburchfoundation.org
The Fellows Program — a year of expert guidance and advisors for women founders — plus free business webinars and a searchable resource library open to anyone.
Amber Grant for Women ambergrantsforwomen.com
Three $10,000 grants every month, and three $50,000 year-end awards drawn from the monthly winners. One short application covers all of them. US and Canada, 50 per cent women-owned. There is a $15 application fee, waived on request by email.
Directories
3 entries
211 211.org
Dial 211 or search online for local help of any kind — rent and utility assistance, food, childcare, healthcare, legal aid. Free and confidential.
DomesticShelters.org domesticshelters.org
The largest searchable database of domestic violence shelters and programmes in the US and Canada. Filter by location, services offered and language.
Eating disorder treatment finder allianceforeatingdisorders.com
Free referral database covering every level of care — search by postcode, insurance accepted and what else is going on. Helpline 866-662-1235, Monday to Friday, 9am to 7pm ET. Not a crisis line.
Rights & law
5 entries
Filing a discrimination charge eeoc.gov
How to bring a charge over sex discrimination, harassment, unequal pay or retaliation — and the deadline, which can be as short as 180 days.
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act eeoc.gov
Reasonable accommodation for pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions. In force since 27 June 2023; final regulation 18 June 2024. Many states go further.
VAWA self-petition — immigration uscis.gov
If you are married to, or the child or parent of, a citizen or permanent resident who is abusing you, you can file for status yourself. They are not told.
WomensLaw.org womenslaw.org
State by state, in plain English: restraining orders, custody, divorce, housing and what the courts in your state actually require.
LawHelp.org lawhelp.org
Free and low-cost legal aid, by state and by issue. Where to go when you cannot pay a lawyer.
Support & safety
5 entries
National Domestic Violence Hotline thehotline.org
Free and confidential, 24/7. Call 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788. The site also carries safety planning tools and a path to local advocates.
RAINN — National Sexual Assault Hotline rainn.org
24/7 in English and Spanish. Call 800-656-4673, text HOPE to 64673, or use the online chat. Connects you to a trained staff member at a service provider near you.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline 988lifeline.org
Call or text 988 any time, any day. Spanish text and chat, and a dedicated route for Deaf and hard of hearing callers.
StrongHearts Native Helpline strongheartshelpline.org
24/7 support for Native American and Alaska Native survivors, grounded in tribal culture. Call or text 844-762-8483.
love is respect loveisrespect.org
For teens and young adults. Call 866-331-9474 or text LOVEIS to 22522, 24/7. The site has an interactive safety plan and a plain list of what you are entitled to in a relationship.
Open to apply
43 jobs, fellowships, mentoring places and awards women in the United States can apply to right now.
Every link on this page was opened and checked by hand. Last reviewed 04 October 2026.