Whether it’s championing books, uniting women in the arts or helping families make memories together, these women fundraisers want to bring some joy and hope to the world around them.

Check out these 5 women-led crowdfunding campaigns:

1. A Bookstore in the Bronx (via Indiegogo)

The Business: The Bronx, a borough of New York City that’s home to 1.5 million people, presently has not a single bookstore. Noëlle Santos, a human resources professional who lives there, is hoping to change that by opening up The Lit. Bar. It will be both a bookstore and wine bar, she says, and will sell multilingual books and host events, among other things. “Our venue will encourage curious readers and welcome local art and community gatherings, while connecting the great pastimes of social drinking and introverted reading,” she says in her campaign.
The Money: Santos’ campaign has time — two months to be exact — to raise the ambitious goal of $100,000. Funds will be used to buy merchandise and install an inventory management system.

2. Gluten-Free Food Truck Goodies (via Kickstarter)

The Business: Richelle Greene and Hilary Lee are two Boise-based business owners who want to take their entrepreneurial aspirations on the road. They’re the cofounders of Gluten-Free Galaxy, a culinary venture focused on serving up sandwiches, soups, slices of pizza and more. Their menu will be full of items devoid of soy, peanuts, corn and other allergens. “We’ve decided to make our maiden voyage in a food truck,” they say, “and we need all of your help finishing our ship!”
The Money: By or before Feb. 13, Lee and Greene must raise at least $6,000. If they succeed, the money will be used to install sinks, refrigerators and other gear, pay for insurance and purchase ingredients, among other costs.

3. Menstrual Hygiene Awareness (via Indiegogo)

The Business: Filipa Carreira is the founder of Wamina, a venture in Mozambique that educates girls and women on personal health and menstrual hygiene through workshops and booklets. She and her all-female team also give area low-income girls access reusable menstrual pads. Their ultimate aim is to allow girls to “manage their periods hygienically and with dignity.”
The Money: Carreira seeks to raise $2,000 within the next 15 days, though her goal is flexible, and she will receive funding whether her campaign reaches that target or not. If it does, the money will be used to launch an awareness campaign. If it falls short, the funds raised will instead be put toward buying menstrual products for young girls.

4. Building the Female Jazz Community (via Indiegogo)

The Business: “After years of performing and studying jazz, Kelle Jolly came to the conclusion that the contributions of women are often left out of the story of jazz,” Jolly writes in her campaign. This revelation inspired the founder of the Women in Jazz Jam Festival in Knoxville, Tenn.,  to put together the event, which brings the women of the jazz world — and their supporters — together. Inspired by the positive vibes of the first festival, she’s now hard at work on the event’s sophomore outing.
The Money: The funds from this campaign will enable Jolly to plan the follow-up to the inaugural festival. Jolly has 11 days to raise the $10,000 she needs.

5. Helping Families Make Memories (via Wefunder)

The Business: Adventure Clubs is an app that allows families to connect and keep kids entertained through tailored activities like hikes and classes. “Think of it as a mobile Meetup.com with events made just for kids, targeting their socialization, education and curiosity,” says Janelle Schroy, the Cape Town, South Africa, entrepreneur who started it all. Presently, Adventure Clubs boasts 8,400 registered users — a number Schroy is looking to increase.
The Money: Unlike the efforts featured above, this is an equity crowdfunding campaign. As such, contributors will receive a stake in the company. Schroy hopes to raise between $100,000 and $1 million in investments, which she would use to grow registration and active use of the app.

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