Since its inception, the Playboy Foundation has sought to achieve these objectives by awarding nearly $10 million in grants and nearly $3 million in other assistance. The following list highlights that support and includes grants awarded from 1965 through 1995.
American Social Health Association, To support its Public Policy Office, which provides elected officials who determine appropriations for research, education and prevention on sexually transmitted diseases, with guidance and a comprehensive source of information.
The Population Council Center for Biomedical Research, To develop an alternative abortifacient to RU 486.
Sex Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS), To support the development of sex education programs for public schools.
Reproductive Biology Research Institute, To assist William Masters and Virginia Johnson in developing a comprehensive training program for healthcare professionals in the treatment of sexual dysfunction.
Reproductive Rights and Family Planning
Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights, To support its grassroots organizing efforts on pro-choice issues.
Shirley Wheeler Case, To defend the only woman charged with manslaughter for obtaining an abortion.
Stand Up For Choice, To support the distribution of Stand Up for Choice, a five-part documentary film series to inform the pro-choice community about harassment and attacks from Operation Rescue.
William Baird Defense Fund, To support the legal defense of this birth control advocate who defied archaic sex laws prohibiting "crimes against chastity" by publicly giving contraceptives to unmarried women.
Dr. Leon Speroff, For research on the use of prostaglandins as an abortifacient.
National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL), For support of its state-by-state efforts to reform abortion laws.
American Civil Liberties Union Reproductive Rights Project, To establish the project and provide continuing support for its many legal challenges to restrictive abortion statutes.
Planned Parenthood Federation of America and statewide affiliates, To support efforts to preserve and enhance the rights of women and girls to reproductive and related healthcare information and services.
National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), To support numerous cases challenging unusually severe punishment for simple possession and to seek controlled access for the medical use of cannabis.
Gay and Lesbian Rights
National Education Foundation for Individual Rights, To establish a program to coordinate research and litigation efforts to secure equal rights for gays and lesbians.
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, To support its lobbying and education efforts with policy makers at the national level.
National Gay Rights Advocates, To fund litigation challenging laws that discriminate solely on the basis of sexual orientation.
National Sexual Civil Liberties Project, To establish a project of the ACLU to research and litigate victimless crimes and civil cases relating to sexual orientation.
American Civil Liberties Union National Sexual Rights Project, To establish and support its litigation docket which includes working with state legislatures to abolish sodomy laws, and to establish custody rights for gays and lesbians and against discrimination policies based on sexual orientation.
Women's Rights
Vietnam Veterans of America Women in the Military Project, Support for its program to secure benefits and recognition for the 50,000 women who served in Vietnam.
Center for Women Policy Studies, For a national prescriptive study on rape, including the handling of rape victims by hospital personnel, police and court officials. The study resulted in a handbook that is used in urban areas throughout the U.S.
Citizens' Committee for Victim Assistance, To improve the treatment of Illinois victims of rape and to develop a rape evidence kit to be used in prosecuting rapists.
National Women's Political Caucus, To organize women into a vast constituency to elect women to public office.
Midwest Women's Center, To establish and support its programs to secure equal employment rights for women.
American Civil Liberties Union Women's Rights Project, To establish and support its litigation docket to secure equal rights for women in the areas of marriage, divorce, employment, education, birth control and credit.
Abolishing the Death Penalty
NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund To monitor capital punishment cases to ensure full legal representation.
American Civil Liberties Union National Prison Project, To undertake a wide range of programs including litigation, investigating abuses, organizing a nationwide network of attorneys and penologists and to serve as a national clearinghouse on issues related to the death penalty and prison reform.
Student Press Law Center, To provide free legal assistance to student journalists.
American Library Association Freedom to Read Foundation, To combat censorship efforts directed at the nation's libraries.
National Coalition Against Censorship, To support the defense of free thought, inquiry and expression.
People for the American Way, To support efforts to protect and defend free expression, religious liberty, equal justice and citizen participation.