Greater Washington Urban League Inc

The Greater Washington Urban League (GWUL) was founded in 1938, in the middle of the Great Migration, when thousands of Black families were arriving in Washington and finding a city that had not made room for them. GWUL made room. Jobs. Housing. Schools. A place to be heard.

Eighty-eight years later, we are one of the oldest civil rights organizations in the District and the largest affiliate in the National Urban League movement, serving Washington, D.C., Prince George’s County and Montgomery County.

This has been a hard year for our region. Tens of thousands of federal jobs have been lost, disrupting work that has provided one of the steadiest pathways into the Black middle class for generations. Families are navigating reductions in critical benefits while the cost of rent, utilities, groceries and everyday necessities continues to stretch household budgets.

So the Urban League has done what it was built to do: respond.

We provide emergency rent and utility assistance. Financial coaching for people navigating layoffs and financial uncertainty. Housing counseling. Mental wellness services. Career development. Support that helps Black-owned businesses start, grow, and remain open.

And we continue to build programs that respond directly to the needs we see in our community.

Our signature programming includes By Our Hands, an accelerator designed to strengthen Black-owned businesses and create pathways to sustainable growth and economic mobility.

Through our Black Fatherhood Blueprint, one of the first programs of its kind in the Greater Washington region, we are creating space for Black fathers to strengthen their relationships, build community, and access resources designed specifically with their experiences in mind.

Our commitment to healthier families extends to maternal and paternal mental health. GWUL provides Perinatal Mental Health Certification opportunities to help strengthen the network of professionals equipped to support families during pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period. In 2026, we also launched our inaugural paternal mental health training, expanding the conversation around mental wellness to ensure fathers are seen, supported and included.

And every August, our Health & Wellness Back 2 School Festival helps send 1,000 students into a new school year with backpacks, school supplies, books, health and wellness resources, and a community standing behind them.

This work requires people who believe it should continue.

Your Support Makes an Impact

Every gift helps the Greater Washington Urban League continue building pathways to stability, opportunity, and economic mobility throughout the Greater Washington region. Here’s a snapshot of our recent impact:

10,000+ families supported annually
through programs and initiatives designed to strengthen individuals, families and communities.

6,500 households assisted each year
with rent and utility assistance, personalized counseling and resources that help families remain stable.

$40,000 invested annually in our youth
through educational scholarships and leadership development opportunities.

184 hours of mental wellness support provided annually
through individual and small-group therapeutic sessions.

Economic mobility put within reach
through financial literacy, wealth-building initiatives, entrepreneurship support and career advancement opportunities.

$156 million distributed annually
across programs and services that directly support the communities we serve.

Give 8/28. Invest in What Comes Next.

For 88 years, the Greater Washington Urban League has been there when our community needed us. Your gift helps ensure we can continue showing up for the next family, the next entrepreneur, the next father, the next student, and the next generation.

Early giving begins August 26, 2026. Give on 8/28 and help us keep this work moving forward.

Learn more about the Greater Washington Urban League at gwul.org.