Dining for Women Grant

Dining for Women  is an educational giving circle: Our members meet monthly, learn about our featured and sustained grantees, and donate to DFW, allowing us collectively to support grassroots international organizations empowering women and girls living in extreme poverty. We fund projects that foster good health, education, and economic self-sufficiency in developing countries. We are devoted to educating and inspiring individuals to make a difference and fight global poverty through the power of collective giving.

Dining for Women selects a featured grantee each month and promotes it throughout the month at chapter meetings, through mailings, social media and online communications. Grantees are assigned to be featured in a specific month based on issue area and geography.

Dining for Women makes grants of $35,000-50,000 that may be disbursed in one distribution or which may be taken in up to two equal distributions spanning a period of two years.

Guiding Principles

• To maximize the educational opportunities for DFW members, during the course of a year, DFW will strive to fund projects that address the varied issues, needs, and geography of women and girls
• Projects funded will address one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• Projects funded will create lasting change in the lives of the women and/or girls who are affected.
• Projects provide solutions that have been identified by the women and/or girls being served and must actively include their perspectives.
• Grantee must be able to demonstrate the direct impact of the project funded and demonstrate methods and ability to monitor and evaluate the project.
• Grantees are sustainable organizations with multiple funding sources.

Requirements for Grantees:

1. A US 501c3 corporation or fiscal sponsor – A fiscal sponsor is a US non-profit organization that provides fiduciary oversight, financial management, and other administrative services to help build the capacity of charitable organizations that do not have a US 501c3 (non-profit) designation.  An applicant that does not have a US 501c3 (non-profit) designation can submit an application to DFW with a fiscal sponsor if they have a verifiable present relationship with that fiscal sponsor that has been in existence for the past 12 months.  The fiscal sponsor would need to satisfy all the DFW grant criteria.
2. Demonstrate capacity and on the ground operations in countries with populations of greatest need for a minimum of 3 years.
3. Form 990 EZ or long form must be available for two consecutive years (Applicants with fiscal sponsors need to submit the Fiscal Sponsor’s 990s.)
4. Minimum operating revenues of $100,000 annually
5. At least half of the board members and management of the organization must be women
6. At least half of the project staff in the country served must be women
7. Demonstrate fiscally responsible practices that create the greatest impact for the mission of the organization
8. Provide data regarding the direct impact of the organization’s programs
9. Provide historical evidence for the ability to monitor and evaluate the organization’s programs
10. Website presence in English: dedicated website or fiscal sponsor website
11. Provide a video clip at least 5 minutes in length about organization and funded project
12. High resolution photographs

Grantees must:

1. Support women and girls living in extreme poverty
   1. (defined as living on $1.90 a day or less)
2. Address one or more of the following issues / needs:
   1. Education and vocational training
   2. Improved women and girls’ health:
      1. Physical health
      2. Emotional /Psychological Health
      3. Maternal Health
      4. Sexual and Reproductive Rights
   3. Economic empowerment
   4. Clean water, sanitation and healthy environment
   5. Improved food security, regenerative agriculture, and nutrition
   6. Human trafficking: prevention, rescue and reintegration
   7. Leadership training
   8. Advocacy for policies that promote gender equality, peace and security

Moreinfo: http://diningforwomen.org/learn/grants/