Global Fund for Women invests in women’s
groups that advance the human rights of women and girls. We strengthen
women-led organizations based outside the United States by providing
grants ranging from $500 to $30,000 for operating and program expenses.
We value local expertise and believe that women know best how to
determine their needs and propose solutions for lasting change.
The Global Fund for Women is committed to providing support to
women’s groups throughout the world in a fair and just way. We have
application forms available in five languages: Arabic, English, French,
Russian and Spanish and have capacity to process applications in other
languages. We award grants based on criteria and priorities determined
in partnership with women’s rights activists working on the ground.
In accordance with U.S. law, the Global Fund for Women is required to comply with all U.S. regulations.
Global Fund for Women has refreshed its grantmaking model to ensure
greater clarity and transparency in relation to its vision, approach and
regional grantmaking priorities. These priorities are intended to align
with women’s human rights trends and needs and to ensure that the
grantmaking informs other programmatic initiatives and advocacy. We are
committed to supporting collaboration and partnership by and between
grantees in order to strengthen and sustain impact. Our grantmaking
strategy reflects three tiers of grants that include:
- Catalyzing new women-led organizations and initiatives
- Strengthening the work of existing grantees
- Assisting long-term grantees to consolidate, accelerate and extend their work, learning and impact
Who Global Fund supports
- Groups of women working together.
- Organizations that demonstrate a clear commitment to women’s equality and women’s human rights.
- Organizations that are governed and directed by women.
- Organizations based outside of the United States.
Who Global Fund does NOT support
- Individuals and Scholarships
- Organizations that do not have a women’s human rights focus.
- Organizations headed or managed by men.
- Organizations whose sole activities are income-generation and/or charity.
- Organizations based or working primarily in the United States.
- Organizations in the Global North proposing partnerships in the Global South.
- Government entities, political parties or election campaigns.
The Global Fund for Women recently moved from accepting proposals on a
rolling basis to accepting proposals twice a year with defined cycles.
For your reference, the key dates for our two-cycle grant application
process are listed below:
Cycle One:
- Proposal Intake: beginning September 15 and closing December 15.
- Application review and grant approval process completed by mid-May.
- Applicants notified of award or decline by May 31st.
Cycle Two:
- Proposal Intake: beginning March 15th and closing June 30th.
- Application review and grant approval process completed by mid-November.
- Applicants notified of award or decline by November 30th.
Types of Grants
General Support awards to grantee partners are classified as Innovation, Strengthening, and Sustaining Grants.
Innovation Grants
Women’s movements are stronger when they are diverse and dynamic.
Innovation grants fund new/emerging approaches, issues, and voices. With
these grants Global Fund aims to raise visibility and leverage
resources for women’s movements and to connect emerging groups to a
wider network of women’s organizations. They address women’s rights
agendas in rural and excluded areas/communities, sustain new approaches,
and nurture young feminists involved in building the women’s movement.
These grants can also support creative approaches to challenging issues
and pilot projects that require some calculated risk.
Strengthening Grants
Women’s movements are stronger when women’s organizations have the
capacity and resources to be effective and strategic. Strengthening
grants fund infrastructure, enhance grantee’s programmatic impact, and
strengthen capacity and connections. These medium-sized grants aim to
support the professionalism of women’s groups. Strengthening Grants
offer reliable support to groups who have a track record of cumulative
change and have infused voices and issues into mainstream agendas.
Sustaining Grants
Women’s movements are most successful when women’s organizations are
well networked, led and supported and have the funds to seize
opportunities when they arise. Therefore Sustaining Grants are larger,
fund strong national, regional, and global women’s rights organizations
to build collective power, take coordinated actions, grow feminist
leadership, and sustain lasting systemic change for gender equality. Groups
identified by Global Fund as strong candidates for Sustaining Grants
will be invited to propose an initiative, then partner with Global Fund
to set clearly-outlined goals and outcomes, and evaluation processes for
the grant sought. This may be for an activity or program that may
include convenings, capacity-building, or research. To be
eligible, groups must have significant capacity for growth, a longer
history with Global Fund, and exemplify movement building in their
activities, programs and/or structures. Groups are also required to have
a track record for impact on their communities, countries, and/or
regions via policy change, advocacy and documentation.
