For Grantseekers

 
 

Grantmaking Program

Women First partners have the opportunity to receive up to six years of flexible funding (a mix of core and programmatic support) totaling $95,000 USD. Our grants are made through three stages:

  1. Opportunity: 12-month commitment from Women First in the amount of $10,000 USD

  2. Investment: 3-year commitment from Women First in the total amount of $45,000 USD

  3. Leverage: 2-year commitment from Women First in the total amount of $40,000 USD

 
 
 

What We Offer

We offer a combination of grant dollars and non-financial resources. Currently, these include:

Flexible Funding

Grant dollars are flexible, meaning they can be used for a mix of core, capacity, and programmatic expenses. Each year, Women First staff will work together with grantees to ensure that budgets are thoughtfully allocated and take into consideration areas of organizational capacity that are often overlooked.

Organizational Assessment and Planning Tools

Women First offers assessment and planning tools tailored specifically for small and emerging organizations. These include, the Women First Grassroots Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool (GrOCAT), a Capacity Building Plan (CBP) template, and a Sustainability Plan/Exit Planning template.

Grantee Resource Portal

We believe that our grantee partners have a wealth of expertise to share with each other, and we have created a portal for partners to connect online. We also use this online forum to share opportunities we learn about, like calls for proposals, and other announcements, tools, and resources, especially around priority areas like Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning. 

In-Person Visits & Convenings

During Women First staff visits to grantee partners, we aim to bring together partners who are located in close proximity to each other. We are also working on bringing together larger numbers of grantees over the six years of partnership through country convenings, where both grantee partners and Women First staff will lead workshops and engage in learning opportunities with one another.

Ad Hoc Support

Women First staff provide support with individualized capacity building plans. While our small team may not be able to meet all partner requests, we remain available for ongoing mentorship.

 
 

Our Application Process

A Networked Approach

Women First’s funding is a six year commitment. The majority of our funding annually goes to continuing grants, but we bring on a new cohort once each year. 

For new grants, Women First’s application process is a networked approach. Our applications are invitational; we identify potential partners through an extensive network of current and alumni grantee partners, peer funds, and advisors, as well as groups that we have met through regional and in-country networking opportunities. We do not currently accept unsolicited applications.

Our networked approach allows us to engage partners in our grant selection process and support an ecosystem of impactful women’s groups in our funding geographies. 

Our Commitment

Women First recognizes the value in participatory grantmaking, and is committed to seeking new ways to ensure that those who will be affected by our grants have input into their selection, as well as into the decisions that shape the criteria and structure of our grantmaking. We prioritize greater diversity in our leadership committees, especially those influencing grants decisions, and through adjustments to our grant selection process, by involving both current and past grantee partners in the identification of candidates.


 
 
 

Eligibility Criteria and Funding Priorities

WHAT WE FUND

Eligible organizations must meet ALL of the following criteria to apply. We partner with groups who are:

  1. Located in one of our current priority countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, or India

  2. Dedicated to improving the lives of women, girls and/or trans people, as evidenced by the group’s mission and/or activities. Groups’ activities should also indicate a significant focus on the economic empowerment of women, girls, and/or trans people.

  3. Groups of women, girls and/or trans people working together to identify and solve issues in their communities. These do not need to be registered as non-governmental organizations, but must be able to demonstrate that they are organized as a group, such as under a constitution or set of bylaws. Exception: Organizations located in India must be FCRA compliant.

  4. Groups must be governed and led by women, girls, and/or trans people, meaning they should fill all or most of the leadership roles, including, but not limited to, the highest levels of decision-making.

  5. Small and emerging organizations with little or no access to larger donors or institutional funding. We give priority to organizations that have annual budgets less than $50,000 USD.

  6. Eager to collaborate, network, learn, and share ideas/expertise with like-minded organizations

  7. Committed to measuring programmatic and organizational results

  8. Made up of and/or working with socially excluded and disadvantaged women, girls, and/or trans people

  9. Embracing a “nothing about us without us” mentality, meaning that decision-making and programming should reflect direct involvement of those who are affected by the organization’s work, including the local community if applicable.

  10. Interested in assessing and growing their organizational capacities. Our funds are flexible; however, proposed budgets should reflect a meaningful allocation of funds to activities directly related to organizational capacity assessment and strengthening.

  11. Planning to implement, or currently implementing, a program that delivers one or more of the following activities:

    • PROVIDING ACCESS TO RESOURCES such as creating market & company linkages, facilitating access to saving and lending options, providing materials, equipment, space, infrastructure, start-up capital

    • EDUCATING & TRAINING in financial literacy, business and income generation training, entrepreneurship support, vocational training, life skills training for adolescent girls

    • ENGAGING COMMUNITIES & ADVOCACY efforts that educate communities, work on changing/implementing policies and norms that harm/protect women, girls, and/or trans people, or support networking activities

WHAT WE DO NOT FUND

We are currently unable to fund the following:

  1. Political parties, government entities, or election campaigns (or groups that are structurally or financially dependent on these)

  2. Religious institutions

  3. Individuals (such as for research projects, scholarship programs, or funds that benefit the applicant only)

  4. International organizations that have programs or offices in our focus countries. For example, we would not fund an organization founded in the US that implements programs in Kenya.

  5. Groups that deny the rights of certain women, girls, and/or trans people based on who they are or their position in society