Funding Movement Building: Donors Get Real About What It Takes!
Funders who will support women feminist initiatives will need to have flexible instruments within their program funding.
Most funding ends up in urban areas, not rural where the women are. Funding usually do not go directly to the women, but through community organizations: under funders category of community grant making. The community grants also help strengthen local organizations.
One speaker said that they prefer to go to rural womens groups, build long-term alliances with them. AWDF: grant sizes: Community 3000-5000 $ USD, Institution 30,000 -200,000 $ USD.
For the Global Fund, diversity is essential. There is a need for flexibility, allow for risk, funding also for research (besides grassroots). Grant size ranges from $USD 5000 – 150,000 a year.
Funding revolves around the idea of movement building. Funders will help to facilitate space and common actions for movements.
Apparently, there is a gradual reduction of funding in movement building.
The challenges faced by funders include: organizations are young and lack technical capacity, access to rural groups are difficult, literacy level is low (affects proposal writing!), leadership turnover. Institutions need to be strengthen, not just the one leader.
Funders attempt to locate themselves and their fit with organizations. However even funders who get funding from other sources are under pressure to write log frames in quantitative terms when most data is in qualitative terms. When looking at big funders, they are under pressure to see results and for government aid funders, need to show citizens results.
Disjointed proposals can also be an indicator of the shape of the organization!
We want to see fundamental change in oppressive structures, however funders may be unable to support this agenda.
movements takes time and its a long term process. Movement building takes time and some funders need to show quick results. Aggressive structures trying to break – patriarchy & global economy – movements challenging globalization – equitable trade and sustainability. held in place with vested interest.
INSPIRATIONAL - Even hard funders can be moved by these inspirational stories. EDUCATE donors and see value! the vision!
Organizations must get funders to understand their context of work. Sometimes it is uncomfortable to justify ones existence. Organizations must be Clear on what you want to achieve and how to demonstrate this. Not just fund you because you want to change. During process, if things didnt happen, one must also explain to funders. Also where do you want to go?
There are networks of women feminist funders.
Funding in the north is extremely limited.
LAST QUESTION: SWAZILAND _ AS WE movement towards the movement, im having concern whereby put up a proposal to donor, and transparent, and say im funded, reduction to be funded by another donor. AWDF has money in the development community.
Problem: netherlands – agreement if one organization fund, the other should refrain, - overheads at the same time, regional organization – receive funding from all. Unresolved.
Harmonization and alighnment, im in all will diversity of needs, clear and open.
For the Africa Womens Development Fund – funding with one, chances are you will get funding from the rest of us, add-value to combine resources! reference and be complementary.
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