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; please read about how this impacts our grantmaking.

Our Priorities

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

Grant Criteria

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.

Funding Cycle and Deadlines

The Global Fund for Women recently moved from accepting proposals on a rolling basis to accepting proposals twice a year with defined cycles.

Our proposal intake for the current grant cycle closed on December 31, 2012. We will begin accepting proposals for the next grant cycle on March 15, 2013. For your reference, the key dates for our two-cycle grant application process are listed below:

Cycle One:

• Proposal Intake: beginning October 15 and closing December 31st.
• 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.

We will send you a note of receipt after receiving your application. Thank you!

If your organization fulfills our criteria, and you would like to apply for a grant, please continue to Types of Grants »