The African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) is happy to invite applications for grants from eligible feminist and women’s rights organisations (WROs) led by historically marginalised and minoritised groups in Africa.
AWDF is a Pan-African feminist fund that envisions a world and a continent where gender justice, freedom and equality are achieved for all. They launched the ten-year strategic framework, Lemlem, in 2023, a framework which centres movements and takes an inclusive approach to feminist funding in Africa. They know that feminist activists and movements are central to social justice work that ensures women, girls and gender-diverse persons across Africa enjoy equal rights and opportunities. They recognise the diversity of the feminist and women’s rights organisations and movements and want to be part of the cultural evolution of feminist organising on the continent, ensuring they reach all parts of the movement.
In this call for proposals, AWDF is prioritising applications from a diversity of feminist and women’s rights organisations (WROs) led by historically marginalised and minoritised groups, e.g. refugee and displaced women, indigenous women, gender diverse persons, women with disabilities, among others. To ensure language diversity, they will prioritise applications from organisations and networks working in French, Portuguese and Arabic-speaking countries across Africa. They are also inviting applications from organisations and networks in diverse geographies including North Africa, the Sahel and the Horn of Africa.
Type of Grants
Open Grants – These are for applications proposing work that promotes the rights of women, girls and gender-diverse peoples’ rights. They are prioritising projects that address structural barriers to gender equality and projects building the agency of women, girls and gender diverse people to lead activism towards gender justice. Depending on your 2023 verified income, you can apply for up to a maximum of USD75,000 per year for two years, so an amount totalling USD150,000 or less over two years.
Kasa! Initiative Grants – These are for applications for work specifically addressing sexual violence and only for Women’s Rights Organisations (WROs) registered and working in Ghana, Nigeria and/or Senegal. Depending on your 2023 verified income, you can apply for up to a maximum of USD30,000 per year for two years, so an amount totalling USD60,000 for two years.
Komboa Grants – These are for applications from women and gender-diverse persons led organisations and networks, operating within the African continent working to empower African women, girls, and gender-diverse people to exercise their voice, agency, and leadership. The Komboa Initiative seeks to bolster feminist endeavours that not only resist anti-rights movements but also cultivate resilient communities where everyone can thrive. They especially encourage organisations operating in Southern and Central Africa to apply under this fund. Depending on your 2023 verified income, you can apply for up to a maximum of USD200,000 for between 12 – 24 months.
Eligibility Criteria
The Open grant call is open to organisations and networks led by women, girls and gender-diverse persons, and that have been registered and working in Africa for at least 3 years.
The Open grant call is open to organisations and networks led by women, girls and gender-diverse people whose work is building the agency of diverse communities of women, girls and gender diverse people in pursuit of gender justice for all. They will prioritise applications that strengthen the voice of women, girls and gender-diverse people to lead actions that contribute to changes in policies, social norms and behaviours. They will prioritise organisations and networks working in French-speaking African countries. They are also particularly interested in receiving applications from historically marginalised and minoritised groups.
The Kasa! Initiative grant call is open to organisations and networks led by women, girls and genderdiverse persons that have been registered and operating in Ghana, Nigeria and/or Senegal for at least three years and whose 2023 budget is less than USD 150,000. The initiatives proposed should focus on addressing sexual violence.
The Komboa grant call is open to women and gender-diverse-led organisations and networks. They especially encourage organisations and networks operating in Southern and Central Africa to apply.
Applicants must be African and women led, registered and working on the African continent
Applicants must demonstrate their existence and operation for a minimum of 3 years
They will receive applications in English and French.
