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SFM Masthead

 STRENGTHENING FEMINIST MOVEMENTS

GRANT MAKING PROGRAMME

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS 2024-25

PROPOSAL FORMAT

Submission Deadline:

20 May 2024 (2:00PM Sri Lanka time/GMT+5:30)



IMPORTANT: The Strengthening Feminist Movements (SFM) Programme supports women, girls1, trans2, and intersex rights activists, groups, and networks working at the local, sub-national, and national levels. Regional and global organisations and networks, as well as women’s funds, are ineligible to apply for this grantmaking programme. 

SFM provides core support grants that can be used by organisations to fill funding gaps as per their needs, and is not tied to any specific “project”. This is flexible funding that can cover operational costs including staff salaries, rent, audit, and costs related to communications, trainings, meetings, as well as resource gaps for ongoing/new programmes and collaborations. Individuals can only apply for programmatic grants, which includes support for specific programmes/projects, whether ongoing or new initiatives, and are not eligible to apply for core grants. 

Partners who hold a Leading from the South (2021 or 2022) or Strengthening Feminist Movements (2022-2023 or 2023-2024) grant are not eligible to apply for a grant via this call for applications3 


The applicant must not be associated with a WFA staff or their next of kin in any decision-making, paid or voluntary capacity (including staff, board, general member, consultancy, etc.)


Please only apply for this grantmaking programme if you pass the following eligibility criteria:


  • Individual activists
  1. Must be 18 years of age or older.
  2. Must identify as a woman, girl, trans, or intersex person.
  3. Must be a national of and must be based in one of these 18 countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar4, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
  4. Must work on women, girls, trans, and intersex human rights issues with direct links to women’s, trans, intersex, and other rights-based movements sub-nationally or nationally.
  5. Civil servants, and/or those affiliated with and holding office in political parties, are not eligible to apply for this call.
  • Organisations
  1. Must be based in one of these 19 countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar4, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
  2. Must have advancement of women, girls, trans, and/or intersex rights as a focus of their vision, mission, and programme.
  3. Must have a maximum annual budget of USD 100,000.
  4. Applicants for the two-year organisational grant must have received at least one WFA grant from 2017 onwards.6 
  5. Must be led by women, girls, trans, and/or intersex persons. This means:

a. Both the board and staff should be led by a woman, girl, trans, and/or intersex person (18 years or older). 

b. Both the board and staff should be composed of at least 60% women, girls, trans, and/or intersex people.

6. Must NOT fall into any of these categories

a. Groups using strategies such as raid and rescue, anti-sex work, anti-abortion, and anti-LGBTIQ, among others;

b. Groups whose primary purpose is humanitarian assistance, charity, microfinance, education, scholarships, and literacy;;

c. Groups directly affiliated with political parties and government institutions (the applicant’s board and staff leadership should also not be affiliated with political parties and/or hold government positions, even in their individual capacity);

d. Groups directly affiliated with religious institutions or faith-based groups;

e. Commercial enterprises;

f. Educational/academic institutions, or groups affiliated with them; 

g. A branch, chapter, or country office of a multilateral organisation (such as ASEAN, SAARC, or one of the United Nations agencies) or of an international organisation; 

h. A regional or global organisation or network; and

i. Women’s funds or any other funding organisation.


The SFM grants programme does NOT support applications for any of the following:

  1. Microcredit, microfinance, and other income generation activities;
  2. Sponsorships and scholarships;
  3. Service provision activities such as running of health camps;
  4. Direct or indirect interventions in electoral or party-based political activities, such as election campaigns, election processes, supporting or opposing a political candidate during elections, and contributions to political parties or individual candidate’s fund (even if independent);
  5. Buying land or any construction activity;
  6. Academic research; and
  7. Emergency or relief funds.7 


Please note that WFA can only fund applicants in compliance with local and/or national laws and regulations. 

An incomplete application form will not be processed. Organisations can only submit ONE application. If more than one application is submitted, only the first submission will be considered. Additional applications from an organisation will be considered IF they are made on behalf of/with a partner or collaborating organisation. 


Language: This application form is available in English and the following regional languages: Bahasa Indonesian, Bangla, Burmese, Filipino, Hindi, Khmer, Lao, Traditional Chinese, Mongolian, Nepalese, Sinhala, Tamil, Thai, and Vietnamese. Additionally, we accept application responses written in Bahasa Melayu, Dzongkha, Tetum, and Urdu, using the English application form. Please note that this online application can only be submitted in English. Applications in the languages above can be submitted via email to sfm@wf-asia.org.

Before completing this application, please read the Call for Proposals Guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions. 


---------------------------------------------------------------


1. WFA acknowledges that there is no consistent and agreed upon definition of “girls.” WFA supports girls at two levels: through directly funding girl-led groups whose board and staff leadership are between the ages of 18 to 24 and through supporting work on rights of young women and girls aged 13 and above.

2. “Trans” is used by WFA as a placeholder to cover a diversity of gender identities and forms of gender expressions claimed by people across the region and the world. WFA supports trans rights, including that of transfeminine, transmasculine, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people, amongst other identities. 

3.  SFM 2022-23 partners will be contacted directly by WFA so they can apply for a renewal grant.

4.  Please note that WFA can only contract with individuals and groups that have a bank account. Please write to us at applications.wfa@protonmail.com in case you are interested in applying for a grant.

5.  Leading from the South, Strengthening Feminist Movements and Claiming Our Voices: Beijing +25 Review & Follow Up.

6.  WFA supports current and past partners under its crisis response grantmaking, including direct relief and humanitarian assistance.


The Strengthening Feminist Movements (SFM) Programme supports women, girls, trans, and intersex rights activists, groups, and networks working at the local, sub-national, and national levels. Regional and global organisations and networks, as well as women’s funds, are ineligible to apply for this grantmaking programme. Please check the eligibility criteria prior to applying.
Section I. APPLICATION TYPE AND CATEGORY

All questions marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory.



a. Individual Proposal: Maximum grant amount of USD 8,000. Grant duration 12 months.
b. One-Year Organisational Proposal: Maximum grant amount of USD 15,000. Grant duration 12 months.
c. Two-Year Organisational Proposal: Maximum grant amount of USD 30,000.
Please note that only groups that have received at least one WFA grant from 2017 onwards can apply for this grant category. Grant duration 24 months.

“Current Grantee” means you hold an existing grant with WFA, and this proposal is NOT a continuation of the existing grant supported by WFA.
“Past grantee” means you have held a grant supported by WFA, and this grant has ended.

Section II. APPLICANT CONTACT DETAILS

Please provide the legal/registered name including acronym, if any, followed by the preferred or widely used name and acronym, if any. E.g. An organisation registered as Sabke Haq ki Ladai (SHL) but popularly known as Fight for Rights of All (FRA) would list it as: Sabke Haq ki Ladai (SHL) / Fight for Rights of All (FRA).




Hint: This refers to the position of the primary contact person in the organisations, e.g. Manager, Programme Officer, etc.
IMPORTANT: A copy of your application and reference number will be sent to this email. Please ensure there is no space added after or before the email.

Please ensure there is no space added after or before the email.
Format: [Country Code] [Number]
(Example: +91 9678567823, +855 125552957)
Format: [Country Code] [Number]
 (Example: +91 9678567823, +855 125552957)
Format: [Country Code] [Number]
 (Example: +91 9678567823, +855 125552957)


Please state your preferred means of communications.

Section III. APPLICANT PROFILE
Individual Profile
Please use numbers only.
Activists who identify as asylum seekers and refugees; forcibly displaced; low income migrant workers; and survivors of trafficking, smuggling and other types of forced displacement, and their organisations, are also eligible to apply for this grantmaking programme. However, individuals or organisations applying for grants must be based in the mandated countries covered by the call.




Please be mindful that WFA’s mandate is to support rights of women, girls, trans, and/or intersex people and funds cannot be used to support outside this mandate.
Hold down the Ctrl key for multiple selections. For macbook users, hold down the Command key.


By self-led, we mean that you are a representative of, and embedded within the constituency with whom you are working.




9. Social Media Accounts (if any)

Organisational Profile










Please be mindful that WFA’s mandate is to support rights of women, girls, trans, and/or intersex people and funds cannot be used to support outside this mandate. Hold down the Ctrl key for multiple selections. For macbook users, hold down the Command key.


By self-led, we mean that the leadership of the organisation or group applying—the highest decision-making body such as the board as well as staff membership—is representative of the constituency with whom they are working. For example, an organisation working on trans rights is led by a trans person, or an organisation working on disability rights is led by a woman, trans, or intersex person with disability.


Please be mindful that WFA’s mandate is to support rights of women, girls, trans, and/or intersex people and funds cannot be used to support outside this mandate.
Hold down the Ctrl key for multiple selections. For macbook users, hold down the Command key.

7. Annual Expenditure in USD
Add numbers only in this field. Ensure the amounts are stated in USD.
Add numbers only in this field. Ensure the amounts are stated in USD.
8. Funding
If you have listed donors above, please state "NA".
9. Applicant's Board Details
The information in this section is necessary for WFA to assess the applicant’s eligibility on board leadership and composition. We understand that there might be concerns related to declaring gender identity. This information will be kept confidential.


This refers to your board lead.
Cis men/women: Cisgender/Cis men/Cis women describes people whose gender identity matches their assigned sex at birth. It is the opposite term, or antonym to transgender. [Asia Pacific Trans Network, “Legal Gender Recognition : A Multi-Country Legal and Policy Review in Asia”.] [Source: https://weareaptn.org].
Trans: “Trans” as a term “define(s) people whose gender identity or expression differs from their gender assigned at birth. Some of these people identify and present themselves as male or female; others identify with a non-binary gender category.” [Source: International Trans Fund. “FAQ.” https://www.transfund.org/].
Intersex: “Intersex people are born with sex characteristics (including genitals, gonads and chromosome patterns) that do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies. Intersex is an umbrella term used to describe a wide range of natural bodily variations. In some cases, intersex traits are visible at birth while in others, they are not apparent until puberty. Some chromosomal intersex variations may not be physically apparent at all. [Source: Astraea Foundation, “Frequently Asked Questions About Intersex Issues.” https://www.astraeafoundation.org and Citing Free and Equal—United Nations for LGBT Equality, Intersex Factsheet. https://www.unfe.org]

This refers to your board lead.
10. Applicant's Staff Details
The information in this section is necessary for WFA to assess the applicant’s eligibility on the staff leadership and composition. We understand that there might be concerns related to declaring gender identity. This information will be kept confidential.


This refers to your staff lead.
Cis men/women: Cisgender/Cis men/Cis women describes people whose gender identity matches their assigned sex at birth. It is the opposite term, or antonym to transgender. [Asia Pacific Trans Network, “Legal Gender Recognition : A Multi-Country Legal and Policy Review in Asia”.] [Source: https://weareaptn.org].
Trans: “Trans” as a term “define(s) people whose gender identity or expression differs from their gender assigned at birth. Some of these people identify and present themselves as male or female; others identify with a non-binary gender category.” [Source: International Trans Fund. “FAQ.” https://www.transfund.org/].
Intersex: “Intersex people are born with sex characteristics (including genitals, gonads and chromosome patterns) that do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies. Intersex is an umbrella term used to describe a wide range of natural bodily variations. In some cases, intersex traits are visible at birth while in others, they are not apparent until puberty. Some chromosomal intersex variations may not be physically apparent at all. [Source: Astraea Foundation, “Frequently Asked Questions About Intersex Issues.” https://www.astraeafoundation.org and Citing Free and Equal—United Nations for LGBT Equality, Intersex Factsheet. https://www.unfe.org]

This refers to your stafflead.

If you do not have a website, please state "None".
12. Organisational Social Media Accounts (if any):
SECTION IV. PROPOSAL DETAILS - Individual


State the amount in USD. Use numbers only. This needs to match the annexed budget. Individual grants will be for a maximum of USD 8000 for a period of 12 months.
3. Geographic Scope / Scope of Proposed Intervention:


Please select only one level of engagement.

Hold down the Ctrl key for multiple selections. For macbook users, hold down the Command key.






SECTION IV. PROPOSAL DETAILS - Organizational


State the amount in USD. Use numbers only. This needs to match the annexed budget.
One-year organisational grants will be for a maximum of USD 15000 for a period of 12 months.
Two-year organisational grants will be for a maximum of USD 30000 for a period of 24 months.
3. Geographic Scope / Scope of Proposed Intervention:


Please select only one level of engagement.

Hold down the Ctrl key for multiple selections. For macbook users, hold down the Command key.



Section V. REFERENCES
Provide two referees who can endorse your application. Referees can be current/past donors, networks, and other women, girls, trans, and intersex rights organisations. Referees cannot be from your organisation whether as an employee, volunteer, advisor, consultant, or board member. Additionally, WFA staff and board members cannot serve as references for your application.  

Please leave blank if not applicable.
Please ensure there is no space added after or before the email.
Format: [Country Code] [Number]
 (Example: +91 9678567823, +855 125552957)

Please leave blank if not applicable.
Please ensure there is no space added after or before the email.
Format: [Country Code] [Number]
(Example: +91 9678567823, +855 125552957)
Section VI. PARTNERSHIP
For collaborating/partnership proposals only: Who are your partners in this work and why? What roles will each party play in this collaboration/partnership? Share the details for each partner. Add more responses as needed.
Organisation - Collaboration / Partnership Proposals


Please ensure there is no space added after or before the email.
If you do not have a website, please state "None".






Format: [Country Code] [Number]
 (Example: +91 9678567823, +855 125552957)


Individual - Collaboration / Partnership Proposals

Please ensure there is no space added after or before the email.
Format: [Country Code] [Number]
 (Example: +91 9678567823, +855 125552957)


Section VII. ANONYMITY AND CONSENT FOR USE OF DATA



Section VIII. CHECKLIST OF REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

IMPORTANT: TEMPLATES: Please check if you have submitted the following documents together with this proposal format. Ensure you submit all of the documents below, or if not available, provide an explanation. All relevant templates can be downloaded here. Incomplete applications will not be processed.
 ATTACHMENTS: Please note that the total maximum size of all documents uploaded is 35MB. Please attach large files as a ZIP file if possible. SAVE AND RESUME: Please save a copy of the application before attempting to upload files - application may not save if file is too large.
a. Budget
Upload Budget Form (Use the SFM budget template which can be downloaded here)

Upload the budget in excel format only.
b. CV

c. Bank account that can receive foreign funds


Checklist for Organisational Application
IMPORTANT:


TEMPLATES: Please check if you have submitted the following documents together with this proposal format. Please ensure you submit all of the documents below, or if not available, provide an explanation. All relevant templates can be downloaded here. Incomplete applications will not be processed.


TRANSLATION: 

  • All the required documentation must be submitted in English. 
  • If any of the required documentation are in a language other than English, you will need to:
  • Provide a translated and attested copy of the same document in English.
  • Have the document attested by an authorized officer certifying the authenticity of the document. (The certifying statement should be made in English). This means that if your certificate of registration is in another language, the same should be stamped by an authorised officer stating, ‘I hereby certify this document is the registration of .... Organisation’.
  • If the audited report is in language other than English, at the minimum, the following pages should be translated into English: Auditors’ opinion page, Balance Sheet, and Income Statement.
  • If your organisation is unregistered or does not have the required documentation, please email us at least 2 weeks before the deadline at sfm@wf-asia.org to explore your options.


ATTACHMENTS: Please note that the total maximum size of all documents uploaded is 35MB. 


Please attach large files as a ZIP file if possible.


SAVE AND RESUME: Please save a copy of the application before attempting to upload files - application may not save if file is too large.

a. Budget Document

Upload the budget in excel format only.
b. Board and Staff



c. Registration document (most recent)



d. Approval document to receive foreign funds



e. Bank account that can receive foreign funds


f. Audited statement of accounts



g. Tax Exemption Certificate/Document



h. Latest Annual/Programme Report



Please submit completed application forms together with the budget and required documents by 2.00 pm on 20 May 2023 (Sri Lanka Time/GMT+5:30) to sfm@wf-asia.org with the subject line: “SFM Grant Application 2024-25”. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
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