WUNRN
GLOBAL FUND FOR WOMEN GENERAL SUPPORT GRANTS
What is general support?
Not
all grants are created equal. Giving general support means trusting
grantee partners to make their own decisions about how to allocate funds.
Whether it is used for paying the electricity bill, or organizing a campaign
against domestic violence, general support gives groups the freedom to respond
to their own priorities.
“The flexibility and significance of the
general support grant from the Global Fund for Women cannot be overemphasized”
– Leymah Gbowee, Global Fund grantee and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Why do we give it?
Experience
tells us. What we’ve learned in over 23-years of grantmaking is
that general support has helped build a resilient global women’s movement. Our
grantee partners are more agile, harnessing windows of opportunity that can
lead to social revolutions. We help them build the infrastructure that makes
their projects work.
Why is it better?
It’s
the gift of freedom and flexibility. An independent
researcher found that our general support grants give organizations the freedom
to be themselves. Research also found that groups use general support funds
more carefully and efficiently. Grantee partners tell us they are more honest
about their challenges and accomplishments than when reporting on restricted
grants.
Don't
take our word for it. A 2011 study on funding for medical
research found general support yields higher impact results than restricted
funding. Economists discovered that these grants lead to “higher-impact
research.”
How you can help
Only 20 percent
of grants from the largest private and community foundations are designated for
general operating support. The result is a struggling women’s rights movement
trying to keep basic operations afloat. Study after study proves that women are
powerful catalysts for change. But these women need money and freedom to
provide the solutions that change the world. Donate now to support
these women and be part of their solutions »
Learn more
·
The way you grant can have as much of an impact as the grant itself. Download our position
paper, Trust
Women: Give General Support