Rosa Fund

Quick Stats

• Founded: 2008
• Annual Giving: £682,000 (2023-24)
• Grant Range: £500 - £40,000
• Geographic Focus: UK-wide
• Funding Type: Multiple programmes (rolling and fixed deadlines)

Contact Details

Website: www.rosauk.org

Email: info@rosauk.org

Phone: 07736 992133

Grants enquiries: grants@rosauk.org

Overview

Rosa (registered charity 1124856) was founded in 2008 to address the acute lack of funding for the women and girls sector in the UK. As the first and only UK-wide funder dedicated to investing in women-led organisations that champion and support women and girls, Rosa has established itself as a critical resource for the sector. In 2023-24, Rosa distributed over £682,000 in 74 grants, impacting over 214,000 women and girls across the UK. The organisation prioritises funding small organisations working in the most deprived areas of the UK, and organisations supporting Black and minoritised women and girls. Rosa's mission extends beyond grant-making to include strengthening organisations and using their voice to achieve systemic change. The organisation operates with core values of being bold, collaborative, inclusive, agile, and transparent.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Rise Fund (Currently open - deadline June 23, 2025)

• Amount: Up to £40,000 over two years
• Eligibility: Black and racially minoritised-led women's and girls' organisations with income between £30,000-£300,000
• Focus: Organisational development work including strategy, governance, leadership, alliances and partnerships, funding, demonstrating impact, and systems and processes
• Application method: Fixed deadline, online application after registration
• To date, 35 organisations have been funded through this programme

Stand With Us Fund (Currently closed)

• Amount: Up to £25,000 over one year
• Eligibility: Frontline violence against women and girls (VAWG) services with income between £100,000-£500,000
• Focus: Organisational development for organisations addressing male violence against women and girls
• Recent round: 24 organisations received over £550,000 in grants (2025)

Voices from the Frontline

• Amount: Up to £10,000 over 18 months (current round); previous rounds offered £500-£7,000
• Focus: Campaigning and influencing work enabling women and girls to use their voices to achieve change
• Application method: Fixed deadlines
• Recent round: Over £355,000 invested (2025)

Women Thrive Fund (Currently closed)

• Amount: Up to £15,000 for organisations with turnover up to £200,000; up to £40,000 for organisations with turnover £200,001-£999,999
• Focus: Mental health and wellbeing and financial resilience
• Total distributed: £1.79 million (Tampon Tax funding)

Priority Areas

Rosa funds organisations working across four priority areas:

• Economic justice
• Equal representation
• Health & well-being
• Safety (particularly violence against women and girls)

Priority groups for funding:

• Black and minoritised women and girls
• Disabled women
• LGBTQ+ women and girls
• Organisations operating in the top 20% most disadvantaged areas in the UK
• Organisations based in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland

What They Fund

• Specialist women's and girls' organisations that are run by, for, and with women and girls
• Organisations governed and led by women (Chair and majority of Board of Trustees are women)
• Organisations where the majority of the employee leadership team are women
• Organisations whose principal objective is working with women and/or girls
• Organisational development work
• Campaigning and influencing work
• Frontline service delivery addressing male violence

What They Don't Fund

• Organisations not primarily led by and for women and girls
• Organisations outside their specified income ranges (varies by programme)
• Individual applications
• Retrospective costs
• Organisations with unrestricted reserves exceeding 12 months expenditure (Stand With Us Fund)

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Governance and Leadership

Executive Director

Rebecca Gill has led Rosa as Executive Director since 2020, bringing over 20 years of experience working in and around the women's sector to improve the rights of women and girls in the UK.

Key quote from Rebecca Gill: "If you are serious about wanting to see real progress and change in women's lives… you need to fund women's organisations. It is these organisations that drive and sustain change and progress."

Gill has been vocal about the funding crisis facing the sector, stating on BBC news that women's and girls' organisations are "invisible, they're silenced and they're massively underfunded. It takes the murder of a woman time and time again for there to be fundraising and that is not a sustainable model."

Board of Trustees

Chair: Olivia (joined March 2025) - Brings extensive charity sector experience, currently Chair of Little Village, Deputy Chair of Switchback, and member of Impact 100 London's Grants and Impact Committee

Other Trustees:

• Claudia: Experience facilitating equalities and leadership sessions for adolescent girls with Fearless Futures
• Esmeralda Gambelli: Works at Churchill Fellowship on grants and engagement; co-founder of Yinti, advocating for women and girls
• Lisa Raftery: Head of Grants at Social Investment Business; Chair of the Rise Fund Advisory Panel. Quote: “I am proud and delighted that Rosa is investing in so many incredible organisations led by and for Black and minoritised women through the Rise Fund”
• Kay: Director of Partnerships at The Earthshot Prize
• Gilly: Former Head of UK Grants at Comic Relief with focus on violence against women and girls, refugees and asylum seekers

Assessment Process: Applications are reviewed by dedicated freelance assessors (many with women and girls sector experience) and decision panels made up of experts primarily from the women and girls sector, sitting alongside at least two Rosa Trustees.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

1. Read guidance documents thoroughly: Each fund has detailed application guidance and FAQs
2. Register your interest: Submit registration form to confirm eligibility
3. Attend webinars: Rosa hosts 'How to Apply' webinars for each fund to support applicants
4. Receive application link: After registration confirmation, applicants receive email with link to full application form
5. Submit application: Complete online application by stated deadline

Important: Late applications are not accepted. Rosa can only consider applications from organisations which meet all eligibility criteria.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines vary by programme and are communicated to applicants. Rosa always tells applicants when they will hear back and provides feedback if applications are unsuccessful.

Success Rates

While specific success rates are not publicly available, the data shows:

• Rise Fund: 35 organisations funded to date
• Stand With Us Fund (recent round): 24 organisations funded
• 2023-24 overall: 74 grants awarded
• 2022-23: 92 grants awarded

Reapplication Policy

Rosa offers feedback to unsuccessful applicants. While specific reapplication policies are not publicly detailed, applicants are encouraged to contact grants@rosauk.org for guidance on reapplication.

Application Success Factors

Direct Advice from Rosa

1. Understand eligibility: “Rosa can only consider applications from organisations which meet all eligibility criteria” - ensure your organisation meets all requirements before applying
2. Engage with support: Attend 'How to Apply' webinars to strengthen your application
3. Focus on organisational development: Funding is specifically for strengthening organisations, not just delivering services
4. Read all guidance: Application Guidance and FAQs contain essential information

What Rosa Values

Based on their stated values and approach:

• Bold organisations: Those willing to seize opportunities and take risks
• Collaborative approach: Working with partners and building alliances
• Inclusive organisations: Serving diverse communities, particularly underrepresented groups
• Agility: Ability to adapt quickly to changing needs
• Transparency: Clear about impact and challenges

Language and Terminology

Rosa uses specific terminology that applicants should understand:

• "Women's and girls' organisations" means run BY, FOR, and WITH women and girls
• “Organisational development” encompasses strategy, governance, leadership, partnerships, funding, impact, systems, and processes
• “Black and minoritised” (not just BAME)
• Focus on “frontline” services and “specialist” organisations

Recent Funded Organisations (Examples)

Stand With Us Fund recipients (2025):

• Support After Rape and Sexual Violence Leeds
• Stepping Stones (Luton) - supporting women with multiple complex issues including domestic abuse
• Muslim Women's Network (West Midlands)
• Halo Project (Middlesborough) - supporting Black and minoritised women affected by male abuse and sexual violence
• Dundee International Women's Centre

Sector Context to Understand

• Just 1.8% of UK charitable funding goes to women and girls organisations
• 45% of women's and girls' organisations would expand influencing and advocacy work if they had more resources
• The sector is chronically underfunded and at risk

Tips for Standing Out

1. Demonstrate clear governance by women: Ensure your application clearly shows women's leadership at Board and staff level
2. Show how you serve priority groups: If you work with Black and minoritised women, disabled women, LGBTQ+ women and girls, or in deprived areas, emphasise this
3. Be specific about organisational development needs: Don't just request funding - show clear plans for strengthening your organisation
4. Evidence impact: While Rosa minimises reporting burdens, they value organisations that can demonstrate impact
5. Show alignment with Rosa's values: Demonstrate boldness, collaboration, inclusivity, agility, and transparency
6. Connect to systemic change: Rosa is interested in organisations that contribute to broader change, not just service delivery

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Know which fund fits best: Rosa operates multiple distinct programmes with different eligibility criteria and purposes - apply to the right one
• Meet the definition: You must genuinely be a women's and girls' organisation (run by, for, and with women/girls) with women in majority leadership positions
• Income ranges matter: Each fund has specific income requirements - ensure you fall within range before applying
• Organisational development is key: Most funds focus on strengthening organisations, not just funding service delivery
• Priority groups get priority: Organisations led by Black and minoritised women, disabled women, LGBTQ+ women and girls, and those in deprived areas are prioritised
• Engage with support resources: Use webinars and guidance documents - Rosa wants to help you succeed
• Understand the sector context: Rosa operates within a severely underfunded sector and values organisations working towards systemic change alongside service delivery
• Fixed deadlines are firm: Late applications are not accepted, so plan ahead and submit on time

References

1. Rosa UK official website - https://rosauk.org/
2. Rosa UK About Us page - https://rosauk.org/about-us/
3. Rosa Annual Report 2023-2024 - https://rosauk.org/publications/rosa-annual-report-2023-2024/
4. Rosa Annual Report 2022-2023 - https://rosauk.org/publications/rosa-annual-report-2022-2023/
5. Rosa Rise Fund 2025 - https://rosauk.org/our-programmes/rise-fund/
6. Rosa Stand With Us Fund - https://rosauk.org/our-programmes/stand-with-us/
7. Rosa Voices from the Frontline - https://rosauk.org/our-programmes/voices-from-the-frontline/
8. Rosa Women Thrive Fund - https://rosauk.org/our-programmes/women-thrive-fund/
9. Rosa Our Team page - https://rosauk.org/our-team/
10. “Meet the Funder: Rosa” - Civil Society - https://www.civilsociety.co.uk/fundraising/meet-the-funder-rosa.html
11. "Underfunded, under-resourced and under the radar: the state of the UK women and girls' sector" - Rosa research publication - https://rosauk.org/2025/04/24/underfunded-under-resourced-and-under-the-radar-the-state-of-the-uk-women-and-girls-sector-research-published-today/
12. “Over £550,000 in grants given to frontline VAWG organisations” - Rosa news - https://rosauk.org/2025/02/05/over-550000-in-grants-given-to-frontline-vawg-organisations/
13. "Rosa's Voices From The Frontline Fund Invests Over £355k" - Rosa news - https://rosauk.org/2025/05/01/rosas-voices-from-the-frontline-fund-invests-over-355k-for-women-girls/
14. Charity Commission - ROSA FUND charity 1124856 - https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regId=1124856