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Global Fund For Women Inc

Annual Giving
$15.5M

Global Fund For Women Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $15.5 million (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly specified
  • Grant Range: Not publicly specified
  • Geographic Focus: Global (176 countries)

Contact Details

Address: 505 Montgomery Street, 11th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94111
Website: https://globalfundforwomen.org
Phone: Not publicly listed
Email: Not publicly listed

Overview

Founded nearly 40 years ago and established as a 501(c)(3) in 1992, Global Fund for Women is a leading feminist funder supporting gender justice movements worldwide. With total assets of $110.3 million and annual revenue of $36.7 million (2024), the organization has provided over 12,000 grants to more than 5,000 women-led organizations and gender justice groups across 176 countries. The fund focuses on movement-led philanthropy that shifts power into the hands of those working at the frontlines of gender justice, with 84% of grants awarded to groups in repressive societies and 79% of program funding provided as multi-year support.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

  • General Grants: Flexible, unrestricted funding for gender justice organizations
  • Crisis Fund: Established in 2014, has provided over $15 million to 327 groups in 70 countries for emergency response
  • Seed Funding: Support for organizations in their first year of operations
  • Multi-Year Support: 79% of program funding is multi-year

Priority Areas

  • Gender-based violence prevention and response
  • Political and economic empowerment
  • Sexual and reproductive health and rights
  • Intersectional gender justice movements
  • Organizations working in repressive societies
  • Grassroots feminist movements
  • Youth-led organizations

What They Don't Fund

Not explicitly stated on their website

Governance and Leadership

President & CEO: PeiYao Chen (as of January 2024)
Board Co-Chairs: Caroline Barlerin and Dayna Ash
Board Size: 13 members with diverse international representation

Key Board Members include:

  • Theresa Preston-Werner (Secretary)
  • Lulú Barrera (Program Committee Chair)
  • Kate Onyejekwe (Finance Committee Chair)

The organization maintains geographic advisors across Africa, Middle East, Asia Pacific, Europe & Central Asia, and Latin America & Caribbean regions.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a publicly accessible application process. Based on available information, Global Fund for Women appears to operate primarily through:

  • Direct identification of grantee organizations
  • Regional advisor networks
  • Partner organization recommendations
  • Movement-led identification processes

The organization emphasizes a "movement-led approach" to philanthropy, suggesting that grants are awarded through strategic partnerships and network connections rather than open applications.

Getting on Their Radar

While specific pathways are not publicly documented, potential strategies may include:

  • Building relationships with their regional advisors
  • Connecting with existing grantee organizations in your region
  • Participating in gender justice movement networks
  • Working with feminist funds that partner with Global Fund for Women through initiatives like "Feminist Alchemy"

Decision Timeline

Not publicly specified

Success Rates

Not publicly available

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly specified

Application Success Factors

Based on their funding philosophy and stated priorities:

  • Organizations must be working on gender justice issues
  • Priority given to organizations in repressive societies
  • Focus on grassroots, movement-led approaches
  • Intersectional approaches to gender justice valued
  • Organizations addressing root causes of gender inequality
  • Groups with feminist leadership and principles

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Global Fund for Women operates as a major feminist funder but without a public application process
  • They prioritize flexible, unrestricted funding to allow organizations maximum autonomy
  • Strong focus on supporting organizations in challenging political environments
  • Multi-year funding is standard practice (79% of grants)
  • Crisis response capability through dedicated Crisis Fund
  • Emphasis on movement-led rather than donor-led philanthropy
  • Building connections within feminist movement networks likely essential for accessing funding

References

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