“We are very excited to know about Women First’s capacity building program as there are very few opportunities for small organizations to directly engage both with the donors and partners and jointly develop organizational assessment and planning tools which are suited for small emerging organizations like ours.”
Our Model
Women First plays an important role in the funding ecosystem. We support grassroots organizations led by women and trans people whose work advances economic justice and who are paving the way for reimagined economies that center equity, justice, and dignity - for everyone. The groups we partner with are powerful and we want to see them resourced, heard, and respected.
+ Long Term Support
When we partner with a new grantee, we intend to support them for six years. This gives them time to plan ahead and put strategies in place for organizational growth, since they typically take on years-long challenges. Our model allows them to build momentum, try new ideas, adapt strategies, and ultimately, have greater influence on changes in their communities. In other words, long-term support facilitates long-term impact.
+ Three Stages
Our model is all about advancement. As grantee partners move through each stage - Opportunity, Investment, Leverage – they gain momentum. A staged approach allows us, and our grantees, to benchmark milestones, re-commit to or adjust intended outcomes, and take the pulse of our partnership to ensure that it remains healthy. This approach also allows Women First to offer customized tools and resources, and creates a network of grantee partners who are at different stages of development and can mentor each other.
+ Increasing Grant Amounts
Grantee partners have the opportunity to receive up to $95,000 USD over six years. Annual grant amounts increase with each stage, as groups build the organizational systems and procedures needed to manage larger and larger commitments from donors.
+ Flexible Funds
Grant dollars can be used for a mix of organizational development and programmatic expenses. Women First staff work with grantees to ensure that budgets are thoughtfully allocated each year, and we encourage our grantees to consider overlooked areas of organizational capacity, like staff training and learning visits to other organizations.
+ Capacity Building
Women First grantees have access to our capacity building program, which enables these organizations and their leaders to develop skills that make them more effective, increasing their potential to improve the lives of women, girls, and trans people in their communities. Our capacity building program includes features such as:
- Assessment and planning tools adapted for grantees, such as the Women First Grassroots Organizational Capacity Assessment Tool (GrOCAT), a Capacity Building Plan (CBP) template, and a Sustainability Plan/Exit Planning template
- Interactive online “partner portal,” where grantees can access resources like fundraising tips, practice telling their organization’s story, and collaborate on shared challenges
- In-person visits and regional convenings where grantee-partners can meet each other, as well as learn from one another, share knowledge, and build networks.
- Women First staff connect with grantees on individualized plans for capacity building and offer ongoing mentorship
- Women First leverages funds for grantee partners by making introductions to other donors and continuously amplifying the voices of our grantee leaders
