Giving Compass' Take: 

• Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors profiles the With and For Girls Collective, a group that looks to provide grassroots, girl-centered organizations around the world with the resources they need to promote gender equality.

• From developing deep collaborations to employing flexible funding practices, there's plenty to learn from this example. How can we encourage more community-led efforts in the fight for girls' rights?

• Here's why gender equality is critical to human development.

The With and For Girls Collective (WFGC) is a group of organizations that share the common belief that girls are vital agents of change. The With and For Girls Award launched in 2014 and is convened by the U.K based Stars Foundation which collaboratively works alongside eight other strategic partners: MamaCash, Comic Relief, EMpower, FRIDA-The Young Feminist Fund, NoVo Foundation, Nike Foundation, Plan International UK and the Global Fund for Children. The Collective has a goal to ensure girl-led and girl-centered organizations around the world have the resources and platforms they lack and need to drive change.

The funders and grantees both believe that grassroots girl-led organizations are on the frontlines of responding to girls’ needs and driving change towards a more equitable world. They believe that core, unrestricted funding unlocks the greatest potential for local organizations to play a leading role in transforming societies and building gender equality. Organizations which are awarded work on a variety of thematic issues — from ending child marriage, realizing sexual and reproductive health and rights to refugee rights, trafficking and supporting LGBTQIA+ rights.

The WFGC funds 20 organizations a year as part of an awards package. Through the With and For Girls Awards, the Collective identifies strong organizations with girls at their center, and provides flexible funding, profile raising opportunities, capacity development support and opportunities to connect and collaborate with other girl-led and centered groups.

They support grassroots, girl-led and girl-centered organizations with annual incomes between $15,000 and $500,000. The Collective also works with funders to leverage additional resources for girl-led and girl-centered groups, amplifies the work of grassroots groups and girls voices in the media, and influences funding practices so organizations can receive more support to continue to take action and to thrive.

Read the full article about the With and For Girls Collective at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.