What happens when flexible funding meets women’s funds? The answer lies in the potential to drive profound, lasting change.

Women’s funds are crucial players in the drive for gender equality because of their reach and long-term relationships with some of the smallest and most local organizations working daily at the heart of change within families and communities. Global Fund for Women’s analysis of its own data showed that the latest annual budget for almost half of its grant applicants was less than USD $30,000. And yet women’s rights organizations have been proven time and again to be one of the most effective players in bringing about long-lasting change.

There is growing evidence that feminist movements have played a critical role in driving toward goals beyond gender equality, and Equal Measures 2030’s recent report highlights that better and more investment in feminist organizations and movements is needed as their work goes beyond promoting gender equality.

Transformative community action does not happen quarterly, bi-annually, or annually, though; it happens daily. From experience, we know that traditional program funding comes with extensive strategizing, planning, compliance, and reporting burdens, making it harder to focus on creating change. Thus, networks and women’s funds increasingly recognize the need and benefit of flexible funding. Responding to global challenges requires flexible, adaptable, and trusting relationships in deciding how resources should be utilized. Investing in women’s funds with a flexible funding approach can shift power directly to communities to drive solutions supporting their needs, including long-term systemic change driven by “unglamorous” relationship building, bureaucratic work, and frustrating organizing efforts that often take years.

Barriers to Greater Flexible Funding

Several barriers have hindered the shift to more flexible funding. Some of these challenges include the stringent requirements and expectations attached to traditional funding. Similarly, the tendency for funders to adhere to their own strategies often results in a lack of consideration for the needs of different communities. Funders need to listen and give communities the space to dictate their own development strategies instead of imposing predefined solutions.

Moreover, funders need to recognize and accept the inherent risk that comes with flexible funding. They need to offset this risk by building strong relationships with organizations and networks based on trust and mutual understanding. This includes open and regular communication, response flexibility, and implements such as ‘fail-safe’ mechanisms. They should also provide mechanisms for learning and improvement.

Read the full article about flexible funding by Aminah Jasho at The Center for Effective Philanthropy.