Funding For Frontline Feminists Falls Short
For too long, funding has been too rigid and too scarce to keep frontline feminists safe and resource their power and potential to bring about a more just world.
Today, less than 1% of philanthropic dollars go to feminist movements and the majority of grantmaking globally is slow-moving: public and private funders alike continue to favor lengthy application timelines, burdensome requirements and longer-term outcomes.
Rapid-response grants are still underutilized as a core component of funding and most funding is directed to organizations with official non-profit status. As a result, unincorporated groups and individuals – vital leaders of frontline movements – face significantly greater barriers to funding, and likewise safety and protection from risk.
The Power of Feminist Movements
The Power of Feminist Movements
Frontline feminist activists, especially Black, Indigenous, LGBTQI+, disabled and others who live at the intersections of multiple identities and injustices, are among those most likely to experience right-wing pushback, making them the best positioned to lead rapid-response strategies that support activists in navigating government repression and the daily impact of the political, health and humanitarian crises they face.
In all corners of the world, feminist activists and their movements are leading holistic responses to these intersecting threats and crises, continually pivoting to protect and care for themselves and their communities while leading long-term movements for change.
But frontline women, trans and non-binary activists are forced to do this increasingly precarious work with far too few resources and at tremendous individual and collective cost.
“Philanthropy has failed feminist movements by ignoring them, like just not resourcing them at all. For decades, feminist movements have been critically under resourced. We expect feminists to fight battles on behalf of all of us for all of our rights, but we resource them with a pittance.”
Kate Kroeger, Executive Director, Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism
The Chorus We Carry
The Chorus We Carry
The Chorus We Carry is a short film that examines philanthropy and the lack of resourcing of feminist organizations, movements, and activists over time. While funding might be limited, the impact and change that is possible when feminist activists have access to money is clear. Featuring interviews with experts from across the globe, including those who are deeply connected to a network of changemakers, the film discusses the concepts of money, gender, and power and the need to fill the gap when it comes to resourcing feminists who fight for a more just and equitable world.
Philanthropy, We’re Calling On You: Fund Feminist Activism Now
In 1997, Urgent Action Fund for Feminist Activism was founded with the vision of providing quick, easily accessible resources to feminist activists in urgent need of help and support worldwide. Today, we continue to provide rapid response grants to women, trans, and LBGTQ+ movements, filling a gap where traditional philanthropy falls short. But the gap in resourcing for feminist activists is vast, and today, we are calling on funders to step up.
Fund feminist activists now and join the movement fighting for a more
just and equitable world
Fund feminist activists now and join the movement fighting for a more
just and equitable world.
Philanthropy – Fund Feminist Activism Now
