The 2011-2012 Social Change Preliminary Grant Application Process is Closed!
The Women’s Fund preliminary applications window closed August 22, 2011.
The Women’s Fund’s social change grantmaking program awards grants (typically up to $10,000) to those nonprofit agencies and organizations that are doing the best social change work in the Milwaukee area in our strategic funding areas.
We are a social change grantmaker seeking to create a world that is just and fair. Proposals need to address one of the Women’s Fund’s strategic funding areas - economic justice, social justice, or leadership development - and must have social change and gender impact.
Deadlines for the Social Change Grantmaking program:
- On-line grants process opens: Wednesday, July 20, 2011
- Preliminary Applications due: Monday, August 22, 2011, 5 pm Central Time
- Organizations that fit our grantmaking criteria will be invited to submit a full proposal Friday, September 16, 2011. Organizations that are not selected to move on to this phase of the application process will also be informed.
- Proposals due from organizations invited to submit a full proposal: Monday, October 17, 2011, 5 pm Central Time
Questions? Please contact Kalyani Grasso at KGrasso [at] womensfundmke.org or 414-290-7350 extn 4.
What is Social Change?
Social Change Grantmaking provides critical financial support to organizations working to create social change through women and girls.
It is our belief that real, long-lasting change can’t happen until there is greater focus on altering the environment in which we live. Our efforts are designed to remove barriers and systems that perpetuate inequality and oppression. This approach moves the conversation further “upstream” and targets issues beyond immediate social service needs. Yes, it’s more difficult. And yes, the return on investment may take longer to realize. But in the end, the rewards too, will be longer lasting.
The four conditions/principles for social change to occur are:
1. Engaging different systems in dialog
2. Exploring the whole before seeking to fix any part
3. Putting common ground and future action front and center
4. Building local capacity
The Women’s Fund measures social change using five indicators of social change:
1.Shifts in Definitions
2. Shift in Behaviors
3. Shifts in Engagement
4. Shifts in Policies
5. Current Position Maintained
The Social Change Indicators Matrix explains this concept in greater detail.
The Women’s Fund is interested in funding proposals that are consistent with our gender relevant priorities and expects our Grant Partners to have diverse boards and staff. Whether gender-specific or universal, engaging in a process that analyzes gender equity is critical. This includes determining whether or how a program will differently affect women and men. Proposals serving females and males should clearly promote gender awareness and feminist principles.
Other Grants
Each of our grantmaking committees (African American Women’s Fund Project, Latinas en Acción, Lesbian Fund, Hmong Women’s Giving Circle, and Reproductive Justice Project) decides annually whether to hold an open RFP process based on the available grantmaking budget. This announcement is typically made in mid-September. Email grants [at] womensfundmke.org to be notified of any updates to this process.
