Background

In 2014, the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) launched a feminist coaching project on leadership for women leaders of its grantee organisations. In 2015, the project was expanded to include strengthening governance frameworks within participating organisations. The project is based on our knowledge of the persistent challenges of African women’s organisations with issues related to resource mobilisation, communications, governance, leadership transition, safety and wellbeing. Given these constraints and the external context women’s organisations work in, they tend to focus on narrow short-term advocacy or urgent service-delivery projects, with little capacity to expand alliances, envision innovative strategies and be forward thinking.

This coaching project seeks to develop the individual leadership skills and values of participating CEOs/EDs as well as those in second level management. It is also aimed at strengthening the institutional and governance structures of participating organisations and providing an enabling framework fortheirrelevance and sustainability. At AWDF, we believe that a well-grounded leader in feminist values, ideology and clarity of purpose can accelerate the process of social justice and development effectively. Therefore, investment in both individual leaders and governance frameworks of African women’s rights organisations is vital.

By September this year, the third batch of 10 AWDF grantee organisations and 20 women leaders will be completing the coaching project. So far, these grantees are reporting improvements in leadership and communication styles, effective staff management and active engagement of their board members. Leaders have improved their visibility and fundraising abilities through written articles and their media appearances.

Project Duration & Methodology

This is a 9-month coaching project on leadership and governance from December 2016– August 2017. The project is targeted at CEO/EDs/Programme Managers/Coordinators and those in second level management of AWDF grantee organisations within the age bracket of 18 – 45 years.

The coaching project will entail the following:

1. Attending a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) forum. This is a 3 day event for orientation, skills sharing, strategy development and networking for participating leaders, coaches and AWDF. This event will be held in Kenya from 15- 17 November 2016.
2. Engaging in one-on-one coaching via phone calls, email, Skype conversations and occasional inperson meetings with their personal coaches from December 2016 – August 2017
3. Governance strengthening activities for boards of participating organisations.
4. Writing of opinion pieces or articles by leaders about their work and development.
5. Participating in at least one AWDF skill building training/workshop where necessary.

Who Should Apply?

Interested organisations should fulfil the following criteria in order to be considered for this project:

✓ Be an AWDF grantee and should have received grants from AWDF in the last 3-5 years
✓ The organisation should have an existing board which will be available for the governance strengthening trainings.
✓ The organisation should have a minimum of 3 full-time staff
✓ The organisation should have access to reliable internet and be able to use Skype and email.
✓ The organisation should have functioning office space with basic office infrastructure.
✓ The organisation should work in any of these areas; Violence against Women (VAW), Health and Reproductive rights (HRR), Economic Empowerment and Livelihood (EEL) areas and with women especially young women.
✓ Two staff members from an organisation’s leadership. That is one CEO/ED/programme Manager/Coordinators and one staff from the next level in management.
✓ Applying leaders should be within the ages of 18 – 45 years.
✓ Leaders should be able to communicate in either English, French or Amharic.
✓ Leaders should be able to communicate via internet, Skype, telephone and email.
✓ Leaders who have demonstrated the potential to develop.

To be considered for the project, your organisation is required to send your application to the AWDF Capacity Building Unit at Nafi@africlub.net/awdf; Ayesha@africlub.net/awdf; cbsintern@africlub.net/awdf justifying why you and your organisation should be selected for the project. All applications MUST be received by 8th August 2016

Please include the following in your application:

❖ Names and positions of 2 staff from your organisation who will be participating in the project
❖ Why your organisation should be considered (highlighting on leadership & governance issues).
❖ Your last grant from AWDF, the year and for what project.
❖ Which level(s) your organisation typically engages in i.e community, national or regional
❖ Challenges you hope to overcome in the process
❖ How the project will enable you achieve your individual and organisational objectives.
❖ Include a written recommendation from your board endorsing you and your participation in the project
❖ Any other information to strengthen your application is welcome.

Participation in this project is by application only. As only a specific number of grantee organisations will be chosen to participate in the project, there are no promises of automatic qualification for applying organisations. This is a non-paying project and participants are required to commit only about 10% of their total work time to the process.

Please note that the individual leadership coaching project is reserved for ONLY women leaders. Deadline for Submission is 8 th August 2016. The full application should be sent to Nafi Chinery, Capacity Building Programme Specialist at Nafi@africlub.net/awdf and cc: Ayesha@africlub.net/awdf, cbsintern@africlub.net/awdf

Thank you.

To download a copy of this call click here: Annoucement for Women Leadership and Governance Coaching Project 2016