The Endowment Campaign of AWDF has two Co-Chairs, Mrs Graca Machel and President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia. The AWDF Executive Board is responsible for overseeing the endowment. Their oversight functions include ensuring that the required expertise is available to the board, either through the skills of current board members or the use of appropriate external advice, approving an investment strategy and investments policy and risk assessment and mitigation.

AWDF is governed by an Executive Board with a track record in various relevant fields, such as fundraising, fund management, investments, program development, media, research, monitoring and evaluation, international institutions, law, organisational development etc. The Executive Board is responsible for setting policy guidelines and frameworks and the overall direction of the Fund. The AWDF secretariat based in Accra, Ghana, has twenty staff which includes the Executive Director, Director of Programs, senior program managers as well as an administrative and finance team. As from January 2008, AWDF will have an office in Johannesburg, South Africa, for its Southern Africa programs, and an additional liaison office in Kampala, Uganda by November 2008.

There are five Technical Advisers who work with AWDF’s board ad Executive Director to provide expert advice in the areas of resource mobilization, organizational learning, executive coaching and financial management. There is an Africa Regional Advisory Committee who advise AWDF on trends in the women’s movement in Africa, and also offer support with specific projects and proposals submitted from the different regions. There is also an International Advisory Committee (IAC) which assists the Fund with advice, information and technical assistance on fundraising, grant making and other relevant matters.