Frequency of grant-making

The AWDF makes grants in three cycles each year. Applications can be sent in at any time.

Size of grants

Organisations can apply for grants ranging from $1,000 - $40,000. Kindly note that most grants will be for less than the maximum. Grants over $20,000 are only made to organisations which operate on a regional basis.

The AWDF does not support the following projects:

• Organisations that aim to convert people to any religious belief.
• Political parties or women's wings of political parties.
• Individuals.
•  Government departments.
• Scholarships and fellowships for academic studies.
• Women's organisations which are not led by women

How to apply

Interested organisations should send in their proposals to the AWDF secretariat in Accra, Ghana, using the grant application guidelines. Applications can be sent in English, French, or Portuguese, by email, fax or post. Please note that whilst we will accept applications by email and fax, we still expect a hard copy.

Grant Application Guidelines

In order to consider your request, we need basic and specific information about your organisation, its composition, and its purposes. We need to know how your organisation believes its work can be supported with a grant of $1,000- $25,000 from the African Women's Development Fund. Please write your project proposal using the following guidelines: 

Contact Information

1. Name of organisation
2. Address (Physical  & Postal)
3. Telephone and Fax number
4. E-mail address, and website address (if any)
5. Contact person's name and title  6.
6. Who completed this proposal? Please sign and date.
7. Contact details of two (2) referees

8.How did you learn about the African Women's Development Fund?

 Organizational  Information

1. What is your organisation's purpose?

•  What are your organisation's main goals?
•  When was your organisation formed?
• Who started your organisation and why? 
• Is your organisation local, national, sub-regional or regional? 
• In which region(s) does your organisation work?
• Who are the main beneficiaries of your organisation's activities?
• How to assess the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities  of your organisation.

 2. Structure

•  How does your organisation make decisions? Does your organisation have a staff, a board, advisors, or volunteers? How many of each and what roles do they play?  How many are women? What are their positions?
•  How many people participate in your organisation? Do you have members? If so, how many? How many are women? What are their positions?
• Is your organisation a women's organization? If not, please explain the role women play in making decisions about your organisation's activities.

3. Activities and/or Programs

• What would you describe as the key areas of work for your organisation, i.e. women's human rights issues, economic empowerment, etc.
•  What key challenges does your organisation face in this area of work?
•  Describe your organisation's past activities and/or programs.
•  Describe your organisation's present activities and/or programs.
•  What are your organisation's plans for the future?
•  How does this project you are applying for fit into those plans?

4. Financial Situation

• Please include your budget for your current financial year 
•  What sources of funds does your organisation have for the next twelve months? (Please list sources and amounts.)
• Enclose a set of audited accounts for your last financial year. If these are not available, a financial statement signed by your Treasurer and one other officer or member. The audited accounts/financial statement should include sources of funds for your activities and details of income and expenditure. 

Grant Request Information 

• How much money are you applying for?
• What purpose are you seeking a grant from the AWDF? Please tell us specifically how this grant will be used, and include a monitoring plan. Please list the specific outputs from this project
• Provide a detailed budget for the project. If you have prepared the budget using your local currency, please include the US dollar or Pounds Sterling equivalent.
• How will this grant enable your organisation to achieve its strategic objectives?  

Please include the following information:

• A copy of your most recent annual report and financial statement.
•  Brochures/leaflets describing the work you do. Relevant photographs, press clippings, posters, videos (if available).

Please note that these will not be retuned to you, so you should only send information which you are willing to part with. Whilst we will accept applications by email and fax, we still expect a hard copy by post. We receive a lot of applications, so we will prioritise those proposals which arrive completed with all the information we have asked for.  All applications should be sent to:

The African Women's Development Fund
25 Yiyiwa Street, Abelenkpe, Accra
P.M.B CT 89, Cantonments
Accra, Ghana Email:  awdf@awdf.org or grants@awdf.org;

Tel: +233 21 780476/7

Fax: + 233 21 782502

Web site: www.awdf.org

       How Can You Help the AWDF?

You can support the work of the AWDF in several ways Contact us if you are interested in any of the following:

• Make a cash donation for general support. Cheques should be made payable to the African Women's Development Fund.
• Make a donation to celebrate the life of a loved woman such as a mother, friend,Godmother, sister or in their memory if they have passed away. If you are an African living in the Diaspora, become a part of our African Diaspora Project, and make a regular contribution.
• Make a one-off or ongoing donation toward a specific issue close to your heart, i.e. violence against women, ending harmful traditional practices, combating HIV/AIDS, the Girl-Child, women living in poverty, rural development, etc.
•  Provide information on possible sources of funding.
• Host a fundraising event for AWDF.
•  Start a donor circle.
• Gifts of equipment, i.e. computers, photocopiers, vehicles
• Offer your services as a volunteer.

For details on any of the above, contact:

The African Women's Development Fund
fundraising@awdf.org