In line with our objective of sharing knowledge, AWDF regularly makes available resources and material aimed at building the capacity of our grantees and of our partners in general.
The African Women’s Development Fund believes that resourcing the work of transformative women on the continent means more than disbursing grants. It means actively responding to the needs of African women’s rights organisations in a way that looks both at the organisations themselves and the context of their work.
There are varying issues and regional contexts in women’s rights work, and while funding is an integral way of supporting these organisations, more is needed. As an organisation we are fully invested in the way in which our grantees grow and develop their own capacities and strengths. Our Capacity building unit was established in order to provide more holistic support for our grantee organisations. The programme allows us to make targeted investments in African women’s organisations that allow them to grow and maximise their potential. This puts them in the best position to transform the world around them by equipping their organisations with the skills they need to continue to push the boundaries of their work.
The following documents are our updated handbooks and guides that serve as educational material for our various Capacity building programs.
The ‘Techniques for Resource Mobilisation’ handbook is part of a rejuvenated series that AWDF developed for the women’s rights organisations we fund to strengthen their capacities around resources and finances. These tools are aimed at small and community based women’s organisations working to build their systems and structures and equip them with the tools to sustain their critical work. The handbook outlines ways of thinking about resources beyond money, along with encouraging bold and practical approaches to developing a resourcing strategy.
Download here: AWDF Capacity Building – A Practical Handbook on Techniques for Resource Mobilisation
The Proposal and Report Writing Manual was first developed based on the curriculum and discussions at an AWDF skills-building workshop held in Nairobi, Kenya in March 2011. The workshop was organised for smaller women’s organisations and aimed at supporting their skills in proposal writing, reporting and documentation. The original version was co-produced by the 22 Kenyan grantees who participated in the workshop, the Facilitator Jane Kiragu, Rapporteur Kathambi Kinoti, and AWDF staff with lead editing from Nafi Chinery. It has since been revised in 2017 with updated resources and guidance in line with the changing conventions around proposals and reports.
Download here: AWDF Capacity Building – A Practical Handbook on Proposal and Report Writing
A Practical Handbook for Financial management was originally developed by AWDF staff and then updated by AWDF Finance Manager Gertrude Bibi Annoh Quarshie based on the emerging needs of grantees. This third update includes further information and research on financial risk management and procurement.
Download here: AWDF Capacity Building – A Practical Handbook on Financial Management