Applications can be submitted any time
The south Asian Women’s Fund (SAWF) is committed to support women-led interventions to enhance and strengthen access to women’s human rights in the context of conflict, identity, socio-economic deprivations and in relation to violence against women. SAWF aims at supporting women’s groups and activists, who are working at the grassroots, to undertake innovative, cutting edge and critical work. Individuals (Women) or Women led organisations fulfilling the eligibility can apply for the funds.
Types of Grants
- Small Grants- Launched in 2010-11, these grants are for innovative and distinctive initiatives, being led by dynamic women leaders and/or the second line leadership of the organization. These grants are given to women’s groups and/or organizations, Individuals and grants for attending events, workshops and/ or conferences. Grant Size: Upto 5000 USD
- Thematic Grants- These grants are available under two themes-
- Right to safe and secure movement with the grant size between 7500 to 15000 USD
- Right to Physical Integrity: Our Bodies, Our Voices, being launched in 2013-14 with the grant size of up to 7500 USD
- Legal Fellows- These fellowships strengthen access to justice for women in the region, by promoting feminist legal advocacy, through enhancing feminist lawyering for and by women in the region. Fellowship of 4000 USD is available to each selected fellow.
- Seeding Grants- Seeding grants are available for newly established women interventions that seek to provide core support to small women’s rights groups having difficulty in strengthening the institution building process. The grant supports interventions, which are upcoming, seeking to increase and strengthen the participation of feminist voices. Grants availability: 10,000 USD.
Focus Areas
- Women leadership/ Feminist principles/ Support and endorsement of women
- Human rights
- Women with disabilities
- Sex worker rights
- Women in conflict
- Justice
Focus Countries
- Bangladesh
- Nepal
- India
- Pakistan
- Sri Lanka
Eligibility Criteria
- Any woman’s organization whose annual budget is under USD 50,000, located in the focus countries can apply for the funds.
- The organization must have the requisite legal registration and at least 70% of its decision-making body and staff should be women.
- Applicant’s organisation should be committed to feminist principles and right based approaches.
- Individual women, volunteering or working with a women’s rights or a human rights organization may also apply.
- A second-line woman leader of a mainstream organization may also apply for the grant.
How to Apply?
- Applicants can submit the applications in English and any of the regional languages – Bangla, Hindi, Nepali, Sinhalese, Tamil and Urdu via email throughout the year. Selection will be on rolling basis.
- Upon selection, applicants will have to submit the following documents for the finalization of the grant:
- An attested copy of the registration of the organization
- List of its governing body and executive staff
- Tax exemption status
- Audited accounts of the previous financial year
- Annual report, or any other document in its stead that lays out the activities, achievements and challenges that the organization undertook in the preceding year.
Note: Interested applicants can also make the queries related to the application.
For more information, please visit SAWF.
