Empowering Women Fund Invites Applications

Grants are available for small women's groups and organisations in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland to support the development of innovative ways of empowering women in their local area, and to build organisations' capacity.

Current Status: Open for Applications
Maximum value: £ 25,000

Objectives of Fund
The fund provides support to small women's groups and organisations to develop innovative ways of empowering women in their local area, and to build the capacity of small organisations.

Value Notes
The following levels of funding are available:

Seed Funding grants
Grants of £500 to £1,000 are available to small women's groups to establish and run micro women's empowerment projects in their local area that support women to build skills and confidence, and decrease social isolation.

Women's Sector grants
Small grants from £1,000 to £5,000 and large grants from £5,000 to £25,000 are available for women's groups and organisations to develop capacity to respond to changing needs in their communities and run projects over a fixed duration of at least six months.
All grants must be spent within 12 months of award.

Who Can Apply
Applications will be accepted from women's groups, centres and organisations based in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. The following criteria apply:

Seed Funding grants - the organisation must:
Have a safeguarding policy.
Be able to provide two references.

Women's Sector grants - the organisation must:
Be a not-for-profit and led by and for women. Solace defines 'led by' as where more than 75% of an organisation's Trustees, and more than 50% of staff members (including senior) are women.
Be charitable in nature, legal, and operating for the benefit of women.
Have a written governing document, eg a constitution or set of rules.
Have a governing body with at least two unrelated members. The majority of these should be women.
Have been active for at least one year and able to produce annual accounts for a whole year.
Have a UK-based bank or building society account in the name of the organisation, with at least two unrelated signatories.

Restrictions
The following are not eligible for funding:

Applications from organisations with an annual turnover exceeding £1 million.
Applications from organisations that are mainly fundraising bodies.
Applications from party political organisations.
Applications from schools, colleges, and hospitals.
Applications from individuals.
Profit-making work.
Activities promoting religious beliefs.
Party political activity.
Activities that support lobbying or activity intended to influence or attempt to influence Parliament, Government or political parties, or attempting to influence the awarding or renewal of contracts and grants, or attempting to influence legislative or regulatory action.
Work outside England, Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Overseas travel.
Academic research.
Building purchase and improvements.
Fundraising appeals.
Debts or loans.
Fees for professional fundraisers, unless they are being paid out of the costs requested for strengthening the organisation, or to help improve the organisation's ability to fundraise.
Services run by statutory or public authorities.
Vehicles.
Capital and refurbishment costs.

Eligible Expenditure
The fund aims to support the sustainability of women's groups in local communities and to help women get to an empowered position. Eligible projects and activities include those that:

Improve women's understanding of the law, their rights and access to legal advice.
Improve women's mental health and wellbeing, increasing confidence, motivation, tools, skills, and support to sustain those improvements and increase independence.
Decrease social isolation and increase women's ability to participate in community activities.
Improve women's financial resilience and employability, increasing their routes out of poverty, gaining confidence, tools, skills, and support to secure a stable financial future.
How To Apply
The deadline for applications is 28 May 2021 (5pm).

The online application form is available at the website below.

For more information visit https://www.solacewomensaid.org/empowering-women-fund