South African Women’s Rights organisations are invited to apply for funding under the Government of Canada’s Renewed Women Voice and Leadership-South Africa Fund (WVL SA).  The initiative arises from Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP). The grant call is managed by Gender Links through its GL Services portfolio.  For work done by grantees in the first phase of WVL click here.

About the Grants Call

The Women’s Voice and Leadership South Africa WVL-SA) Fund offers:

  • Multi-year core grants of up to R1.3 million for organisations with an annual income of over 1.5 million per annum. The multi-year core grants all include a component of movement building.

Grantees will receive diversity, finance, governance, communications for social change and climate justice capacity building for management and staff.

Challenging social norms; Climate Change and Sustainable Development; Economic power; Education;  Gender Based Violence including mental health; Governance; Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex (LBTQI+), Peace and Security; Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights and Women’s Rights more broadly. Applicants may also propose any other theme areas related to gender justice, provided these are well motivated.

The grants are for a maximum of three years, from January 2025 to December 2027.

  • All applications must be done online using this link: https://wvl.grantplatform.com/
  • For each grant, you must first fill out the Eligibility Form online to see if you are eligible for the Grant. You can find this under each Grant call.
Multi Year Core (MY Core) 
Eligibility Form online
If you are eligible, you will receive a link for the Concept Note to be submitted by 30 September.
If your concept note is accepted, you will receive a link to the full Application due on 18 October.

Criteria Multi-year core – up to R1.3 million
Nature of organisation Based on feminist principles; be women-led and must explicitly include gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in their mandate and programming
Nature of proposal   X
Annual budget More than R1.5 million
Registration ✓
SARS registration ✓
Board ✓
Separate bank account ✓
Bank confirmation letter ✓
Based in South Africa ✓
Woman led ✓
Partnerships record ✓
Existing network within the community that the proposed project will be implemented ✓
Human resources policy ✓
Finance policy, including procurement ✓
Sexual Exploitation, Abuse  and Harassment  (SEAH or safeguarding policy) ✓
Resume of the individual/s who will lead programme implementation X
Audited annual financial statements (not older than 18 months at the time of submission) ✓
Is the organisation a political party or government institution? ✓
Are you seeking funding as an individual or private company? ✓
Is the organisation a faith based organisation whose objectives serve religious purposes and or is the main objective of the grant is of a religious nature? ✓
  • We strongly recommend that you download the word versions of Concept Notes for the Multi-year Core grant application and the Full Application for the Opportunity grant and complete these offline first, and then copy across to the Online Platform once completed.
  • You are welcome to send in a video application to accompany your application explaining your project in your preferred South African language.
  • All grants are subject to due diligence before the award is made.

Grant type Call closing date Concept note due date Full application due date Due Diligence
MY Core 30 September 30 September 18 October 4-8 November

 

Please read through these questions and responses to familiarise yourself with the process.

Women’s Voice and Leadership has a dedicated Phone and WhatsApp 082 560 0066

For queries and additional support from Monday-Friday 8h30 – 17h00 please contact:

Types of queries Contact person   Email
Overall support & grant related queries Nomthandazo Mankazana-Mokoa WVL grants manager grants1@genderlinks.org.za
Online/system related support Fanuel Hadzidzi M and E Manager mande@genderlinks.org.za
Grant related queries Tafadzwa Ngorima Grants Manager Grants.finance@genderlinks.org.za

The WVL-SA team will be on-site in the following locations and dates (link) to assist with the online applications.
WRO representatives must come to the meetings with the word documents filled in.

Province Town Date Time Venue
North West Mafikeng Monday, 9 September 8h30 – 17h00 Cnr Carrington Street & 1st Avenue, Industrial Site, Mahikeng
Tuesday, 10 September 8h30 – 12h00 Cnr Carrington Street & 1st Avenue, Industrial Site, Mahikeng
Northern Cape Kimberly Wednesday, 11 September 8h30 – 17h00 Mimosa Complex, Barkley Road, Kimberley
Thursday, 12 September 8h30 – 12h00 Mimosa Complex, Barkley Road, Kimberley
Eastern Cape East London Friday, 13 September 8h30 – 16h00 117 Oxford Street, Cnr North & Oxford Streets, Trust Centre, East London
Port Elizabeth Saturday, 14 September 9h00 – 15h00 City Hall, Vuyisile Mini Square, Govan Mbeki Avenue, Nelson Mandela Bay