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.
The Women’s Voice and Leadership South Africa WVL-SA) Fund offers:
- Fast Responsive/Opportunity grants of up to R300,000 per annum each, including innovation funding and incubation grants that may be renewed annually based on satisfactory implementation. This window targets organisations with an annual income of less than R1,5 million annually.
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.
| Opportunity |
| Eligibility Form online |
| If you are eligible, you will receive a link to for the full Application to be submitted by 30 September. |
| Criteria | Opportunity – up to R300 000 |
| 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 | Is your organisation proposing either a timely response to an unforeseen event; an innovative pilot project or incubation of a new idea, organisation or movement? |
| Annual budget | Less than R1.5 million |
| Registration | ✓ |
| SARS registration | Not compulsory but must be willing to register |
| Board | ✓ |
| Separate bank account | Not compulsory but must be willing to register |
| Bank confirmation letter | X |
| 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 | Not compulsory but must have one before second disbursement of funds |
| Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEAH or safeguarding policy) | Not compulsory but must have one before second disbursement of funds |
| Resume of the individual/s who will lead programme implementation | ✓ |
| Audited annual financial statements (not older than 18 months at the time of submission) | X |
| Is the organisation a political party or government institution? | X |
| 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 |
| Opportunity | 30 September | N/A | 30 September | 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 | ||
| 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 |