Grant Criteria

GRANT CRITERIA:  IMPROVING THE LIVES OF WOMEN & GIRLS MOST IMPACTED BY INEQUITY IN WASHINGTON

We know that all women/girls are impacted by sexism. From WaWF’s race and gender equity focused learning of the past several years we also know that inequity is not experienced by all women in the same way. We know women of color experience the intersectional nature of race and gender in compounding ways. We know that trans women experience discrimination and harassment based on their gender identity in addition to any other identities they may hold.  

Our grants focus on women/girls most impacted by inequity. As a learning organization, this means we will continue to build on our understanding of race even as we apply a more targeted gender lens to our grantmaking. Targeted Universalism shapes our understanding of how to address the intersectional nature of inequities in our state. In simple terms, Targeted Universalism means setting universal goals that can be achieved through targeted approaches. Our universal goal is equity for all in Washington State, and we believe that goal is best achieved by supporting the women and girls most impacted by inequity. For more about this framework, we encourage you to watch this short video linked here.  

We are most interested in understanding how organizations and social change efforts address disparities through targeted strategies that include 1) the delivery of services to those directly impacted by inequity or 2) through advocacy efforts focused on changing the systems that have created or exacerbated inequities. 

WaWF has a broad and evolving understanding of gender. With our grants we support women, girls, and gender expansive people, including cis, trans and non-binary individuals and communities.  

We seek to support and collectively invest in organizations and social change efforts that are intentional in their work to improve the lives of women/girls most impacted by inequities, accountable to the communities they serve, and demonstrate their ability to achieve long-term goals of increasing equity and reducing disparities. We invite applications from organizations that meet all the following criteria: 

Intentional: Is explicitly focused on providing services to or advocating for women/girls most impacted by inequities; 

Accountable: Is accountable to women/girls most impacted by inequities. Accountability in action can look like one or more of the following:

• Leadership: Ensures that women/girls are visibly leading and/or develops leadership of women/girls 
• Co-Creation: Actively engages women/girls in ongoing and shared decision-making, planning, and assessment 
• Connection: Draws on the strengths, assets, and lived experience of women/girls.

Demonstrable: Can demonstrate how their work reduces disparities and/or achieves more equitable outcomes for women/girls most impacted by inequities in Washington State.