Two collaborations were formed on resource mobilization. The Collaborative Learning on Resource Mobilization brought together Calala Fondo de Mujeres, Women First International Fund, Reconstruction Women’s Fund, Ecumenical Women’s Initiative, ELAS+, and Doria Feminist Fund to enhance resource mobilization strategies, focusing particularly on ethically aligned corporate partnerships. A second collaboration involved three diverse funds strategizing on resource mobilization approaches in restrictive political contexts.
Impact: Meeting the Purpose of Better Serving Movements
These collaborations significantly strengthened the resource mobilization capacities of the participating funds in several key ways:
- Shifted Mindsets and Perspectives
- The mindsets of the funds shifted towards collaboration rather than competition, helping frame compelling narratives for new funding targets.
- They took the opportunity to rethink the impact of their work from new perspectives.
- Transformed Discussions and Mobilizations
- The power of collective voice and analysis of the women’s funds provided a strategic edge in organizational resource mobilization discussions.
- The increased confidence and knowledge of the funds bolstered the capacity to mobilize resources for grassroots feminist activism.
- Created New Opportunities
- At least two funds entered into joint partnerships to pitch new funding opportunities with corporate partners.
Insights for Women’s Funds and Other Funds
1. Getting the Language Right
- Framing narratives for corporate and individual giving requires skill, politics, and nuance. It’s important to invest in expert advice if a fund doesn’t have in-house knowledge to tailor pitches for new areas, such as corporate partnerships or individual donations.
- Strategic use of language: Shifting from movement-centered language to funder-centric language is necessary for successful pitching. Women’s funds must balance communicating their political agenda while keeping messages accessible to a broader audience.
- There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach. A nuanced narrative is crucial to maximize resonance with potential funders. Understanding the language of different targets—corporations, individuals, and foundations—is key to making the pitch compelling.
- Personal development: Fundraising strategies should include developing targeted personas for outreach, like updating websites and LinkedIn profiles, that resonate with key stakeholders.
2. Articulating Clear and Concrete Asks
- Clear communication of a fund’s identity and value proposition is essential in making concrete funding asks. This includes thinking beyond monetary resources to in-kind goods and services.
- Intermediary funds may find it harder to secure direct grassroots funding, requiring detailed and specific asks of potential donors.
3. Resource Mobilization with Corporations
- Strategy and knowledge building are essential when working with corporations. To target corporate partnerships effectively, funds must first invest internally at the operational and governance levels to assess the benefits and risks of such collaborations.
- Aligning values: Funds must review their ethical resource mobilization policies to ensure coherence with potential corporate partners’ values. Understanding the return on investment is crucial to evaluating whether the support from corporate partners justifies the cost of managing these partnerships.
- Building knowledge: Understanding the corporate context in different regions and industries is essential. Tailored approaches are vital, with funds first engaging corporations through event sponsorships or gender equality consultations before moving into negotiations for financial support.
4. Strength in Collaboration
- Collaboration over competition: Even with different fund sizes and scopes, collaboration strengthens resource mobilization outcomes. Participants reported that by debating and co-creating funding narratives, they could evolve and challenge ideas that framed women’s funds as valuable partners for donors.
- Peer networks: Collaborating with peers reduces isolation, bolsters confidence, and enhances knowledge sharing through both formal and informal exchanges. Small funds, in particular, found this especially valuable.
- Internal decision-making: Learning from the experiences of other funds helps strengthen internal decision-making, especially for organizations new to resource mobilization.
5. Thoughtful and Clear Decision-Making in Collaboration
- Grounding the work in a shared goal is crucial for collaboration. Creating a common vision to tackle new frontiers can help keep momentum, especially when challenges arise.
- Resourcing coordination and facilitation helps manage workflow and conflict, ensuring smooth collaboration.
- Embracing collective and transparent decision-making is essential, along with the equitable sharing of the workload, to ensure all participants contribute based on their strengths and capacities.
Leçons pour les donateurs
- Relationship Building and Accompaniment
- Resourcing relationship building and providing independent coordination are essential to counter the competition many funds confront. Face-to-face meetings throughout the collaboration build trust, which in turn deepens the collaboration and enhances knowledge co-creation.
- Flexibility Delivers Stronger Projects
- Flexibility in adjusting timelines, work plans, and goals enables participants to integrate lessons learned and adapt to external pressures. It also allows for course corrections that can improve project outcomes.
The Collaborative Learning on Resource Mobilization and the second collaboration on restrictive contexts that targeted corporate funders significantly strengthened the resource mobilization capacities of feminist funds. By shifting mindsets towards collaboration, articulating clear and concrete asks, and strategizing corporate partnerships, these collaborations demonstrated the power of shared knowledge and joint action in resource mobilization. The insights derived from these efforts underscore the importance of getting the language right, nurturing collaboration over competition, and being strategic in corporate engagements, as well as the challenges of finding the right fit for external support. For women’s funds and donors alike, these lessons highlight how shared goals, flexibility, and transparent decision-making can strengthen the movement and its ability to mobilize resources effectively for grassroots feminist activism.