Deadline: 21-Oct-20
In order to support a stronger wave of youth-led advocacy in 2021 and beyond, and in order to specifically seek out and fund young leaders from underrepresented and marginalized identities and communities, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is issuing an open request for proposals from groups interested in carrying out advocacy work in support of the GEF.
The Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995 in Beijing was heralded as a landmark moment for gender equality, both because of the declaration and platform developed at the conference and because of the more than 30,000 feminists gathered from around the world to jointly strategize for a better world.
As they look ahead to the opportunity afforded by the Beijing+25 anniversary, then—particularly through the platform provided by the Generation Equality Forum (GEF) events organized by UN Women, Mexico, France, and civil society partners in 2021—they have the chance to advance progress on the Beijing agenda by securing bold new commitments to achieving gender equality to match the bold rhetoric that was adopted 25 years ago.
The GEF will not live up to its name or its potential without centering and amplifying the creativity and demands of young people and in particular young Black women, indigenous women, and other women of color, who are often marginalized or tokenized on global stages such as these.
Funding Information
- They will invest in a portfolio of up to 10 recipients at $50,000 each, for a total of $500,000 allocated.
Eligibility Criteria
- To be considered, applicants must:
- Have executives or leadership teams primarily (>60%) comprised of girls, young women, and/or trans and intersex youth, under the age of 30.
- Be a registered organization or submit as part of a collective application where at least one participant is legally registered and able to receive grant funding from a U.S. private foundation. Note: If applying under a fiscal sponsor, please include that organization under “Organization Name” in the application site.
- Demonstrate some familiarity with the Generation Equality Forum and/or the Beijing+25 processes, even if there has not been deep engagement to-date.
- Present a clear vision for how their work will result in policy and/or resource commitments and a theory of change that links to commitments.
- Demonstrate an ability to effectively champion gender equality priorities with key decision-makers.
- Additional preference and weight will be given to:
- Applicants led by girls, young women, and/or trans and intersex youth who are Black, Indigenous, or people of color.
- Applicants headquartered in the global south.
- Applicants that have not previously received direct Gates Foundation funding.
For more information, visit https://submit.gatesfoundation.org/prog/genderequality_rfp/