Call for Proposals: Rosa Stand With Us Fund (United Kingdom)

Deadline: 22-Jun-2026

The Rosa Stand With Us Fund is a UK-based grant programme that supports women’s and girls’ organisations working on the frontline against male violence. It focuses on strengthening organisational capacity, leadership, governance, partnerships, and financial sustainability rather than direct service delivery.

The fund provides up to £28,000 over one year to help eligible organisations improve internal systems, develop strategy, enhance impact, and build long-term resilience. Priority is given to organisations led by and for marginalised groups, including Black and minoritised women, disabled women, LGBTQ+ women, and those operating in disadvantaged regions of the UK.

What is the Rosa Stand With Us Fund?

The Rosa Stand With Us Fund is a capacity-building grant programme designed to strengthen organisations that support women and girls affected by male violence in the UK. It is delivered by Rosa, a UK funder dedicated to supporting women and girls’ organisations.

The fund does not primarily support service delivery. Instead, it invests in organisational development so that frontline services become stronger, more sustainable, and more effective in the long term.

Purpose of the Fund

The fund aims to:

• Strengthen women’s and girls’ organisations working on male violence issues.
• Improve organisational resilience and long-term sustainability.
• Enhance leadership, governance, and strategic planning.
• Support better fundraising capacity and financial stability.
• Improve systems, processes, and internal structures.
• Strengthen the collective voice of women’s organisations.
• Build alliances and partnerships across the sector.
• Improve the quality and safety of services for survivors.

Key Focus Areas

The fund supports organisational strengthening across several areas:

Leadership and Governance

• Improving leadership capacity.
• Strengthening governance structures.
• Enhancing board effectiveness.
• Supporting strategic decision-making.

Organisational Development

• Building long-term organisational strategy.
• Strengthening internal systems and processes.
• Improving operational efficiency.
• Enhancing management structures.

Financial Sustainability

• Developing fundraising strategies.
• Improving income diversification.
• Strengthening financial planning.
• Building long-term funding resilience.

Partnerships and Influence

• Building alliances within the women’s movement.
• Strengthening advocacy and sector voice.
• Enhancing collaboration with partners.
• Increasing influence in policy and practice.

Impact and Evidence

• Improving monitoring and evaluation systems.
• Strengthening impact measurement.
• Demonstrating effectiveness of services.
• Using evidence to improve programmes.

Funding Amount and Use

The Rosa Stand With Us Fund provides:

• Up to £28,000 per organisation.
• Funding duration of one year.

The grant is intended for additional organisational capacity, not routine service delivery.

Eligible uses include:

• Senior staff backfill to free up leadership time.
• Additional time for senior management teams.
• External specialist consultants.
• Organisational development support.
• Strategic planning activities.
• Systems and governance improvements.

Who is Eligible?

Eligible applicants must be UK-based women’s and girls’ organisations that are:

• Women-led.
• Not-for-profit.
• Properly governed and legally structured.
• Working directly on issues affecting women and girls.

Income Eligibility

Organisations must have:

• Annual income between £100,000 and £500,000.

This ensures the fund supports medium-sized organisations that often face capacity constraints.

Priority Groups

The fund prioritises organisations working with or led by:

• Black and minoritised women and girls.
• Disabled women and girls.
• LGBTQ+ women and girls.
• Communities in highly disadvantaged areas.
• Organisations based in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland.

This reflects a strong commitment to equity and inclusion.

Thematic Focus Areas

The fund supports organisations addressing male violence in all its forms, including:

• Domestic violence.
• Coercive control.
• Sexual abuse.
• Forced marriage.
• Honour-based violence.
• Female genital mutilation (FGM).
• Sexual harassment.
• Economic and financial abuse.

Governance and Safeguarding Requirements

To be eligible, organisations must demonstrate strong governance standards, including:

• A governing body with at least three unrelated members.
• Secure financial management systems.
• Clear safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Accountability and compliance structures.
• Appropriate legal and organisational status.

These requirements ensure funds are used safely and effectively.

Why the Fund Matters

The Rosa Stand With Us Fund is important because it:

• Strengthens frontline organisations supporting survivors of violence.
• Improves the sustainability of the women’s sector.
• Enhances service quality and safety for women and girls.
• Builds stronger leadership within feminist and advocacy organisations.
• Supports long-term systemic change in addressing male violence.
• Reduces operational pressure on under-resourced organisations.

By investing in organisational capacity, the fund indirectly improves outcomes for survivors of abuse and violence.

How the Funding Works

The programme typically follows these stages:

Step 1: Eligibility Check

Organisations confirm income level, governance structure, and thematic alignment.

Step 2: Application Submission

Applicants submit proposals focused on organisational development needs rather than service expansion.

Step 3: Assessment Process

Applications are reviewed based on:

• Organisational need.
• Strategic clarity.
• Leadership and governance strength.
• Equity and inclusion focus.
• Potential for long-term impact.

Step 4: Funding Decision

Successful organisations receive funding for a one-year capacity-building programme.

Step 5: Implementation

Grantees use funding to:

• Strengthen systems.
• Improve leadership capacity.
• Enhance financial sustainability.
• Develop strategic partnerships.

Step 6: Reporting and Learning

Organisations report on progress, learning outcomes, and organisational improvements.

What Strong Applications Look Like

Competitive applications typically demonstrate:

• Clear understanding of organisational challenges.
• Strong leadership commitment.
• Realistic capacity-building plan.
• Evidence of governance strength.
• Focus on long-term sustainability.
• Commitment to equity and inclusion.
• Clear link between capacity building and improved service delivery.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants often weaken their proposals by:

• Focusing on service delivery instead of organisational development.
• Providing vague or general capacity-building plans.
• Failing to demonstrate governance readiness.
• Ignoring financial sustainability planning.
• Not aligning with priority groups or themes.
• Overlooking safeguarding requirements.

Tips for a Strong Application

To strengthen an application:

• Clearly define organisational development priorities.
• Show how funding will improve long-term resilience.
• Demonstrate strong governance and leadership structure.
• Link capacity building to improved survivor outcomes.
• Highlight equity-led or community-led practice.
• Provide realistic and detailed implementation plans.
• Emphasise measurable organisational improvements.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the Rosa Stand With Us Fund?

It is a UK grant programme that supports women’s and girls’ organisations working against male violence by strengthening their organisational capacity, leadership, and sustainability.

How much funding is available?

Eligible organisations can receive up to £28,000 over a one-year period.

What is the main purpose of the fund?

The fund focuses on organisational development rather than direct service delivery, aiming to improve sustainability, governance, and effectiveness.

Who can apply?

UK-based, women-led, not-for-profit organisations with annual incomes between £100,000 and £500,000 working with women and girls affected by male violence.

Which groups are prioritised?

Priority is given to organisations led by Black and minoritised women, disabled women, LGBTQ+ women, and those in disadvantaged areas or UK devolved nations.

What types of activities are funded?

Activities include leadership development, governance strengthening, strategic planning, fundraising capacity building, and system improvements.

What issues does the fund address?

It supports organisations working on domestic violence, coercive control, sexual abuse, forced marriage, honour-based violence, FGM, harassment, and financial abuse.

Conclusion

The Rosa Stand With Us Fund is a targeted capacity-building initiative designed to strengthen women’s and girls’ organisations across the UK that support survivors of male violence. By investing in leadership, governance, strategy, and sustainability rather than direct service delivery, the fund helps organisations become more resilient, effective, and influential. This long-term strengthening approach ultimately improves the quality and safety of support available to women and girls facing violence and abuse.

For more information, visit Rosa.