Deadline: 30-Jun-2026
The Maypole Fund provides small grants for feminist anti-militarism initiatives that challenge systems of war, weapons production, and structural harm. It supports community-based projects that promote peace, disarmament, and justice through feminist perspectives. The funding is intended for small-scale initiatives, with grants of up to £1,000 per project.
The fund emphasizes feminist political analysis, encouraging applicants to connect militarism with gender inequality, inequality in power systems, and lived experiences of women in local contexts.
Key Focus Areas
The grant supports work that addresses militarism, war systems, arms trade networks, and nuclear weapons systems. It also funds initiatives promoting disarmament and broader peacebuilding efforts.
Projects may include:
- Awareness campaigns on militarism and global security systems
- Community education on the impacts of war and weapons production
- Artistic or cultural expressions of peace and resistance
- Grassroots organizing and local advocacy work
- Feminist analysis of security, power, and structural inequality
A strong emphasis is placed on creativity, originality, and politically expressive approaches that reflect local realities.
Who is Eligible?
Eligibility for the Maypole Fund includes feminist-led individuals and groups engaged in anti-militarism work.
- Individual feminist activists, especially women
- Feminist groups, collectives, and grassroots organizations
- Locally rooted initiatives focused on peace and disarmament
- Projects that clearly apply feminist analysis
Applicants must demonstrate:
- A clear feminist framework
- Strong connection to local lived experiences
- Relevance to issues of militarism and global power systems
- Original and context-specific approaches
Ineligible Activities
The fund excludes certain types of support to maintain its focus on grassroots feminist work.
- Salaries, wages, or personal stipends
- Office rent, utilities, or administrative overheads
- Formal academic research or university-based studies
- Economic development or commercial projects
- Conference participation or study visits, especially for Global North applicants
Projects must focus on practical feminist engagement rather than institutional or academic outputs.
How the Grant Works (Step-by-Step)
The application process for the Maypole Fund is structured and clarity-focused.
- Design a project aligned with feminist anti-militarism goals
- Clearly define objectives, activities, and expected outcomes
- Integrate feminist analysis throughout the proposal
- Submit the application before any project activities begin
- If approved, implement the project as described
- Use funds only for approved activities
- Submit a final report within six months of completion
- Acknowledge funding support in outputs where possible
What Makes a Strong Application
Strong applications typically show:
- Clear feminist analysis of militarism and power structures
- Strong connection between global systems and local realities
- Creative or cultural expression of ideas and resistance
- Well-defined goals and realistic implementation plans
- Community engagement and grassroots involvement
- Innovative and original approaches to awareness and action
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Applicants should avoid:
- Starting activities before approval
- Missing or weak feminist framework
- Including ineligible costs like salaries or institutional expenses
- Vague or overly broad project descriptions
- Weak connection to anti-militarism themes
- Lack of clear planning or outcomes
Why It Matters
The Maypole Fund plays an important role in supporting feminist resistance to militarism and systems of war. It helps fund grassroots initiatives that are often overlooked by larger funding bodies.
Its impact includes:
- Strengthening women-led peace movements
- Supporting creative and community-based activism
- Encouraging feminist perspectives in global security discussions
- Funding locally grounded responses to militarism
- Promoting disarmament and justice-focused advocacy
The fund contributes to broader efforts to build awareness, dialogue, and systemic change through feminist approaches.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the maximum grant available?
- The maximum grant is £1,000 per project through the Maypole Fund
- It is designed for small, grassroots initiatives
- It does not support large-scale institutional funding
- Who can apply for the grant?
- Individual feminist activists (especially women)
- Feminist groups or collectives
- Community-based initiatives focused on peace and disarmament
- Applicants must use feminist analysis in their work
- Can the grant be used for salaries or rent?
- No
- The following are not covered:
- Salaries or wages
- Office rent or utilities
- Administrative or institutional overheads
- Is a feminist framework required?
- Yes
- Applications must include:
- Feminist analysis of militarism and power systems
- Attention to gendered and social impacts
- Connection to lived community experiences
- Clear alignment with peace and disarmament goals
- Can academic research be funded?
- No
- The fund does not support:
- Academic studies or theses
- University-based research projects
- Theoretical-only work without community action
- When can the project start?
- Only after approval is granted
- Key rules:
- No early project activity
- Must follow approved proposal
- Funds used only for approved purposes
- Is reporting required after funding?
- Yes
- Reporting must include:
- Submission within 6 months after completion
- Summary of activities carried out
- Financial breakdown of spending
- Acknowledgment of support from the Maypole Fund
Conclusion
The Maypole Fund supports feminist-led initiatives that challenge militarism and promote peace, justice, and disarmament. It prioritizes small, creative, and locally grounded projects that use feminist analysis to address global systems of power. Through targeted funding, it strengthens grassroots activism and amplifies feminist perspectives in peace-oriented work.
For more information, visit The Maypole Fund.