Guiding Principles

• Together Women Rise funds organizations and projects that address the varied issues and needs of women and girls in low-income and marginalized communities in the Global South.
• Organizations and projects funded will create lasting change in the lives of the women and/or girls who are affected.
• Organizations and projects funded will provide solutions identified by the women and/or girls being served, and must actively include their perspectives.
• Featured Grantees must demonstrate the direct impact of the project funded and the methods and ability to monitor and evaluate the project.
• Featured Grantees are sustainable organizations with multiple funding sources.
• Together Women Rise strives to maximize the educational opportunities for our members.

Eligibility Requirements

In order to be considered for a Featured Grant, you must provide evidence that your organization meets ALL of Together Women Rise’s eligibility requirements.  

1. 1. Applicant must be a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or have a fiscal sponsor which is a US 501(c)3 corporation. We do not accept registration documents issued by any other country. A fiscal sponsor is a US non-profit organization that provides fiduciary oversight, financial management, and other administrative services to help build the capacity of charitable organizations that do not have a US 501(c)(3) designation. An applicant that does not have a US 501(c)(3) designation can submit an application to Together Women Rise with a fiscal sponsor if they have a verifiable present relationship with that fiscal sponsor that has been in existence for the past 12 months.
   2. Applicant must have a minimum of $100,000 operating expenses annually for the most recent fiscal year.
   3. Applicant must demonstrate capacity and on-the-ground operations in low-income communities in the Global South for a minimum of three years.
   4. Applicant must provide data regarding the direct impact of the organization’s program(s) that the grant would support.
   5. Women must make up the majority of the leadership of your organization (i.e. board of directors and staff) at the time of application.
   6. Applicant must demonstrate fiscally responsible and sustainable practices within their organization.
   7. Applicant must have a website in English, unless using a fiscal sponsor.
   8. Applicant must submit all information requested on the grant application in English.
   9. Applicant must provide additional information as deemed necessary for Together Women Rise to make the grant decision.
   10. Applicant has not received a Together Women Rise grant within the past four years.
   11. If the applicant has previously received a Rise grantee, it must have satisfied ALL of Rise’s reporting requirements for that past grant.
   12. Applicants must adhere to Together Women Rise’s Religion Policy. Click HERE to review the full policy.
   13. Together Women Rise recognizes that to achieve gender equality, women and girls must have equitable and consistent access to quality health care, which includes safe and full scope of sexual and reproductive health services and education. Click HERE to read our full Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy.

Application Process

Together Women Rise has streamlined our application process in order to make it more open and accessible to prospective grantees.

Step #1: Questionnaire to Determine Eligibility

First, you will be asked to complete a brief, online questionnaire to determine your eligibility for a Rise Featured Grant. This questionnaire should take you only a few minutes to complete, and you will receive immediate notification about whether you meet our eligibility requirements.

Step #2: Your Organization Profile

If you are considered to be eligible after completing the questionnaire, we will provide you with instructions for how to complete your organization’s profile via our online application site. Your profile will be secure and confidential. Once your profile is completed, you will be invited to submit your application.

Step #3: Full Application

If you are invited to complete an application, you will be asked to:

• Provide a copy of your organization’s IRS 501(c)(3) Determination Letter, or that of your fiscal sponsor.
• Provide a copy of your current fiscal year operating budget.
• Provide your Form 990 or Form 990 EZ, or that of your fiscal sponsor, for the two most recent consecutive years. If you are submitting a Form 990 Z, you will be asked to complete a supplemental questionnaire. We do not accept 990-Ns or 990-PFs.
• If you have a fiscal sponsor, you will need to provide a certification between your organization and the fiscal sponsor.

Note: Applicants may be required to participate in an online site visit with Rise staff and Grants and Partnership Committee members prior to final selection of grants. Invitation to participate in an online site visit is not a guarantee or indication of funding.

Info for Grant Recipients

Once you have been notified of funding, you will be required to:

1. Sign a funding agreement. This agreement must be signed before any announcement about the grant can be made. Funding will be provided at 60% of total grant amount when fund agreement is signed; 30% upon receipt of the interim report submission; and 10% upon receipt of final report.
2. Provide the following for Rise’s member learning program: five high-resolution photographs; a video recording of 4-5 minutes in length about your organization and the funded project; and 1-3 impact stories over the two-year period. Templates and more information will be provided about these deliverables after the grant is awarded.
3. Participate in 1-2 check-ins with Rise staff during the two-year period.
4. Participate in a monthly national webinar to share information about your organization with Rise members during your designated month.
5. Submit to Together Women Rise an interim report and a final report upon completion of the project.

FAQs for Prospective Grantees

1. 1. 1. 1. How do I apply for a Together Women Rise grant?
            Please visit our website at togetherwomenrise.org and click on the “Grants” tab at the top of the page. Here, you will find information on our Featured Grant eligibility requirements, application process, and timeline. When the cycle is open, you will also find the link for our online application.
         2. When will Together Women Rise be accepting grant applications?
            Our Featured Grants application window for grants to be awarded in 2025 ended on June 20, 2024, and is now closed. Our next cycle will open in 2025.
         3. What if my organization is not registered as a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit?
            You can submit an application with a fiscal sponsor that is a U.S. 501(c)(3) organization. A fiscal sponsor provides fiduciary oversight, financial management, and other administrative services to help build the capacity of charitable organizations that do not have a US 501(c)(3) designation.  In order to apply with a fiscal sponsor, you must have a verifiable present relationship with that fiscal sponsor that has been in existence for the past 12 months.
         4. My organization is a registered nonprofit in another country. Can we apply for a grant?
            Together Women Rise does not accept registration documents issued by any country other than the U.S. This is a requirement of our own 501(c)(3) status. If you are not registered in the U.S. as a 501(c)(3) organization, you can apply with a fiscal sponsor, as outlined in the question above.
         5. How do we find a fiscal sponsor? Can Rise Together Women Rise help us find a fiscal sponsor?
            In order to use a fiscal sponsor, you must have a verifiable present relationship with that fiscal sponsor that has been in existence for the past 12 months. Together Women Rise cannot provide you with a fiscal sponsor, but we have prepared some information that may be helpful to you in using a fiscal sponsor. Please click HERE.
         6. If my organization serves as a fiscal sponsor for an applicant, can my organization still apply for its own grant?
            Yes, an organization could serve as a fiscal sponsor for another organization and apply for a featured grant for their own organization.
         7. Can we submit our application in a language other than English?
            No. We require you to submit your application and all of your supporting documents in English.
         8. How many Featured Grants does Together Women Rise award?
            We award at least 12 Featured Grants per calendar year.
         9. My organization previously received a Together Women Rise Featured Grant. Are we eligible to apply for and receive another grant?
            Yes, but organizations may receive no more than one Featured Grant per four-year period, and it must have satisfied all of Rise’s reporting requirements for the past grant.
         10. Which countries are eligible to receive a Featured Grant? Are some countries excluded?
             We fund projects in low-income and marginalized communities in the Global South. This primarily includes many of the countries in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific, and the Middle East. Please visit our website to see the countries where we have previously funded projects. If you are unsure of whether your country would be eligible, please email grants@togetherwomenrise.org. We do not fund projects in the U.S or countries that the U.S. has sanctioned.
         11. Is the Featured Grant funding of $35,000 to $50,000 paid over two years, or is this amount paid each year for two years?
             Featured Grants are $35,000 to $50,000 paid over two years.  Grant payments are made as follows: 60% upon signing the grant agreement; 30% upon receipt of the interim report; and 10% upon receipt of the final report.
         12. Can a grantee choose to receive the funds in one year, instead of over two years?
             No, all our Featured Grants will be paid over two years.
         13. Does Together Women Rise fund any projects in the U.S.?
             No, we do not. We only fund projects in low-income and marginalized countries in the Global South.
         14. Do you fund organizations that are new NGOs (i.e. one year or less)?
             We only fund organizations that demonstrate capacity and on-the-ground operations in low-income communities in the Global South for a minimum of three years. In addition, only organizations with operating budgets of $100,000 or more may apply.
         15. When will you inform organizations about whether they have been selected to receive a grant in 2024?
             We will notify approved organizations in November 2024. If you are not selected to receive a grant, we will notify you in December 2024.
         16. How often does Together Women Rise accept grant applications?
             We have one grant cycle per year. Our next grant cycle will open in 2025.
         17. Does Together Women Rise fund projects for boys or men?
             Yes, we recognize that men and boys are essential partners and allies in achieving global gender equality. We will support projects with boys and men provided the project is primarily focused on women and girls and/or promoting/achieving gender equality.
         18. Does Rise provide funding for operating or capacity building, or does it have to be a specific project or program?
             We fund capacity building, new programs, and expansion of existing programs, but we do not provide funding for general support or operations.
         19. Are there projects or purposes that Together Women Rise does not support?
             We do not support debt reduction; grants to individuals; endowments; government entities; building funds or campaigns; lobbying or political activities/parties; or election campaigns. We do not fund organizations that engage in exclusionary practices based on religion or political affiliation or that attempt to convert the community beneficiaries to a particular religious faith or belief, or a political party or belief.
         20. What do we mean by being financially stable and having demonstrated an upward trajectory of funding and expenses over three or more years as well as a minimum 75% program and a minimum $100,000 operating budget? The program expense ratio measures the percentage of expenses that a nonprofit is spending on its core mission vs. spending on other items. For us, anything above 75% represents that the organization is stable and spending most of its money on assisting its clients/participants.
         21. What do you mean by an online site visit?
             This is an online meeting that may be requested between the finalists and our staff and grant selection committee. It provides the opportunity for finalists and Rise representatives to ask any outstanding questions. Additional supplemental information may also be requested, where needed.
         22. Can the online grant application be completed on any browser?
             We recommend that you use Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.
         23. My email is not working when I try to log in with my password.  What should I do?
             Applicants need to use the same email address they used on their eligibility questionnaire, but when signing in, you need to add .rise at the end of it.  For example, wow@togtherwomenrise.org.rise or wow@gmail.com.rise.
         24. Can volunteer hours be included in an organization’s budget?
             Yes, organizations can include volunteer hours as an in-kind in their budgets, but these hours must be monetized by US or your state’s volunteer guidelines.  Here is a link to a resource: Value of Volunteer Time Report | Independent Sector Resources
         25. Should my grant budget be provided in US currency?
             Yes, please provide all budgets in US dollars.