Campaigns to End Violence against Women and Girls - Virtual ...

information on the expected results (exciting and attainable), and the indicators that
will be used to monitor progress.
Donors may undertake their own research on the campaign. Effective networking,
and an attractive campaign website, or presentations of the campaign on the
websites of alliance members, can provide visibility even before the official campaign
launch. If there are not sufficient resources to start with a full website, a page on the
social web (e.g. on Facebook, Ning or Orkut) is a viable alternative.
2. Reviewing potential donors: Potential donors can be identified by looking for:
� Organizations that members of the campaign know well, e.g. from previous
cooperation
� Organizations with local or representative offices
� Relevant national organizations (e.g. government institutions, foundations)
� Relevant regional and international organizations (multi- and bilateral donors,
NGOs, funding networks such as GROOTS, KIVA and Global Giving).
The latter two categories can be identified by mobilizing the campaigners’ networks, and
through rigorous internet search. AWID’s WITM (“Where is the Money for Women’s
Rights”) initiative provides regular updates on sources of funding for women’s rights
work. Institutional change campaigners may also consult the Human Rights Nexus,
which provides information on grants for human rights activities in Arabic, Chinese,
English, French, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. Typing appropriate keywords (e.g.
the campaign issue, and the words “application” and “grant”) into a standard internet
search engine may yield additional information.
3. Assessing donor interest: Donor websites and other publications should be
scanned for any relevant work on the campaign issue or related issues, any regional
focus, and ways of working. Seek direct contact with likely donors who run a
representative office nearby, or with people who run initiatives supported by the
donors, so as to gain a fuller understanding of their priorities and ways of working.
Knowledge on donor activities should be used when approaching the donor, e.g. by
pointing to potential synergy between the planned campaign and specific on-going
donor activities.
4. Assessing eligibility: Most donors include eligibility criteria for grantees on their
websites. Usually, criteria include formal registration of the applicant organization, a
clear governance structure, a proven track record, and the ability to contribute own
funding to the activity. Some donors work with calls for proposals and deadlines
for application.
5. Before submitting a formal proposal, the potential donor should be approached
informally with the campaign pitch to assess interest. A face-to-face meeting with a
donor representative is the ideal setting for a conversation on options for funding. If
that is not feasible, a combination of telephone contact and written correspondence
(sending the campaign pitch) is a viable alternative.
6. Preparing the proposal: Many donors have guidelines as to what information must
be contained in the funding proposal, and how it is to be presented. Ideally, the
proposal should be precise, focus only on the essential information required. It is
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Campaigns December 2011