WFA acknowledges that resources are political. WFA is committed to Resource Advocacy, that addresses the inequality and power imbalance in the current distribution and flow of resources. Through feminist grantmaking, philanthropic advocacy and strategic partnerships, WFA works to challenge and transform the global aid and philanthropic sectors by shifting resources and power to those on the margins. 

Resource Advocacy calls for increased and improved (flexible, long-term, movement-driven and led and held by those on the margins) resources towards achieving gender equality and non-discrimination for all.

As a women’s fund, our key mandate is to influence aid and philanthropy towards women’s human rights in the region. Exploring and providing new and alternative channels for resources to flow towards gender equality work in the region is critical in the work we do. We focus on working with philanthropic networks, donors and other women’s and feminist funds to advocate for a greater share of resources for women’s rights work, and seek greater political accountability for resourcing of the women’s rights movements. Our influencing and advocacy is constantly informed by the work of our partners, who bring in knowledge and contextual experiences from their ground realities. 

WFA works to build, strengthen, and sustain a robust and sustainable resource architecture to support feminist movements in Asia through strategic partnerships with other women’s, feminist and environmental funds, multi-stakeholder alliances, donor collaboratives, funder networks, pooled funding mechanisms, and other allies. These foster collective strategising, advocacy and action for increased resource justice.  

Linking and Learning is a key strategy to bring together our partners, women’s funds, donors and other allies for collective learning, reflection and strategising. As part of this strategy, WFA supports global-South activists to  participate in national, regional and global policy-making, advocacy, learning and capacity-strengthening spaces . Through Linking and Learning grants, WFA supports the meaningful participation of women, girls, trans and intersex people from marginalised communities who are excluded from critical strategic spaces.

In order for the women’s movements to have a larger and effective impact, forging alliances at various levels is extremely important. The facilitation of such spaces aims to foster collective reflection, learning, and building cross-country, cross-regional solidarities, while ensuring that the experiences and knowledge of those working at the local level are reflected at the national and regional level.

• Through travel and convening grants, WFA supports global South feminist activists and organisations in ensuring their strategic engagement and participation in regional and global policy-making, agenda-setting, and convening spaces critical to advancing feminist movements.
•  WFA organises workshops with grantee partners, focusing on key institutional strengthening areas: financial resilience and management, digital security, and monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL). By investing in these critical areas, WFA supports grassroots organisations in building long-term resilience and sustainability.