OVERVIEW
The Karen Takacs Women’s Leadership Fund was created by the Crossroads International Board of Directors in 2015 to celebrate Karen’s transformative leadership over twelve years as Executive Director. The Fund honours her life-long commitment to advancing women’s rights by supporting programming to reduce violence against women and girls, facilitating the participation of women in decision making and increasing the social and economic autonomy of women in Africa. Generously supported by individual donations, the Fund is a tribute to Karen’s vision and legacy of supporting women’s leadership.
A Board-appointed volunteer Advisory Council consults with Crossroads International partners and makes recommendations regarding the purpose and management of the annual grant as well as the selection of the grant and scholarship recipients.
The purpose of the fund is to strengthen African civil society organizations that advance women’s leadership, rights, and equality.
In 2022, the fund will award two (02) one-time grants of $10,000 (Canadian) to Crossroads International partner organizations operating in countries of Crossroads current program portfolio (Burkina Faso, Eswatini, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia) that have been pre-selected by their letter of interest. One grant will be awarded to a Francophone country and one to an English-speaking country. However, partners that have already received funds from the KTF for a grant will not be eligible.
The grant provides support to partner organizations to allow them to strengthen, deepen or expand their current programs, particularly in areas that might not otherwise receive funding from other sources. It can also support pilot or investment in new programs.
grant eligibility
Organizations must meet the following criteria:
- Current Crossroads International partner in good standing (collaborative proposals by Crossroads International partners are welcome) except those that have received a grant in the past
- Advances leadership and equality of women and/or girls in Africa
APPLICATION PROCESS
Key dates and deadlines for the application process are as follows:
| January 24, 2022 | Launch call for letters of interest to all Crossroads’ partner organization in 9 countries except those that have received a grant in the past |
| February 18, 2022 | Deadline to submit letters of interest from partners |
| March 7, 2022 | Invitation to pre-selected partners to submit their full proposal |
| April 29, 2022 | Deadline to submit full proposals from partners (ONLY for Partners that have been advised to submit a proposal, after approval of their letter of interest) |
| June 18, 2022 | Advisory Council will make recommendation of grant recipients to the Board of Directors and obtain approval |
| July, 2022 | Applicants will be advised of the Board’s decision |
GRANT PRIORITIES
Priority will be given to organizations that demonstrate the grant will:
- Strengthen or expand the partner’s current work, particularly in areas that might not otherwise receive funding from other sources and/or
- Strengthen the organization’s capacity to be a voice nationally and/or regionally and/or
- Strengthen collaboration with other organizations working on promoting women’s rights, equality, and leadership
POSSIBLE GRANT ACTIVITIES
The grant will provide support for activities that strengthen the partner organizations’ ability to advance equality and leadership for women through the following:
- Organizational strengthening and training (staff, volunteers, community leaders)
- Program development or implementation; Piloting new approaches
- Collaborations with other organizations working in the same area
- Building national and regional networks on women’s rights, women’s economic and political empowerment, prevention of violence
- Lobbying and advocacy activities concerning women’s’ rights, economic and political empowerment and/or prevention of violence
- Research – relating to current programs or new program possibilities
- Documenting experience and increasing knowledge of women’s rights within the country
GRANT TIMEFRAME AND REPORTING
Grant recipients will outline the project, the timeframe, the outcomes, and the targeted beneficiaries in
their letters of interest. Projects would normally be expected to complete within a 12–18-month period. A monthly financial reconciliation and reporting will be required. Final narrative and financial reports will be due within two (02) months of the end of the project timeframe.
Reporting formats will be sent to the grantee at the time of funding.
GRANT LETTER OF INTEREST
The letter of interest should introduce and outline the work the organization will do to support Women’s leadership utilizing the grant amount of $10,000, as well as provide a short overview of your organization. Grant applicants must be an eligible Crossroads International partner. All letter of interest should be sent prior to February 18 2022, midnight at fondsKTfund@cintl.org
