Bulgarian Fund for Women provides money, organizational strengthening and networking opportunities for grassroots groups, activists and organizations to advance women’s rights, fight social injustice and achieve gender equality. The funds we raise are invested directly in the activities of small CSOs across the country. We are, in some cases, the first, main and sometimes only source of support for initiatives launched and led by women, girls and trans people. We act fast and our application procedures are both rigorous and accessible, ensuring that emerging groups can tap into critical funding. We amplify women’s voices in civil society as a means to promote democracy because we believe that gender equality is fundamental for a truly democratic and economically developed society.
53% of the total budget was spent for direct grantmaking, grantmaking-related costs and capacity building. Through 9 open calls for project proposals and 4 programs we supported 40 grantee organizations and 12 individual activists and collectives that implemented projects in over 40 towns and villages across Bulgaria, serving directly over 5000 beneficiaries. 53 of the grants were given for projects targeting controversial, traditionally marginalized and/or invisible issues and communities.
Second major grantmaking category was Strengthening movements – 21%. 84% of our grantee organizations in 2019 were led by women. 44% of the grants were given to newly established CSOs or individuals (non registered). 58% of the grants were distributed to support project outside the capital city.
Investments in the development and civil participation of women and girls are a prerequisite for achieving greater societal awareness and understanding over gender issues. Global initiatives and political frameworks such as Beijing Platform for Action and Sustainable Development Goals 2030 set the way forward for gender equality, involving concrete measures for its achievement like increasing the political participation of women, combating gender based violence and discrimination, and sexual and reproductive rights.
The Bulgarian Fund for Women’s Call for Projects and Programs mirror the lack of such specific activities in Bulgaria. They address the needs of the different groups of women and girls from ethnic minorities, with disabilities, from rural areas, survivors of gender based violence through supporting organizations, informal groups and activists who work for the realization of women’s human rights.
You can see the BFW Annual Report for 2019 here
