In short
A women’s empowerment proposal should start from a gender analysis, address the causes of inequality and not only its symptoms, involve women and girls in design and decisions, measure changes in agency, resources and opportunities, include safeguarding and do-no-harm measures, and engage men, boys and community leaders where relevant.
Gender equality funders look for projects designed with women and girls, not just for them, that change the conditions holding them back and measure empowerment carefully.
Who funds women’s empowerment projects
Gender equality projects are funded by women’s funds, foundations, development agencies, corporate programmes and United Nations agencies. Many funders use a gender marker to rate how far a project addresses gender equality.
Recommended outline
| Section | What to include |
|---|---|
| Gender analysis | How the problem affects women, men, girls and boys differently, and why |
| Problem statement | Data disaggregated by sex and age, and the barriers women face |
| Methodology | Activities designed with women, addressing resources, skills, decision-making and social norms |
| Outcomes | Changes in agency, access to resources and opportunities, and in attitudes |
| Safeguarding | Risk of backlash or violence, referral pathways and confidential reporting |
| Sustainability | Women’s groups, leadership roles and community support that continue |
Example results and indicators
| Result | Indicator |
|---|---|
| Economic empowerment | Percentage of participating women with their own income or savings |
| Decision-making | Percentage of women reporting they take part in household or community decisions |
| Leadership | Number of women in leadership roles in community bodies |
| Attitudes | Change in community attitudes measured by a short survey |
Typical budget lines
- Women’s group facilitation and training
- Childcare or transport support to enable participation
- Leadership and rights training
- Community dialogue with men, boys and leaders
- Safeguarding and referral support
- Monitoring and evaluation
What makes a women’s empowerment proposal stand out
- Based on a clear gender analysis.
- Designed and led with women and girls.
- Addresses causes such as norms and access to resources.
- Includes strong safeguarding and do-no-harm measures.
Common mistakes
- Counting women attending without measuring change.
- Ignoring the risk of backlash.
- Excluding women with disabilities or from minority groups.
- No role for men, boys or community leaders where norms are the barrier.
Frequently asked questions
What is a gender analysis?
An examination of how a problem and a project affect women, men, girls and boys differently, used to design activities that are fair and effective.
How do I measure empowerment?
Combine measures of resources, such as income or assets, with measures of agency, such as decision-making, and track them against a baseline.
Written by Gachi Foundation, a non-profit in Jharkhand, India. All proposal-writing resources.