The Global Fund for Women

A powerful force for change

Strategic Plan 2008 - 2013















July 2008
Executive summary

For twenty years, the Global Fund for Women has played a key role in advancing
human rights worldwide. By mobilizing funds from a diversity of sources and making
grants that have trusted women to set their own priorities and manage their own
resources, we have seeded, supported, and linked thousands of womens rights
groups whose efforts have contributed to strengthening a global womens movement
and numerous other social justice movements across the world.

This strategic plan builds on past accomplishments and deepens the Global Funds
commitment to advancing womens rights by investing in sustainable local, national
and transnational womens movements and linking them to allied social justice
movements to be able to effect lasting change in relationships of socio-economic and
political power.

To meet these bold objectives, the Global Fund has to adapt its
own structures and processes. This strategic plan clarifies the
vision, mission and guiding principles of the organization, defines
new directions, partnerships and opportunities, and outlines key
results areas, goals and the strategies we will use to achieve
them.
Executive summary (cont.)
The guiding principle of this plan is to advance womens rights by strengthening
womens organizations and movements and their efforts to work for transformative
change in effective collaboration with other allied social justice movements. The
following actions flow from this focus:

Double our resources, while actively collaborating with allied organizations and
philanthropic peers to double the financial resources available for womens
rights globally;

Substantially expand grant-making to effectively and strategically respond to
specific gaps and needs prioritized by womens rights organizations
and movements;

Develop strategic partnerships and leverage our networks to promote and
make visible womens contributions to social change, justice, peace, and
equality worldwide;

Build an organizational culture of learning that values creativity, critical analysis
and reflection, and rewards risk taking in order to best serve the global
womens movement.
Our vision
The Global Fund for Women envisions a just,
compassionate and equitable world in which all people,
regardless of their gender, class, age, ethnicity, race,
religion, sexual orientation or physical ability may live
free of poverty, violence, and all forms of
discrimination. Each person and all peoples are
guaranteed their fundamental human rights civil,
cultural, economic, political, and social. Women
everywhere have a voice, have choices, and are able
to realize their full potential within their societies.
Our mission
The Global Fund for Women plays a leading role
in advancing womens rights by making grants
that support and strengthen womens groups
around the world. We mobilize and redistribute
resources that enable women to develop
creative solutions to local, regional, and
transnational challenges. We bring grantees and
donors together in an international network that
promotes womens action for social change,
equality, peace, and justice
worldwide.


Prevailing challenges

A world marred by war and militarism and politically
dominated by security agendas which undermine the
interests and well-being of women and children
Shifting balance of power between state, corporate and civil
society in a world dominated by economic globalization
Resurgence of social, cultural and religious extremism with
strong focus on restricting womens freedom
Persistent discrimination against women
Limited awareness of the value of womens contribution to
development and social change
Urgent need to mitigate negative impact of financial
recessions and economic crises on women and womens
movements
Limited availability of funding for womens rights work

Emerging opportunities
New levels of local and transnational mobilization among
womens rights organizations and movements
Increasingly internationalized awareness of global
disparities, womens oppression and gender inequalities
Growing awareness of the need to protect and advance
twentieth century gains in human rights and womens rights
in particular
Enhanced possibilities for transnational connections and
solidarities as a result of globalization and technological
development
Increased availability of diverse financial, strategic and
technical resources

We aim to achieve a more equal, peaceful and
just world by strengthening womens
organizations and movements that work to
End wars and conflicts and eliminate rape and sexual abuse
Ensure physical and emotional security for women and children
in public and private life
Ensure economic security and environmental justice
Enhance wellness and respect for sexual and reproductive
rights
Advance and ensure more equal participation in public and
political life
Equal access to socially and intellectually inclusive education
Build a pervasive culture of equality and participatory
democracy


Guiding principles

We adhere to basic feminist principles, the notion that women and men have an equal right to
dignity, opportunity, and freedom from violence and discrimination
We believe that independent womens initiatives and movements are key to bringing about social
change and justice and that womens free and equal participation is essential for open and
democratic societies
We value local experience and trust women to determine their priorities and propose solutions to
challenges
We see philanthropy as a shared responsibility and opportunity to be generous and to make a
difference in the world by creating equal and respectful connections between those who give and
those who receive
We believe that social change and justice result from the actions of multiple actors, collective
contributions and effective collaboration
We honor and welcome diversity in the wisdom and experiences of all members of our network
We believe that the way in which we do our work is as important as what we do
We are committed to working with all members of our community in ways that reflect respect, trust,
and openness
We strive to be flexible, accountable and fair in all aspects of our Work
We use human rights principles and instruments as defining frames of reference, recognizing that
human rights are both individual and collective
We see philanthropy as a shared responsibility that offers individuals and institutions
the opportunity to both give and receive, to be generous, and to build connections of
equality and mutual respect


Five year Key Result Areas leading to
long term achievements

1. Double the available financial resources for womens
rights organizations and movement building globally
2. Make responsive, innovative and high impact grants that
advance womens rights worldwide
3. Promote and raise public awareness of womens actions
for social change
4. Create, strengthen and leverage key global networks and
strategic partnerships
5. Sustain an organizational culture of learning and creativity
that can best serve the global womens movement



KRA 1
Key Result Area 1: Double the available financial resources for
womens rights organizations and movement building globally

Goal 1.1
Double Global Funds financial resources from $14 million in 2008 to $28 million
in 2013, allocating the majority to grants

Goal 1.2
Implement 3-4 initiatives that will contribute to at least the doubling of resources
for womens rights movements globally, from roughly $75 million to $150 million
in 2013

Goal 1.3
Double Global Funds annual program budget, including grants and public
education efforts, from $10.5 million in 2008 to $21 million in 2013


Goal 1.1 Double Global Funds financial resources from
$14 million in 2008 to $28 million in 2013, allocating the
majority to grants
Sample strategies:
1.1.1 Form a Development/Philanthropic Committee comprised
of current and former board members and major donors for the
purposes of identifying new prospects, making strategic
introductions, assisting with cultivating key relationships and
soliciting major donors and legacy donors

1.1.2 Expand Individual Giving by building a Major Gifts Program and
Legacy Giving Program (areas that offer huge growth
opportunities) while simultaneously increasing the Global
Funds annual base of support

1.1.3 Increase select corporate and government support
Goal 1.2 Implement 3-4 initiatives that will contribute to at
least the doubling of resources for womens rights
movements globally, from roughly $75 million to $150 million
in 2013
Sample strategies:

1.2.1 Influence key foundation, international agencies and
governments to increase funding for womens rights

1.2.2 Identify and work with partners on existing or emerging large-
scale campaigns to increase funding for womens rights

1.2.3 Use technology to help both donors and grantees to connect
and create linkages to fund womens rights, including web
portals and viral campaigns
Goal 1.3 Double Global Funds annual program budget,
including grants and public education efforts, from $10.5
million in 2008 to $21 million in 2013
Sample strategies:

1.3.1 Develop special funds or campaigns around thematic areas or
regional interests to give donors the opportunity to feel more
connected to/invested in a specific issue or region of the world

1.3.2 Develop a strategy to replenish the Now or Never Fund

1.3.3 Develop a strategy to raise funds for the Public Education
Program
KRA 2
Key Result Area 2: Make responsive, innovative and high impact
grants that advance womens rights worldwide
Goal 2.1
By July 2013 develop and implement a diverse and responsive grantmaking
portfolio of $17 million per year that includes 3-5 specific initiatives launched to
meet emerging womens rights priorities, while sustaining general support and
seed grants

Goal 2.2
By December 2009 implement an ongoing process to measure impact of
grants. Institute and share annual impact analysis on a critical issue identified
as a priority for womens movements globally

Goal 2.3
By July 2013 build and leverage 2-4 collaborative grantmaking partnerships
that leverage our resources to advance specific womens rights agendas
Goal 2.1 By July 2013 develop and implement a diverse
and responsive grantmaking portfolio of $17 million per year
that includes 3-5 specific initiatives launched to meet
emerging womens rights priorities, while sustaining general
support and seed grants
Sample strategies:
2.1.1 Develop a multi-pronged grantmaking approach that prioritizes
larger, long-term general support movement building and linking
grants, while maintaining a percentage of grantmaking for seed
grants

2.1.2 Streamline the grant review process and reduce the turn around
time for grant processing by 50% by using technology more
effectively (on line application), staffing appropriately, and
developing a tiered proposal review process

2.1.3 Identify key mechanisms for selecting new cross regional and
regional grantmaking initiatives while strengthening and raising
the visibility of existing initiatives with appropriate
assessment of success

Goal 2.2 By December 2009 implement an ongoing
process to measure impact of grants. Institute and share
annual impact analysis on a critical issue identified as a
priority for womens movements globally

Sample strategies:
2.2.1 Implement a multi-pronged evaluation framework and prioritize
and identify key areas for systematic evaluation. This includes
institutionalizing resources to do evaluation on an ongoing basis

2.2.2 Ensure that impact analysis is fed back to stakeholders via
publications (annual impact reports), the website and by
leveraging results and significance of findings to draw media
attention

2.2.3 Develop strategies for influencing policy makers, philanthropists
and corporate partners

Goal 2.3 By July 2013 build and leverage 2-4 collaborative
grantmaking partnerships that leverage our resources to
advance specific womens rights agendas

Sample strategies:

2.3.1 Develop and strengthen complementary and collaborative
grantmaking with womens funds and peer donors to address
gaps in responding to womens rights movement building
globally

2.3.2 Identify strategic regional and issue-based grantmaking
partners

2.3.3 Redefine and strengthen the Global Funds support to womens
funds with regional specificity.

KRA 3
Key Result Area 3: Promote and raise public awareness of womens
actions for social change

Goal 3.1
By 2013 substantially increase Global Fund visibility throughout the United
States, with particular focus on the following metropolitan areas: San
Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago and New York

Goal 3.2
By 2013 become well known globally and across the United States for
identifying and promoting innovative, women-led solutions to global challenges

Goal 3.3
By 2013 establish and implement a powerful public education program that
links multiple constituencies and includes a high functioning web presence
Goal 3.1 By 2013 substantially increase Global Fund
visibility throughout the United States, with particular focus
on the following metropolitan areas: San Francisco, Los
Angeles, Seattle, Chicago and New York

Sample strategies:

3.1.1 Foster ambassadors for the Global Fund in key metro markets

3.1.2 Develop regional public relations campaigns and
communication presence focused on key metro markets

3.1.3 Establish a communications advisory council chartered with
building visibility in key metro markets
Goal 3.2 By 2013 become well known globally and across
the United States for identifying and promoting innovative,
women-led solutions to global challenges
Sample strategies:

3.2.1 Develop a database of experts of grantees and advisors who
can speak on women rights issues

3.2.2 Launch a media relations campaign as well as leverage the
Internet to publicize women-led solutions to global challenges

3.2.3 Develop compelling and clear language to convey the
movement- building focus of the Global Funds work


Goal 3.3 By 2013 establish and implement a powerful
public education program that links multiple constituencies
and includes a high functioning web presence

Sample strategies:

3.3.1 Facilitate communications between donors and grantees about
the impact and outcomes of grantmaking, for example the
development of a web portal that links multiple constituencies

3.3.2 Provide opportunities for substantive engagement between
grantees and Global Fund donors, for example through virtual
conferences

3.3.3 Actively involve grantees and activists in the public education
strategy of the Global Fund, for example the activist-in-
residence program
KRA 4
Key Result Area 4: Create, strengthen and leverage key global
networks and strategic partnerships

Goal 4.1
By 2013 strengthen the advisory network to maximize effective participation in
convening, impact assessment, trend analysis and capacity building for
womens movements worldwide

Goal 4.2
By July 2010, identify, cultivate, and implement strategic partnerships that
advance a womens rights agenda in the arenas of policy advocacy

Goal 4.3
By July 2011, research and identify strategic partners in the arena of
information and communications technology to deepen and expand grantee
networks and increase their access to resources
Goal 4.1 By 2013 strengthen the advisory network to
maximize effective participation in convening, impact
assessment, trend analysis and capacity building for
womens movements worldwide
Sample strategies:

4.1.1 Organize Advisory Council convenings (local, regional, global)
and devise mechanisms to systematically obtain input from
advisors

4.1.2 Strengthen the Advisors capacity to link and strategize
collaboratively with grantees, other advisors and partners

4.1.3 Identify and support select Advisors and experienced resource
persons to assist the Global Fund in evaluation its goals
Goal 4.2 By July 2010, identify, cultivate and implement
strategic partnerships that advance a womens rights agenda
in the arenas of policy advocacy

Sample strategies:

4.2.1 Identify and determine policy priorities based on input from
grantee and advisors and use those to develop criteria for
sustained collaboration around policy advocacy

4.2.2 Develop criteria to assess and build on existing relationships

4.2.3 Identify womens rights sensitive policy makers and advocacy
groups for strategic alliances related to policy development and
reform both in the United States and internationally
Goal 4.3 By July 2011, research and identify strategic
partners in the arena of information and communications
technology to deepen and expand grantee networks and
increase their access to resources
Sample strategies:

4.3.1 Conduct a needs assessment of the technology infrastructure
required to establish an interactive web presence for grantees
and advisors

4.3.2 Develop criteria for developing a strategic technology
partnership

4.3.3 Create a grantmaking initiative focused on increasing grantees
access to technologies
KRA 5
Key Result Area 5: Sustain an organizational culture of learning and
creativity that can best serve the global womens movement

Goal 5.1
By July 2010, develop an organizational culture of learning and excellence that
rewards creativity, innovation, risk-taking and critical analysis and reflection

Goal 5.2
By July 2010, significantly improve and strengthen Global Funds
organizational infrastructure, with state of the art information and
communications technologies and green office spaces

Goal 5.3
By July 2009, craft and implement a plan that achieves organization wide
alignment, using best practices for performance management and shared
leadership
Goal 5.1 By July 2010, develop an organizational culture of
learning and excellence that rewards creativity, innovation,
risk-taking and critical analysis and reflection
Sample strategies:
5.1.1 Develop a more comprehensive staff development program
consisting of orientation, ongoing training, mentoring and
coaching

5.1.2 Create both physical and virtual space for staff to explore
innovative ideas including training around creative thinking,
and external benchmarking of innovation techniques

5.1.3 Develop a knowledge management function in order to harvest,
track, and implement insights and lessons learned

5.1.4 Create internal communications mechanisms to share
information and learning across teams

Goal 5.2 By July 2010, significantly improve and strengthen
Global Funds organizational infrastructure, with state of the
art information and communications technologies and green
office spaces
Sample strategies:
5.2.1 Develop new office space in San Francisco to foster a more
open communication work culture

5.2.2 Bring IT function in-house to help foster internal technological
innovations, and to provide resources for staff to work more
effectively and efficiently -including developing remote access
to server, using Skype, video or online conferencing, creating
stronger desktop support

5.2.3 Develop a work space and culture that enables safe, healthy
and environmentally sound practices including hiring of green
vendors and training staff on how to be green
Goal 5.3 By July 2009, craft and implement a plan that
achieves organization wide alignment, using best practices
for performance management and shared leadership
Sample strategies:

5.3.1 Create comprehensive organization wide performance
management system in alignment with the new strategic plan
and to include: Team Annual Plans, Sub Function Annual Plans
and Individual Work Plans with integrated evaluation strategies

5.3.2 Develop a shared leadership model that includes clarity around
decision making roles and processes

5.3.3 Create norms and standards around meaningful participations
by getting the right people in the room and clarifying
participant roles
Make it happen
Making it happen
Annual Workplans
In order to achieve our Key Result Areas and Goals we develop annual workplans
per functional area that contain function specific and cross-cutting strategies and
activities, as well as markers for assessing effectiveness. Our functional areas are
Programs, Development, Communications and Finance and Administration

Assessing Effectiveness and Working with Others
In assessing the effectiveness of our work we recognize that outcomes are often
the result of a confluence of actors and circumstances. Collaboration therefore
forms an integral part of our plan. Our primary collaboration partners are:
Womens rights organizations and movements
Global Fund advisors around the world
The broader philanthropic community and womens funds
Allied individuals, organizations and social movements
A select number of strategic partners with whom we develop joint initiatives
Key internal organizational implications
We will strengthen our governance structure and capacity
We will develop new models of shared leadership and
decision-making
We will make significant investments in staffing,
infrastructure and technology, especially in the first two
years of the plan
We will strengthen our public education function to
complement grantmaking and fundraising
We will deepen our commitment to learning and
evaluation to improve and advance the work


Five year financial growth projections
$-
$5,000,000
$10,000,000
$15,000,000
$20,000,000
$25,000,000
$30,000,000
2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13

F&A
Fundraising
Public Education
Grants Services
Grants
Strategic planning process
The strategic planning process took place between
May 2007 June 2008 and involved the following process steps:

A board retreat to initiate the strategic planning process (May 2007)
Review of key Global Fund documentation (ongoing)
An internal and external stakeholder assessment (online surveys and
interviews) with board, staff, grantees, applicants, advisors and a select
number of institutional donors (June 2007 - March 2008)
Staff retreats on future strategic directions (June 2007), external
analysis (August 2007) and organizational implications (January 2008)
The development and presentation of four future scenarios (2018),
including a composite scenario, and discussions with board and staff
(November 2007)
Phone and face to face consultations with the board, including the
executive committee (ongoing)
Online forum and discussions (ongoing)
Staff inputs through a number of different working groups (ongoing)
Meetings with Global Fund teams, middle management and
senior management (ongoing)
Meetings with the strategic planning committee, consisting of
Amina Mama (chair of the board), Kavita Ramdas (president
and CEO), Dale Needles (COO) and Ellen Sprenger (external
consultant)



Acknowledgements
The Global Fund for Women gratefully acknowledges the
creative and thoughtful contributions of the board, staff and
the many donors, grantees and advisors who participated in
shaping our ambitious direction for the future.