Spark | celebrating women who ignite global change

Grant Strategy

Grantees

Field Partners

Grant Application

Due to our organizational capacity, Spark currently selects grantees based on themes. In 2008-2009, Spark will select grantees who work in the environment, civic leadership and violence prevention. We will be identifying 2010-2011 funding themes in our Grants Committee meetings. If you are interested learning more about our funding themes and helping us select themes, we encourage you to attend a Grants Committee meeting. Please email Shannon@sparksf.org to get a list of upcoming committee meetings.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How do you identify what issues to support?

How do you find potential grantees?

How do you select which groups get grants?

Are all of your grants international?

How do you identify what issues to support?

Due to our organizational capacity, Spark currently selects grantees based on annual themes. For example in 2007 Spark is granting to organizations that work in education and microfinance. In 2008, Spark will select grantees who work in the environment, civic leadership and violence prevention. We will be identifying 2009 funding themes in our Grants Committee meetings. If you are interested learning more about our funding themes and helping us select themes, we encourage you to attend a Grants Committee meeting. Please email Shannon@sparksf.org to get a list of upcoming committee meetings.

How do you find potential grantees?

Spark finds grantees in a number of ways. Some apply directly, others we hear about through key community partnerships and a number come directly from network members’ suggestions.

Spark strives to make its grantmaking process as transparent as possible. If you are interested in learning more about potential grantees and helping us select grantees, we encourage you to attend a Grants Committee meeting. Please email Shannon@sparksf.org to get a list of upcoming committee meetings.

How do you select which groups get grants?

There are three main criteria that organizations must meet to be eligible for a grant from Spark. First, the organization’s work must fit in with one of Spark’s funding themes for the year. Second, the organization must also be primarily founded by a woman or women and currently primarily run by women. Finally, the organization must demonstrate a strong commitment to women's equality and human rights that is clearly reflected in its activities.

Spark gives priority to organizations that are just beginning or need initial funding, which do not have access to funds from larger donor agencies, are organized and led by women from particularly marginalized populations, and/or are located in a region or country that has extremely limited funding resources.

Are all of your grants international?

Spark gives grants to organizations in the Bay Area and abroad. It is our belief that the issues which impact women’s human rights are universal. It is important to us that through our grantmaking we educate the Spark community by drawing the connection between these issues at home and abroad.

Click here to view the Spark grant application