| THE GLOBAL FUND FOR WOMEN is a grantmaking foundation that supports the efforts of women to transform their societies and the world. We provide grants of up to $15,000 to women\u2019s groups outside the United States. These organizations are working to create a just and democratic world, where women and men can participate equally in all aspects of social, political, and economic life. A set of fundamental principles informs the Global Fund\'s work. Our funding helps strengthen women\u2019s rights around the world. The circumstances and issues that women face vary widely across communities, cultures, religious traditions, and nations. As a result, our grantees also vary in the issues they address and the approaches they use. Because the Global Fund believes that women themselves are best able to identify their problems and devise their own solutions, our funding supports a wide variety of activities, as our grants list shows.  Most Global Fund grants provide general support to organizations -- allowing women to make their own decisions about how to use the funds. These funds help sustain women\u2019s groups by paying for such things as computers, telephone service, rent, staff salaries, translation, conference participation, and transportation costs. Throughout the grantmaking process, we work hard to be flexible and respectful. Global Fund grants are often the very first funds new organizations receive and can be used to build credibility with other funders. Since its founding, the Global Fund for Women has given over $14 million to about 1400 women\u2019s rights groups in 148 countries and territories. An international advisory council helps the staff and board identify potential grantees and evaluate grant requests. In fiscal year 1998-99, the Global Fund gave $3,116,000 in grants to 333 women\'s rights groups in 95 countries. Yet within our open approach to grantmaking, we have focused on several areas critical to women around the globe. Each of these initiatives, as we call them, is a multi-year commitment on our part to better understand an issue or region, to collaborate with other organizations, and, of course, to increase our grantmaking to women\'s groups working on the issue. Our Women\'s Rights Within Religious and Cultural Traditions Initiative focuses on women\'s efforts to protect their human rights within the context of their faith. Our Economic Opportunity Initiative recognizes the devastating impact that poverty has on the lives of so many women around the world, and explores how a women\'s rights approach can be used to tackle it. Our Girls\' Education Initiative supports organizations that are working to increase girls\' access to and achievement in primary school, or to improve the quality of girls\' primary school education. Our Women\'s Funds Program supports development local and regional women\'s funds in many parts of the world.  In addition, the Global Fund occasionally focuses resources on a particular geographic area where we feel our grantmaking should be increased our diversified to meet women\'s needs, most recently through our Africa Outreach Initiative. In 1998-99, the Global Fund was also able to provide Emergency Funds to women\'s groups coping with two crises -- Hurricane Mitch in Central America and the war in the Balkans. Lastly, in recognition of the mutual gain that arises from sharing information and strengthening networks, the Global Fund makes Linking Grants that bring women\'s rights groups together. |