WFA acknowledges that resources are political. Funding, access, and control over resources is shaped by political decisions, institutional biases, and historical exclusions. And too often, organisations working on gender equality and women’s rights are left behind. We are committed to resource justice, addressing the inequality and power imbalance in how resources are distributed and controlled. Our Resource Advocacy calls for increased and improved (flexible, long-term, movement-driven and led and held by those on the margins) resources towards achieving gender equality and non-discrimination for all.

The global funding cuts are hitting critical areas—including gender-based violence, political participation, sexual and reproductive health and rights, economic justice, climate justice, and peace and security. As a result, nearly 90% of related programmes have been scaled back or discontinued, with over 60% of funding lost and a sharp decline in global participation and alliances. This highlights a significant gap in how resources are allocated.

Through responsive grantmaking, philanthropic advocacy and strategic partnerships, WFA works to:

As WFA grows, we are committed to continue on our positive trajectory of building and strengthening the organisation’s financial resilience and sustainability. Our governance is led by a committed Board and Executive Team that oversee compliance, due diligence, and strategic direction. We hold two Board meetings annually—one in person and one virtual—and convene quarterly sub-committee meetings focused on finance and programmes. Our audit processes are thorough and multi-layered, covering institutional audits for WFA and WFAL, as well as funder-specific and partnership audits.

Externally, our accountability is reflected in robust policies and practices. We continuously build enabling environments for deepened relationships with grantee partners and allies towards collective understanding and commitment. We uphold clear safeguarding and whistleblowing policies that affirm WFA Entities’ commitment to protecting children and “at risk” adults from abuse and exploitation. These policies outline responsibilities for team members, associated personnel, and third parties, and include actionable implementation plans. A dedicated team manages external grievance mechanisms to ensure transparency and responsiveness.

Our institutional learning framework guides every aspect of our work, embedding reflection, learning, and accountability into our practice. By drawing on qualitative, quantitative, and anecdotal evidence, we continuously strengthen our responsive grantmaking, resource justice, and linking and learning. We work closely with other women’s funds across the region and globally to deepen our Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) principles and practices. WFA creates opportunities for capacity strengthening, skills building, and shared learning with grantee partners.

At the heart of our institutional architecture is a commitment to collective care and wellbeing, as our policies embed collective care ranging from safe and inclusive spaces to equitable leave, and flexible working arrangements. We also create regular spaces for peer support and open conversations about mental health.