A specialized funding ecosystem strengthening the resilience of feminist civil society across Francophone West Africa through rapid response mechanisms, core funding, and technical capacity building.
Feminist movements in Francophone Africa continue to face mounting political instability, rising anti-rights and anti-gender ideologies, and the severe effects of climate change, all with limited fiscal support. We operate where traditional funding often halts. The West Africa Francophone Feminist Fund (WAFFF) champions a holistic and intersectional approach to gender justice across Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo—with Mauritania also considered. The West African Francophone Feminist Fund (WAFFF) was architected to address a specific, critical gap: Rapid, accessible response for Francophone activists under immediate threat.
Time is a luxury our grantees do not have. While major global funds operate on 3-6 month cycles, WAFFF guarantees emergency decisions within 5 business days for legal defense, medical emergencies, and digital threats.
We navigate the complex legal systems of the region. We eliminate the language barrier that disqualifies 70% of grassroots groups in Benin, Togo, Côte d'Ivoire, Niger, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, and Mauritania.
WAFFF grants are processed through RFLD's vetted financial systems. We assume the compliance burden, allowing international donors to reach unregistered grassroots groups safely.
We support a comprehensive, intersectional range of issues. You may select multiple themes for your application.
Francophone West Africa remains one of the most underfunded regions globally for gender justice. A combination of linguistic isolation, complex legal environments, and limited digital infrastructure has created a "funding desert."
The Consequences: When funding fails to arrive, movements fracture. Activists facing prison for their work cannot afford legal counsel. Digital attacks silence advocacy platforms permanently.
The Solution: A dedicated intermediary that speaks the language, understands the law, and moves money fast.
Of global gender funding reaches Francophone West Africa directly.
Barrier cited by grassroots CSOs is "Language & Complex Reporting."
RFLD also want to touch on the funding challenges faced by feminist organisations in West Africa as they confront the rise of patriarchal and anti-feminist ideologies. These ideologies aim to reassert traditional norms that marginalise women's rights and are often expressed through narratives that downplay the importance of gender equality and reinforce harmful stereotypes. This dynamic contributes to the marginalisation of local initiatives. The lack of funding for Francophone feminist organisations leads to the exclusion of grassroots efforts, while Anglophone movements frequently benefit from unrestricted funding and strong organisational support from donors. In contrast, Francophone organisations are forced to operate on limited budgets, which undermines their ability to plan long-term and address the specific needs of their communities. This lack of resources also hampers the development of tailored programmes that could respond to the unique challenges faced by women in these regions. Moreover, the absence of stable funding creates a dependency on one-off grants that cannot ensure continuity of action. This makes organisations vulnerable to shifting donor priorities, leading to disruptions in the essential services they provide.
For Urgent Action grants, we utilize a streamlined, encrypted verification process designed for high-risk environments.
Activist submits encrypted request via Signal or ProtonMail using our PGP key.
Country focal point verifies threat credibility within 6-12 hours via local networks.
Grant Committee executes rapid consensus vote via secure encrypted portal.
We believe that if we provide flexible resources directly to those on the frontlines, we build a resilient infrastructure capable of withstanding political shocks.
Unrestricted Core Support + Rapid Response Grants tailored to local realities.
Organizations gain operational stability, digital security, and financial health.
Coordinated advocacy campaigns, legal defense victories, and policy papers.
Reformed laws, protected human rights, and a vibrant, un-silenced civil society.
We minimize risk for our donors while maximizing access for our grantees through a three-tiered security protocol.
RFLD serves as the primary firewall. We are fully registered, audited, and compliant with international standards, shielding donors from direct exposure to high-risk zones.
Every sub-grant undergoes rigorous screening against international sanctions lists to ensure strict adherence to Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing regulations.
For grantees in hostile environments, we utilize data minimization principles. Public reporting is aggregated to prevent the identification of specific vulnerable recipients.
We don't just fund survival; we invest in longevity. Every WAFF grantee enters a mentorship ecosystem designed to break the cycle of donor dependency.
"For every $1 granted, RFLD provides an estimated $0.40 in technical assistance, mentorship, and capacity building value."
Urgent Action: Open Year-Round
Thematic Calls: 5-30 January 2026 • July • November
Rapid response for legal defense fees, medical costs for injured activists, and secure emergency relocation.
Core funding for organizational development, salary support, financial audits, and strategic planning retreats.
Support for evidence-based campaigns, legislative lobbying, policy research, and coalition building.
Dedicated envelope for LBT+ organizations often excluded from traditional funding streams due to stigma.
Common questions about our process.
We fund feminist CSOs, women-led organizations, and LBT+ groups based in our 8 target Francophone West African countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Senegal, and Togo. Mauritania applications will also be considered as exception.
For immediate threats (legal defense, digital attacks), please download the application form above and submit it via the secure email listed in the document. Our verification process begins immediately.
While legal registration is preferred, we understand the restrictive environments in the region. We support unregistered grassroots movements through fiscal sponsorship arrangements on a case-by-case basis.
We prioritize light-touch reporting. For Urgent Action grants, we require a simple 1-page impact summary and proof of expenditure. We offer oral reporting options for groups with limited capacity.
Join us in closing the funding gap for 200+ grassroots organizations this year. Your support builds the feminist future of Francophone West Africa.