RFLD grantmaking in West Africa
West African Feminist Fund
WAFF is RFLD’s re-granting fund for women-led civil society in 15 West African countries. It offers rapid response, core funding, advocacy grants and dedicated support for organisations serving Vulnerable Groups, in places larger funders struggle to reach.
Guidelines: English (PDF) · français (PDF)
Urgent Action
Decisions within 5 business days for legal defence, medical emergencies and digital threats.
Thematic calls
Capacity building, advocacy and Vulnerable Groups inclusion. Calls are published on Tenders and Grants.
Why WAFF exists
West Africa remains one of the most underfunded regions for gender justice
Women’s organisations in the region face political instability, growing anti-rights campaigns and the effects of climate change, with little institutional funding to match. Complex legal environments, language and administrative barriers and weak digital infrastructure keep grassroots groups out of reach.
Organisations rarely get unrestricted, long-term support. Short, one-off grants make planning hard. When funding fails to arrive, activists facing prosecution cannot pay for lawyers and digital attacks silence advocacy platforms.
WAFF is a regional intermediary that knows these legal and civil society contexts and moves money quickly when it matters most.
Eligibility
Fifteen countries, a wide range of themes
Eligible countries
What sets WAFF apart
- Speed. Many global funds run on three- to six-month cycles. Urgent Action decisions come within 5 business days.
- Language. Apply and report in French or English, with grant managers who know the region’s legal systems.
- Compliance handled. Sub-grants run through RFLD’s audited financial systems.
Eligible themes
Applicants can choose more than one.
For applicants
Four funding windows
For women-led civil society organisations, women-led groups and organisations supporting Vulnerable Groups based in the 15 eligible countries.
Urgent Action
$5,000Up to. Decision within 5 business days. Legal defence fees, medical costs for injured activists, safe emergency relocation, bail and response to digital attacks.
Capacity Building
$20,000Up to. Core funding for organisational development, salaries, office operations, financial systems and strategic planning.
Advocacy
$30,000Up to. Evidence-based campaigns, legislative engagement, gender research, media campaigns and coalition building.
Vulnerable Groups Inclusion
$30,000Up to. For organisations that stigma keeps out of mainstream funding: safe spaces and psychosocial support.
How an Urgent Action request is decided
Send a secure request
The activist sends an encrypted request through Signal or ProtonMail using our PGP key, with the form from the guidelines.
Verification
A country focal point checks that the threat is credible through local networks, within 6 to 12 hours.
Decision and payment
The Grant Committee decides by secure vote, and funds are disbursed within 5 business days.
Applicant questions
Who can apply?
Women-led civil society organisations, women-led organisations and groups supporting Vulnerable Groups based in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone or Togo.
How do I submit an Urgent Action request?
Download the guidelines above and send the form to the secure address given in them. Verification starts straight away, and decisions usually come within 5 business days.
Do we need to be legally registered?
Registration is preferred, but we know how restrictive the region can be. We support unregistered grassroots movements through fiscal sponsorship, case by case.
What reporting is required?
Reporting is light. For Urgent Action we ask for a one-page impact summary and proof of spending. Groups with limited administrative capacity can report orally.
What if we work outside West Africa?
From January 2027, the Africa Grant Portfolio opens RFLD grants to organisations in all 55 African Union member states.
For institutional donors and partners
A compliance-ready route to West African grassroots organisations
WAFF gives foundations, donor-advised funds and corporate giving programmes a vetted, audited way to reach grassroots civil society where few funders have their own operations.
Theory of change
If frontline organisations receive flexible resources directly, they build a civil society able to withstand political and climate shocks.
Flexible funding
Unrestricted core support and rapid-response grants shaped to local realities.
Resilient organisations
Stable operations, digital security and financial health.
Strategic action
Coordinated advocacy, legal defence and policy work at national and regional level.
Systemic change
Reformed laws, protected rights and a resilient women-led civil society.
A vetted intermediary
RFLD is the compliance layer: registered in five countries, audited every year and vetted by major institutional donors.
AML and CTF screening
Every sub-grant is screened against international sanctions lists to meet anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing standards.
Grantee protection
In hostile environments we collect the minimum data, and public reporting is aggregated so vulnerable recipients cannot be identified.
Beyond the grant
Every WAFF grant comes with technical assistance on governance, financial systems, safeguarding and strategic planning, at no extra cost to the grantee. It is designed to reduce donor dependency over time.
- Financial management training for audit-ready systems
- Resource mobilisation coaching to diversify funding
- Digital and physical security assessments for every grantee
- The WAFF alumni network of past grantees
Credentials
NGOsource 501(c)(3) equivalency: US foundations, DAFs and companies can give with no fiscal sponsor
Observer Status with the ACHPR
Independent external audits every year
International Organisation in Senegal; NGO in Benin, Ghana, Nigeria and The Gambia
Six offices, headquarters in Accra, and country focal points for rapid verification
Work with WAFF
Start with a 25-minute call
The full due diligence package is available on request.