Frequently Asked Questions

Common Questions

» How was the Fund for Global Human Rights formed?

» What is the Fund’s grantmaking philosophy?

» Who is eligible to receive a grant from the Fund for Global Human Rights?

» Does the Fund for Global Human Rights make grants to individuals?

Answers

QUESTION: How was the Fund for Global Human Rights formed?
While human rights work on the ground has steadily increased, the funding for such activities has not.  Concern about this gap prompted a number of US and European funders to explore ways to support human rights organizations and movements around the world. By establishing the Fund for Global Human Rights, they sought to create opportunities for new funding and the exchange of ideas, strategies and mutual support among otherwise isolated human rights groups.

The Fund for Global Human Rights was formed with the support of private foundations and individuals based in the US and Europe.  The Fund serves as a mechanism to deliver financial resources to frontline human rights organizations and to facilitate access to technical assistance to strengthen the skills of and amplify the voices of human rights defenders.

QUESTION: What is the Fund’s grantmaking philosophy?
The Fund for Global Human Rights believes that the strategic application of small grants can strengthen human rights groups and movements that are critical to the long-term goal of improving respect for human rights.

The Fund serves  as a resource for human rights organizations working to strengthen their institutional capacity, forge new initiatives, and pursue far-reaching strategies to promote human rights. We aim to select grantees in the most thoughtful, transparent manner possible, and then pursue relationships based on trust, a shared understanding of expectations and responsibilities, mutual accountability, and a commitment to advancing the state of human rights around the world.  In all cases, recipients are selected on the merits of proposals and on their potential to effect human rights concerns within their respective countries or regions.  We also rely on a growing network of informal advisors to help  shape the Fund's operations and grant-making, connect with local human rights movements, learn about initiatives of local and regional importance and bring people who are rarely heard into the philanthropic process.  The Fund also works with its grantees to expand their contacts and technical resources.  The Fund has responded to grantee requests by helping with fundraising; introducing grantees to local, regional and international colleague organizations; facilitating grantee participation in training programs; and nominating grantees for high-profile human rights awards.

QUESTION: Who is eligible to receive a grant from the Fund for Global Human Rights?
Only local, national  and regional non-profit organizations based in the countries where  the Fund has grant programs and that are working to advance respect for human rights are eligible for funding. Currently the Fund has grant programs in the following countries: Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, India, Pakistan, Mexico, Guatemala, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Burundi, Thailand, and the Philippines.

The Fund defines human rights activities as those that seek to challenge the structures of power so that they defend, protect and promote human rights. The Fund does not have thematic restrictions and supports organizations working to address a wide range of human rights problems.  For example, some of the Fund’s current grantees defend indigenous land rights in Guatemala, promote women’s rights in Morocco, struggle for accountability for war crimes in West Africa, and fight the practice of bonded labor (a form of slavery) in India. 

The Fund currently awards one-year grants, but is committed to supporting human rights organizations over the long term and many grants are renewed. For more information on eligibility requirements, please refer to the Fund’s current Request for Proposals.

The Fund does not support service-oriented development projects, but will consider funding for organizations that also conduct development or income generation activities for their work to promote human rights.

» Find out more about eligibility requirements

QUESTION: Does the Fund for Global Human Rights make grants to individuals?

No. The Fund for Global Human Rights does not make grants to individuals, for any purpose, including money for businesses, scholarships, travel, university-based research, or supporting activities directly or indirectly intended to support candidates for political office.

» QUESTION: Where does the Fund for Global Human Rights get its money? 

The Fund for Global Human Rights raises money from private individuals and independent foundations. The Fund receives funding from the Dutch government for its women’s rights program.