Report | The Autonomy and Resilience Fund
In response to the crisis and the needs of the movements it supports, the Global Alliance for Green and Gender Action (GAGGA) acted swiftly to create the Autonomy and Resilience Fund (ARF). Launched in May 2020, this one-time funding initiative aimed to address the urgent needs of women environmental defenders and their communities through the strengthening of community-driven systems of resilience and autonomy that are based on principles of equity, solidarity, and collective care for people and nature. In total, €255,000 was distributed to 41 community-based organisations and seven NGOs in 21 countries around the world.
Following the conclusion of the grantmaking process, GAGGA commissioned a study of the Autonomy and Resilience Fund to determine:
- What were the Autonomy and Resilience Fund’s direct outcomes in terms of types and location of groups supported?
- What were the main issues and needs of applicants, how did they define and understand systems of resilience and autonomy, and what is the role of women in these systems?
- What features supported the effectiveness of the ARF and what could be improved?
With this briefing paper, we share with the donor community some key findings aimed at advancing understanding about the needs and strategies of women environmental defenders and their communities in times of crisis. Our goal is to contribute to critical discussions about inclusive, flexible, feminist, and community-driven resourcing for gender, environmental and climate justice work.
You can also find this report in French, Portuguese and Spanish.
