Frequently
asked
questions

Accelerate Together is a collaborative campaign to address the profound reductions in funding for women’s movements—and to help funders see the transformative impact that those movements have on all the world’s issues. Together, we are mobilizing $600 million USD per year in new funding commitments.

Accelerate Together was launched by a steering committee of four organizations with a combined eight decades of experience in supporting some of the most successful movements of the 21st century. More broadly, Accelerate Together is informed by the needs and perspectives of thousands of women’s organizations around the world, and the campaign’s goal is to drive funds to the entire landscape, rather than any one group.

You, the funder, do. The objective of Accelerate Together is to raise the visibility of the broad universe of women’s movements, and help unlock more resources for their work. Read more about how to understand the landscape of ways to give, from women’s funds to direct-service organizations.

This ambitious target reflects both what women’s movements need, and what they are prepared to absorb globally. While these movements are among the world’s most successful—proven to promote peace, democracy and economic growth—a global authoritarian shift has left many underresourced. (Meanwhile, over $1 billion was directed to just three anti-rights organizations over a recent one-year period.) Without funding, we know that women’s organizations will face catastrophic losses, and that our progress toward so many important global goals, from climate action to public health, will be radically impeded.

But even more importantly, with an additional $600 million USD a year, we know that the whole planet benefits. Communities will  thrive. Democracy can flourish. And grassroots climate innovation can scale up. Read more about the benefits of this new influx of funding here.

We use “women’s movements,” “women-led organizations” and “feminist organizations” interchangeably to refer to the universe of groups with gender equality at the heart of their work. As this report details, these organizations operate in ways that enable them to drive meaningful, sustained impact for women and girls in all their diversity; they are frequently constituency-led, and focus on shifting power so that all people can make their own choices—for themselves and for their communities.

When we refer to women and girls in all their diversity, we refer to the fact that feminist and women’s rights movements, organizations, and funds are diverse, and are led by diverse people everywhere, including, but not limited to, lesbian and bisexual women and people, trans, intersex and nonbinary people, racialized people, indigenous people, women and people with disabilities, women and people living with and affected by HIV, young feminists, girls, sex workers and other historically marginalized people.

Accelerate Together recognises, centers, and promotes the rights, lived experiences, and leadership of sex and gender-diverse people. This campaign mobilizes resources for women, girls, LGBTQI+, trans and intersex people and all gender-nonconforming people. LGBTQI+ movements are an essential part of women’s movements — together, we create a resilient ecosystem.

New, direct funding to women’s movements, including through women’s and feminist funds. Learn more about the landscape. This includes both grant funding and non-grant resources such as land purchases or endowment contributions. Only funding in which the donor receives no financial return will be counted.

Commitments made as part of other fundraising campaigns throughout the women’s rights ecosystem can count toward the Accelerate Together goal as well; we function in collaboration, not competition, with other efforts.

The Accelerate Together steering committee will track commitments toward the campaign goal. We monitor reported funding, and use regular surveys and other forms of communication with funder networks to learn of pledges. If you are a donor or an organization with knowledge of a commitment that should be counted toward our effort, please get in touch.

Absolutely! We are here to support your efforts. Options for engagement could include:

• Accelerate Together amplifying your messaging and narratives

• Exchanging information about donor opportunities and emerging funding trends

• Accelerate Together supporting your fundraising campaign by featuring it at our convenings and in our messaging.

Email us at info@accelerate-together.org.