We are pleased to announce the availability of the Research Grant Application Guidelines and the Research Grant Concept Note Template for the Women and Girls Fund (WGF) Research Grant. This grant aims to fund high-quality research that addresses significant issues and contributes to meaningful advocacy outcomes.
The application process is structured in two phases, beginning with the submission of a Concept Note. Interested organizations must carefully review the Guidelines before submission.
The purpose of the research must clearly indicate how it will strengthen advocacy for gender equality and women empowerment. This specific criterion holds the highest weighting in the technical evaluation criteria (25 points out of 100). Applicants must achieve a minimum score of 60 points on the Concept Note assessment to be invited to submit a full proposal.
The Concept Note Template provides a rigorous structure requiring detailed information on your organization’s governance, staff composition (including gender breakdowns), and operational experience. Crucially, the Concept
Note requires applicants to:
- Outline research objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
- Explain how the research outcomes will contribute to knowledge, policy, or practice.
- Detail how the organization has taken into consideration the concept of intersectionality in the research design—addressing how overlapping social identities (such as gender, race, class, disability, etc.) may impact experiences and outcomes.
All Concept Notes must be typed in English; hand-written submissions will not be accepted. The deadline for receipt of Concept Notes is Monday 12th November, 17.00 hours.
Download the Guidelines and Concept Note Form
The Research Grant Concept Note forms and guidelines are available for download below:
