The Townhall held on 6 June 2025, focused on sustaining feminist fundraising, featuring presentations from various global participants on strategies and challenges in community-based fundraising efforts. Speakers shared experiences and innovative approaches to fundraising, emphasizing the importance of community involvement, trust-building, and creative solutions in addressing social issues and securing financial support. The session concluded with reflections on key takeaways, including the significance of traditional and digital fundraising methods, ethical communication, and the need for sustainable organizational infrastructure to drive social change.
Presenters:
Zintle Khobeni De Lange – WOSSO
Phyu Nwe Win – WOSSO
Sherina Natalia Supersad – WOSSO
Ohenewaa Constance Ankoma – WOSSO
Summaries of presentations
Townhall main presentation
- Peer Contributions in Humanitarian Contexts
Phyu Nwe Win presented on peer contributions and community-based support in humanitarian contexts, highlighting how local leadership and informal networks can drive more sustainable and inclusive responses during crises. She emphasized that while peer funding and solidarity approaches can be faster and more secure than formal mechanisms, they face challenges around transparency and accountability. Phyu Nwe Win concluded by recommending the formalization of peer-based approaches for scale and sustainability, and called for donors to recognize communities as partners rather than just recipients, noting that peer contributions should be seen as a model for sustainable and resilient movements. - Fundraising Strategies and Impact Documentation
Constance Ankoma presented strategies for fundraising, highlighting individual donations, crowdfunding, and grant applications. She shared examples of successful campaigns and emphasized the importance of documenting impact to secure funding. - Community Fundraising for GBV Prevention
Zintle Khobeni de Lange presented on fundraising strategies for The Great People of South Africa, a community-based organization working to combat gender-based violence since 2019 in the Eastern and Western Cape provinces. She detailed their grassroots approach, including community-centered fundraising through local churches, door-to-door appeals, and a 5-rand contribution system from program participants. The organization also leverages grant funding, survivor-led advocacy, and narrative power through blogging and a GBV choir to advance their mission, while facing challenges like reporting fatigue and language barriers. - Rural-Urban Women’s Empowerment Network
The meeting focused on a presentation about a network of rural-urban producers founded in 1995, which provides support to women through skills development, digital tools, and leadership training to improve their business operations. The organization also plays a role in addressing gender-based violence and environmental sustainability, participating in global campaigns and hosting community events in Trinidad. The presentation highlighted the network’s 17-year activism against gender-based violence, including initiatives like dialogue sessions and public art walks, in partnership with organizations like the United Nations Spotlight Initiative. - Community Gardens for Food Security
Sherina Supersad presented on community gardens and shared spaces in Trinidad and Tobago, highlighting their role in food security, sustainable agriculture, and empowerment of women and youth. She described initiatives like the Whiteland Poly Street Club’s youth-managed garden, which provides tangible support and fosters community unity. Aurelia commended the project for addressing multiple issues simultaneously, including climate change, food security, and community resilience.
Community-Centered Fundraising Strategies
The conversation ended with participants reflecting on the day’s presentations, emphasizing the importance of personal connections, trust, and community-centered approaches in fundraising. The significance of building relationships with donors was highlighted, and the value of involving communities in fundraising efforts was noted. Phyu from Myanmar shared that their fundraising efforts remain challenging due to safety concerns and ongoing conflicts, but they continue to pursue various funding methods. The session ended with reflections on the need to focus on financial sustainability and the importance of seeing money as a tool for social change.
Community Action and Global Challenges
Participants noted the importance of community values and creativity in organizing communities without relying on external support, highlighting the need for political action to address global issues like war and resource extraction. Colleen Lowe Morna from Gender Links summarized the key takeaways from the presentations, noting the global participation and the importance of traditional fundraising, strategic positioning, compliance, and building sustainable organizational infrastructure. She encouraged attendees to focus on their domestic challenges while leveraging their internal strengths to drive change.
Fundraising Strategies and Ethical Communication
Colleen Lowe Morna discussed various fundraising strategies, including traditional methods, online and crowd fundraising platforms, and individual giving. She emphasized the importance of targeting specific issues or individuals to appeal to donors and suggested exploring these topics in dedicated sessions. She also highlighted the significance of in-kind contributions and community mobilization. Throughout her discussion, she stressed the importance of compelling storytelling and ethical communication when seeking support for philanthropic efforts.
Innovative Fundraising Strategies for Impact
The meeting focused on innovative fundraising strategies, the importance of creativity and innovation in fundraising, mentioning monetized blogging as an additional strategy. The session concluded with calls for participants to take action on the discussed strategies.