Rosa announces plans to build a Covid-19 response fund that gives multi-year grants to specialist organisations led ‘by and for’ Black and minoritised women across the UK. These organisations have unprecedented levels of trust and reach into communities where need is greatest but resource is lacking. We aim to raise a minimum of £1 million for this fund.
Over the past 12 years, Rosa has worked extensively with organisations led ‘by and for’ Black and minoritised women and is acutely aware of the challenges these organisations consistently face. Many have seen a significant surge in demand without the funding or resources needed to adequately respond to that need.
“The need is urgent and the need is now for specialist BME-led women’s organisations. Covid-19 is exacerbating existing inequalities for Black and minoritised women and these inequalities are only set to increase. Our aim is to help resource and strengthen organisations to meet the holistic needs of the women and girls in their communities, in the tailored way that only specialist ‘by and for’ organisations can do.”
Rehana Reid, Head of Grants, Rosa
This fund expands on our first stage EMERGENCY RESPONSE FUND FOR BME WOMEN’S ORGANISATIONS, which we delivered in partnership with Imkaan and which gave grants to refuges and ending-VAWG organisations led ‘by and for’ Black and minoritised women.
Over the last six weeks, we held calls with 52 of the women’s organisations we recently supported through our two Covid-19 response funds, 80% of which are BME-led. In response to these conversations, we are now:
- Launching a next phase response fund for organisations led ‘by and for’ Black and minoritised women. We believe the fund needs genuine leadership from Black and minoritised women. This work is therefore being led by Rosa Trustees and our Head of Grants, all of whom are women of colour.
- Establishing a ‘critical friends’ group made of representatives of BME-led women’s organisations, women of colour working in the funding sector, and women who represent the communities they serve. This group will guide the fund in its development.
- Providing a tailored and responsive package to the organisations we fund. This will include the opportunity to join an online platform, access online training, take part in smaller discussion groups, and more.
- Sharing what we learn from the programme with funded organisations, donors and wider stakeholders. This will help us to influence improved understanding and practise in support of BME-led women’s organisations, and leverage further investment in Black and minoritised women and girls.
The impact of Covid-19 on Black and minoritised women and girls
The pandemic has had a devastating impact on Black and minoritised women and girls across the UK. These are women and girls who already faced multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination even before Covid-19, based on factors like race, gender, sexuality, age, class, culture, ability and religion.
A high proportion of Black and minoritised women work in high-risk sectors such as healthcare and many any work in very low-paid jobs or in precarious employment. Others live in overcrowded and poor-quality housing or are at a significant risk of homelessness. Some also live with insecure immigration status and without recourse to public funds.
These disparities are reflected in the organisations led ‘by and for’ Black and minoritised women and girls. These organisations have seen a significant surge in demand without the funding or resources needed to adequately respond to that need. Our research with WOMEN’S RESOURCE CENTRE AND WOMEN’S FUND SCOTLAND found that 74% of organisations told us that funding is their most urgent need; 55% lack the capacity to find suitable funds.
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