Open Call: Doria Feminist Fund for Feminist Organisations

Deadline: 19-Oct-26

The Doria Feminist Fund (DFF) provides flexible, long-term funding to new and established feminist groups across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The fund supports collective feminist work, helping groups strengthen their operations, develop new initiatives, create feminist narratives, and respond to urgent needs. The DFF prioritizes new and emerging feminist groups, groups without previous funding, and established groups launching new projects. Particular priority is given to initiatives led by women and trans groups and collectives* across the MENA region.

About the Doria Feminist Fund

The Doria Feminist Fund is designed to provide funding that responds to the priorities and realities of feminist communities. Rather than limiting support to a single type of project, the DFF offers different forms of flexible funding that can help groups strengthen their work over time.

The fund aims to:

- Strengthen the operational sustainability of emerging feminist groups. - Support feminist research and knowledge production. - Encourage the creation of feminist narratives and creative content. - Help established groups launch or expand initiatives. - Provide rapid support for urgent and short-term needs. - Strengthen collective feminist work and community accountability. What Types of Grants Are Available? The DFF provides four types of grants to support different needs and stages of feminist organizing.

These include:

- Core Grants: Support operational sustainability and the ongoing work of feminist groups.

- Knowledge Production Grants: Support feminist narratives, research, and knowledge production.

- Project Grants: Support new initiatives or the expansion of existing feminist work.

- Emergency Response Grants: Provide rapid support for urgent and short-term needs.

This structure allows groups to seek support based on their specific priorities rather than having to fit their work into a single funding model. Core Grants Core Grants are designed to strengthen the operational sustainability of emerging feminist groups. This type of flexible support can help groups maintain and strengthen the foundations needed to continue their feminist work and build their capacity over time. Core funding is particularly relevant to new and emerging groups that need support to establish sustainable operations. Knowledge Production Grants Knowledge Production Grants support the development of feminist narratives, research, and creative content. The grants can help feminist groups generate and share knowledge that reflects the experiences, priorities, and perspectives of their communities. This support can contribute to broader feminist discourse and help groups document and communicate their work through research and creative approaches. Project Grants Project Grants support new or expanding feminist initiatives. They are particularly relevant for established groups that are starting new projects or seeking to expand existing work. This funding stream allows groups to develop initiatives that respond to community priorities and strengthen the impact of their feminist work. Emergency Response Grants Emergency Response Grants provide rapid support for urgent, short-term needs. This funding stream is intended to help feminist groups respond to situations where immediate assistance is needed and longer-term funding mechanisms may not be suitable. Who Can Apply? The DFF welcomes applications from feminist activists and feminist movement builders who are part of collectives, groups, or organisations working across the Middle East and North Africa. Applicants must apply as part of a collective structure. Individual applications are not accepted because the DFF is designed to fund collective feminist work that can contribute to broader community impact. Priority for New and Emerging Groups The DFF gives priority to new and emerging feminist groups. This includes groups that may have limited access to traditional funding opportunities and are seeking support to strengthen their operations and develop their work. The fund also prioritizes groups that have not previously received funding. Support for Established Groups Established feminist groups can also apply, particularly when they are: - Initiating new projects. - Expanding existing work. - Developing new areas of feminist activity. - Creating new research or knowledge-production initiatives. - Responding to emerging community needs. The fund therefore supports both newer movements and established groups undertaking new work. Priority for Women and Trans Groups and Collectives* Particular priority is given to projects and applications led by women and trans groups and collectives* across the MENA region. This reflects the DFF’s focus on supporting feminist movements and collective work rooted in the communities most directly connected to the issues being addressed. Geographic Eligibility The DFF funds feminist groups that are based in or working across 20 countries in the Middle East and North Africa.

Eligible countries include:

- Algeria. - Bahrain. - Egypt. - Iraq. - Jordan. - Kuwait. - Lebanon. - Libya. - Mauritania. - Morocco. - Oman. - Palestine. - Qatar. - Saudi Arabia. - Somalia. - Sudan. - Syria. - Tunisia. - United Arab Emirates. - Yemen. Groups working across multiple eligible countries may also be considered where their work meets the fund’s requirements. Collective Feminist Work The DFF specifically supports collective feminist work rather than individual applications. This approach is intended to strengthen community-level impact and encourage shared accountability among feminist groups, collectives, and organisations. Applicants should therefore demonstrate how their work is organised collectively and how the proposed activities contribute to broader community or movement goals. Operational Sustainability A key objective of the DFF is to help emerging feminist groups become more operationally sustainable. Flexible support can hel