Request for Applications: Giving Joy Grant Program

Deadline: 30-Sep-2026

Giving Joy invites women aged 18 and above from any country or territory to apply for microgrants of up to USD $500 to support innovative projects that create economic or social benefits for women, girls, and families. Applicants do not need to own a business, and funding can support a new or existing business, nonprofit, NGO, charity, or specific community project. Each grant period lasts six months. What Are Giving Joy Microgrants? Giving Joy provides small grants to women with innovative and creative ideas that can create meaningful economic or social benefits in their communities. The program is designed to support projects that go beyond personal development or individual business growth. Applicants are encouraged to develop initiatives that create opportunities and positive outcomes for multiple women, girls, families, or communities.

Projects may address areas such as:

- Women’s economic empowerment - Income generation - Skills development - Entrepreneurship - Leadership development - Safety - Community development - Business opportunities - Social impact - Family wellbeing What Is the Purpose of the Giving Joy Grant? The purpose of the program is to help women turn practical ideas into projects that create tangible economic or social benefits. Giving Joy encourages applicants to think about how their proposed project can benefit other people rather than focusing exclusively on their own business or income.

A successful project could, for example:

- Create income opportunities for other women. - Provide skills training to women or girls. - Support women entrepreneurs. - Develop leadership opportunities. - Improve safety within a community. - Help families access useful services or opportunities. - Create employment or livelihood opportunities. - Establish a community-focused nonprofit or social enterprise. How Much Funding Is Available? Giving Joy provides microgrants of up to: USD $500 per recipient The exact amount awarded may vary depending on: - The proposed activities. - The funding requirements of the project. - The availability of funding. - The assessment of the proposal. Because the grant is relatively small, applicants should propose a focused project with realistic and achievable objectives. How Long Is the Grant Period? Each Giving Joy grant period lasts six months. Recipients are expected to implement their proposed activities during this period. Applicants should therefore demonstrate that their project can be realistically launched and implemented within six months. Who Is Eligible to Apply?

Giving Joy microgrants are open to:

- Women aged 18 years and above. - Women from any country or territory. - Applicants proposing projects that benefit women, girls, and/or families. Applicants do not need to own a business to apply. Funding can support both new and existing initiatives, provided the proposed activities meet the program’s objectives. Do Applicants Need an Existing Business? No. Applicants can apply even if they do not currently own or operate a business.

The grant may be used to:

- Start a business. - Expand an existing business. - Establish or develop a nonprofit. - Support an NGO. - Support a charity. - Implement a specific community project. - Carry out a particular social or economic activity. This makes the opportunity suitable for women at different stages of developing an idea or initiative. What Types of Projects Are Supported? The program supports innovative projects that create economic or social benefits for women, girls, and families.

Potential areas include:

Women’s Economic Empowerment Projects can create new income-generating opportunities or improve women’s ability to participate in economic activities. Skills Development Applicants can propose initiatives that provide women or girls with practical, vocational, entrepreneurial, or other useful skills. Entrepreneurship Funding can support businesses or entrepreneurial initiatives when they also generate wider benefits for women, girls, families, or communities. Leadership Projects can help women and girls develop leadership skills and participate more actively in their communities. Safety Initiatives that contribute to improved safety or protection for women and girls may also fit the program’s social-benefit focus. Community Development Applicants can propose community-based activities that improve opportunities or wellbeing for multiple beneficiaries. Individual Business Growth vs. Wider Community Benefit A key consideration for applicants is that the program encourages projects with benefits beyond the individual applicant. For example, a proposal focused only on purchasing equipment for a personal business may have limited broader impact. A stronger proposal could explain how the same investment will: - Employ additional women. - Train other women in relevant skills. - Create products or services that benefit families. - Establish opportunities for women in the community. - Support other women entrepreneurs.

Applicants should clearly answer:

Who will benefit from my project besides me, and how will they benefit? Examples of Potential Project Ideas

Possible project concepts could include:

- Women-led vocational training programs. - Digital skills training for girls and women. - Women’s agricultural income-generation projects. - Community childcare initiatives. - Entrepreneurship training for women. - Women-led handicraft enterprises. - Training programs for women-owned businesses. - Leadership programs for girls. - Community safety initiatives. - Income-generating projects for vulnerable women. - Skills-based family support initiatives. These are examples only. Applicants should develop projects based on actual needs and opportunities in their communities. How to Prepare a Strong Giving Joy Application

1. Identify a Clear Community Need

Explain the problem affecting women, girls, or families that your project will address. Be specific about the local challenge rather than