Freedom Fund accepting Applications for the Convening Fund: Offering Small Grants to Organisations/Individual Survivor Leaders

Deadline: 27-Mar-23

The Freedom Fund is accepting applications for the Convening Fund to support organisations and individual survivor leaders (people with lived experience of exploitation, including human trafficking, forced labour, bonded labour, child labour or forced marriage) with small grants to promote more inclusive convenings and ensure meaningful inclusion of survivors.

Convenings are critical venues for movement building in the anti-slavery space. However, survivors and other marginalised individuals are often excluded from opportunities to attend, lead and shape their agendas – resulting in convenings that reinforce existing power imbalances and, ultimately, preventing the development of a more cohesive and powerful movement. The Freedom Fund provides small grants to promote more inclusive convenings and ensure meaningful inclusion of survivors.

Funding Information

• Grants of up to US $30,000 will be awarded to organisations to organise and hold convenings, and grants of up to US $3,000 will be awarded to individual survivor leaders to attend convenings.
• Individuals may request up to US $3,000 per year.

Eligibility Criteria

• Support for convenings
  • This funding is provided to organisations who host convenings, with the goal of supporting anti-slavery convenings that contribute to a more global, diverse and inclusive movement.
• Criteria
  • Convening must have clear objectives, including among them an intention to build the global anti-slavery movement.
  • Convening must be regional or international (including participants from more than one country) and should have ten or more participants, from more than two organisations / networks / collectives. Convenings must be associated with one or more organisations (not solely individuals).
  • Organizers of the convening must demonstrate a clear and coherent safeguarding plan.
  • Individuals with lived experience of modern slavery and/or from communities impacted by modern slavery must be substantively included in the planning and execution of the event. Individuals with lived experience should not be limited to speaking about survivorship or traumatic experiences.
  • They prioritise funding for convenings taking place in the Global South and particularly in countries where The Freedom Fund has programmes operating. If the event has an international remit, individuals based in the Global South should compose at least 50% of attendees. Organisers must be able to articulate the steps they are taking to ensure that the event is accessible and inclusive of attendees with a diverse range of experiences & identities.
  • Organisers must sign onto the following two pledges: Survivor Alliance Pledge to Interact Ethically with Survivors and My Story, My Dignity. Organisers are strongly encouraged to provide free or discounted admission to survivors and to compensate survivor speakers.
  • Organisations may request and receive up to US $30,000 per year under this Fund.
  • Funding can be used for any costs associated with conference planning, execution or attendees. Funding cannot be used for staff costs or other organisational costs not associated with the convening.
• Support for survivor participation in convenings
  • This funding is provided to support individuals with lived experience of modern slavery to attend convenings, with the goal of improving the ability of survivor leaders, especially those lacking access to funding, to contribute their expertise, ideas and experience to convenings. Funding may be provided directly to individuals or to organisations supporting individuals with lived experience to attend convenings.
• Criteria
  • Convening must include content on modern slavery. Survivors can be participating as speakers or attendees.
  • Convening must be regional or international (including participants from more than one country) and should have ten or more participants, from more than two organisations / networks / collectives.
  • Convenings must be associated with one or more organisations (not solely individuals).
  • Preference will be given to applicants based in the Global South.
  • Funding can be used for costs associated with attendance, including but not limited to event tickets, flights, hotels, visas, subsistence, interpreters, presentation supplies, childcare or other support needed to facilitate effective participation.
  • Individuals may request up to US $3,000 per year.

For more information, visit Convening Fund.