Claim Your Water Rights
Members can now submit applications for grants of £1,000-£5,000 through the Claim Your Water Rights campaign.
Over the course of each financial year we strive to reflect the geographic spread of our membership through our grants. Since 2019 we’ve funded 43 organisations in 17 different countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America. To ensure funds are distributed more widely we have updated our granting guidelines to make it clear that we will no longer fund the same organisation in consecutive granting cycles. This means that your organisation will not be considered for further funding if you were one of our October 2023 grantees.
Claim Your Water Rights enables members to advocate on a range of different issues related to the human rights to water and sanitation – whether it’s accessibility, affordability, availability, acceptability or quality of service. We will also fund action that strengthens other related human rights, such as environmental rights, health rights, women’s rights, workers’ rights, and civil and political rights. While the campaign is designed to embrace diverse aims and approaches, we have identified eight themes that are strategically important to the coalition and of common interest to members working across different countries and contexts. Taking into account feedback from our members and task team, we have added two new subthemes for this round of funding: ‘Feminism and women’s rights’ and ‘Financing and tax justice’. We are particularly keen to receive applications related to these themes.
We have also updated our concept note form to enable the secretariat to better understand how a Claim Your Water Rights grant would support members’ long-term advocacy objectives or catalyse campaigning action on new or emerging issues. In addition, we have changed our reporting process so that members will no longer be required to send a mid-term report.
Please read our new granting guidelines carefully and send your completed concept note form to [email protected] by Monday 12 August. Please note that this will be the first of two open calls for Claim Your Water Rights grants this financial year. We plan to open applications again in early 2025.
Fair Water Action Fund
Last week Water Witness launched the Fair Water Action Fund. The Fund offers grants between £3,000 and £36,000 to organisations working for water justice in the Global South, with the first round of funding particularly focused on supporting organisations based in Africa.
Civil society, media, and research bodies are eligible to apply. The Fund will support work that advances water security, promotes sustainable water and sanitation for all, and safeguards people from pollution, drought, flooding, and water conflict. The Fund will consider proposals that focus on: accountability monitoring; the amplification of citizens’ voices; research and investigative journalism; and evidence-based advocacy for systems change.
If you missed the launch of the Fair Water Action Fund, a recording will be uploaded and circulated shortly. To find more information and apply for funding please visit Water Witness’ website or contact [email protected].
The Trinity Challenge
The Trinity Challenge is offering £7,500 seed funding to youth-led organisations working on WASH in schools. Successful applicants will be invited to an online event in September to share their campaign plan, speak with experts, and access additional support. They will then deliver key campaign activities during World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week in November.
