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Frequently Asked Questions:
How
do you identify what issues to support?
How
do you find potential grantees?
How
do you select which groups get grants?
Are
all of your grants international?

How do you identify what issues to support?
Due to our organizational capacity, Spark currently
selects grantees based on annual themes. For example
in Spark made grants to organizations working in
such areas as civic leadership, environment,
microfinance, violence prevention. In 2011, Spark
will select grantees who work in education and
economic opportunities. We will be identifying 2012
funding themes in our Grants Committee meetings. If
you are interested learning more about our funding
themes and helping us select themes, we encourage
you to attend a Grants Committee meeting. Please
email Shannon@sparksf.org to get a list of upcoming
committee meetings.

How do you find potential grantees?
Spark finds grantees in a number of ways. Some apply
directly, others we hear about through key community
partnerships and a number come directly from network
members' suggestions.
Spark strives to make its grantmaking process as transparent
as possible. If you are interested in learning more about
potential grantees and helping us select grantees, we
encourage you to attend a Grants Committee meeting. Please
email Shannon@sparksf.org to get a list of upcoming
committee meetings.

How do you select which groups get grants?
There are three main criteria that organizations must meet
to be eligible for a grant from Spark. First, the
organization's work must fit in with one of Spark's funding
themes for the year. Second, the organization must also be
primarily founded by a woman or women and currently
primarily run by women. Finally, the organization must
demonstrate a strong commitment to women's equality and
human rights that is clearly reflected in its activities.
Spark gives priority to organizations that are just
beginning or need initial funding, which do not have access
to funds from larger donor agencies, are organized and led
by women from particularly marginalized populations, and/or
are located in a region or country that has extremely
limited funding resources.

Are all of your grants international?
Spark gives grants to organizations in the Bay Area, the New York Metro Area and abroad. It is our belief that the issues which impact women's human rights are universal. It is important to us that through our grantmaking we educate the Spark community by drawing the connection between these issues at home and abroad.

Click here
to view the Spark grant application
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