Sharing Power through Trust-Based Giving
By Liliane Pari Umuhoza, Planet Women Program Consultant
In this video, Planet Women Program Consultant Liliane Pari Umuhoza shares about the power of seed grants for Women's Leadership Circle participants.
At Planet Women, I help run the Women’s Leadership Circle (WLC), which brings together environmental leaders from 15 different African countries who work in forest restoration. The program consists of eight monthly sessions with different topics ranging from storytelling and communications, impact and influence, changing workplace culture, and philanthropy and fundraising. In the WLC, members build a sense of sisterhood, share about challenges and successes, and exchange information.
A couple of months ago, our first Women’s Leadership Circle cohort graduated! Our first cohort had 22 women with wide-ranging roles in the environmental field including project managers, executive directors, founders and activists. Despite facing barriers as women in the environmental field, these leaders remain dedicated to caring for nature and improving well-being in their communities.
At Planet Women, we believe that local leaders like these women are the ones who create real, lasting positive change. They should be the decision makers and our role is to provide the resources to support their projects. All of the grants we provide are low-barrier and unrestricted, reflecting Planet Women’s commitment to trust-based giving. Typically, Planet Women offers grant funding for organizations rather than individuals. However, in 2023, we began distributing seed grants (also called microgrants) to individual women in the Women’s Leadership Circle. I’m so inspired by what the women have chosen to do with their funding.
Seed grants support homegrown solutions
Thanks to the support of Planet Women’s community, we distributed 21 seed grants this year—each for $3,000, for a total of $63,000. These grants were given to WLC participants to implement projects in their communities or invest in their own professional development. Their projects range from finishing a master’s program, to writing an autobiography, to growing cooperatives. Others are conducting trainings in their local communities about the environment, climate change, and women’s empowerment.
I look forward to reading implementation reports from all the grantees. From the three reports I have received so far, more than 60 people have directly benefited from the community projects!
Key takeaways from the Women’s Leadership Circle
Here is what I believe people can learn from Planet Women’s approach.
Work WITH people, instead of working FOR people. Before implementing the program, we asked women for their input. We sent out a survey asking WLC participants what they need at the beginning, the middle and the end of the program to make sure that the program is serving their needs. This is a great community-based approach that is often forgotten in development work.
Our program focuses on both the personal challenges and professional challenges of participants. This means that as we work to help empower the women professionally, we also prioritize overall well-being, which is a vital driver of success.
A trust-based approach makes a world of difference. Low-barrier, unrestricted grants have many, many benefits. They simplify the grant application process, minimize paperwork and foster an environment of confidence and reliability. This resolves the issues women have raised including staff shortage, language barriers, lack of resources and access to information. By prioritizing trust, these grants empower recipients, encourage community engagement, and support initiatives with a focus on transparency and simplicity.