Comic Relief’s Tackling Violence against Women and Girls fund will support organisations that are working to end violence and abuse experienced by women and girls across the UK. 
Violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations. Up to 3 million women and girls across the UK experience rape, domestic violence, stalking and other violence each year and every week 2 women are killed by a current or ex-partner. There are some women and girls who are particularly vulnerable to violence, including women who have multiple and complex needs such as poor mental health, substance misuse and those who are homeless. Others may be from less well-served communities or groups, such as BAMER (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Refugee) and LBTI (Lesbian, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex) communities, or women who are older and/or disabled. Such women and girls are more likely to slip through the net and not get the specialist support they need, and may be at greater risk of repeat and long-term victimisation and abuse. For this reason, this funding initiative will focus on meeting the needs of women who are at risk or experiencing violence and who have multiple and complex needs.
Proposals are welcome from across the UK. Comic Relief expects to make up to 40 grants of £60,000-£120,000 for between one and three years.
Aims of the fund
This funding is exclusively focused on women and girls with multiple and complex needs and aims to:
• Enable organisations to better support women and girls within the target groups.
• Showcase how women and girls’ lived experience can inform the design and delivery of services, practice and policy
• Provide opportunities for projects to try out new ways and models of working, for example by acting earlier, building community assets or using digital approaches
• Enable cross sector partnerships to work together to provide high quality support
• Support approaches that can provide learning for other organisations and stakeholders across the sector
• Improve access to support for women and girls with complex needs in less well-served communities, such as BAMER, older women, LBTI, disabled women
For further information and to apply, visit: www.comicrelief.com/apply-for-grants/open-grants-initiatives/tackling-violence-against-women-and-girls
Deadline: Monday 2 July 2018