The IPF is the first and only independent, multi-donor, global grant making mechanism wholly dedicated to providing financial support and technical assistance to women-led peacebuilding organizations in countries affected by violent conflict, extremism and militarism. Through the IPF, ICAN offers a solution to donors who have the resources but lack the capacity to manage small– and medium-sized grants.
Women peacebuilders have the wisdom, trust, access, and courage necessary to tackle critical peace and security issues. We support them to deepen and broaden their impact by investing in that trust.
What the IPF Supports
When designing the IPF, ICAN consulted WASL members and key donors to determine the scope of work the Fund would support, with particular consideration given to women-led initiatives that are not traditionally recognized or supported. Together we identified the following four thematic, interrelated women-led peace and security activities:
As conditions of Fragility, Conflict, and Violence (FCV) settings change, local women’s peacebuilding organizations have adapted. To continue to respond to our partners’ needs, the IPF expanded its scope of work to include gender- and conflict- sensitive activities related to psychosocial support, self-care and wellness, protection of peacebuilders, and humanitarian response.
How the IPF Supports
- Allows women peacebuilders to determine their own priorities and design solutions that are best suited to foster peace in their communities
- Provides partners with timely and secure funds
- Ensures clear and concise application and financial reporting requirements that do not pose undue burdens on the applicants
- Connects partners across countries and regions to learn from each other and share information on good practices and approaches
IPF Funding Modalities:
- Activity-Based Funding: Provides support for activity-based projects to partners who are seeking funding for existing or new projects
- Flexible Funding: Focuses on supporting institutional strengthening and sustainability by giving our partners the flexibility to adapt their programs as needed to respond to changing contexts, and provides funding for building their institutional capacities
- Bridge Funding: Provides temporary support to existing partners to sustain their organizations during times when ongoing projects or funding have been interrupted (i.e., due to COVID-19)
- Rapid Response Funding: Offers short-term funding that provides immediate support to partners to address urgent needs, such as participation in peace processes and protection
IPF Technical Assistance & Support:
- Financial management
- Monitoring and evaluation
- Ongoing advisory and referral support
- Group training (i.e., Gender Analysis and Responsiveness Training; Multimedia and Documentation Training)
- Regional workshops to enable peer-to- peer learning and strengthen capacities
Innovative Peace Stories
Hover to see IPF partner organizations within each country
Click on the country and zoom in to read Innovative Peace Stories
Please stay tuned as we continuously add Innovative Peace Stories
“The holistic support provided through the IPF enables local women-led organizations in conflict settings to use their agency and creativity to develop and determine their own solutions and interventions that are responsive to the true needs of their communities. The IPF recognizes that our partners’ positions as trusted community members and leaders with local knowledge make them uniquely able to foster and sustain positive peace.”
France Bognon, Program Director, Innovative Peace Fund