Spark Fund is now open for applications 

Calling all feminist activists in the Netherlands and on the ABCSSS islands: apply for a Spark Fund grant between 1 and 31 August 2025.

Are you a feminist activist in the Netherlands or on Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St. Eustatius or St. Maarten (the ABCSSS islands)? Are you part of a group of women, girls, or trans or intersex people? And do you need funding to power your work?

We support bold, emerging feminist* activism in the Netherlands and on the ABCSSS islands, offering grants between €5,000 and €7,000 per project. These grants are meant to strengthen the bold work of self-led groups working to secure the rights of women, girls, and trans people and intersex people.

Apply anytime between 1 and 31 August 2025 (until 11:59 pm CEST). You’ll receive a decision whether your application has been approved by 16 October 2025. Before applying, please read our selection criteria and funding priority carefully. 

Who does the Spark Fund support? 

We support groups that: 

• are led by women, girls, or trans people or intersex people. The people whose rights are at stake make the decisions in the project.

Example: If a group focuses on the rights of women with disabilities, they should be the ones to decide on the group’s activities and how the funds are allocated. The spokespersons as well as those being paid, should be women with disabilities. People without disabilities can contribute, but cannot lead the group. 

• work from a feminist perspective and/or focus on the rights of women, girls, or trans or intersex people. 

Mama Cash understands “work from a feminist perspective” to involve work that challenges sexism and patriarchal gender norms, and/or defends the human rights of women, girls, and trans and intersex people. We only fund projects that centre the needs, experiences and rights of women, girls, and trans and intersex people. For example, a housing project may quality if it focuses on the barriers women face in accessing safe and affordable housing, especially migrant women, queer women, sex workers, women with disabilities, women in rural areas or with low incomes. These women’s lived experiences and priorities must be at the core of the project, not an add-on. 

• tackle urgent and contested political issues in the Netherlands or on the ABCSSS islands.  

Example: A group of Muslim women comes together to defend their rights and voice their concerns in a context where government and public opinion criticise or prohibit wearing a hijab, niqab or similar forms of covering. 

• work toward structural and systemic change.  

Example: A group of migrant women provides shelter to other migrant women to meet their immediate needs. At the same time, the group addresses the fundamental barriers that prevent access to housing or healthcare, ensuring long-term impact even for migrant women they may not reach directly reach.  

• In addition, the Spark Fund prioritises: 

Informal/unregistered or new groups with limited resources. This includes groups without paid staff or office space, or with a yearly budget below €50,000. 

How to apply 

The application period for a Spark Fund grant from Mama Cash runs from 1 to 31 August 2025 (until 11:59 pm CEST). You can submit your application in one of the following ways:  

Written application form   
Video recording form 
Audio recording form 

You can apply in English or Dutch. If you feel more comfortable using another language, send us a message at spark@mamacash.org and we’ll be happy to support you. 

Important to know: you don’t need an organisational bank account, residence permit, or official ID to apply. Your groups doesn’t need to be registered as a ‘foundation’.  

In line with our commitment to sharing power and putting decisions in the hands of activists, Mama Cash remains a fully participatory grantmaker. After your application is reviewed against our criteria, former Spark-grantee-partners will make the final decision. You’ll receive a response by 16 October 2025 at the latest. 

Click here to learn more about the Spark Fund. 

* We understand feminism as broad and diverse. At its core, it addresses or challenges sexism and patriarchal gender norms, across sexuality, class, ethnicity, race, migration status, ability, and more, with the aim of ending inequality and injustice.