A new report examining Europe-based funding for women and girls reveals a large gap between foundations’ interests and their investments. Untapped Potential: European foundation funding for women and girls indicates that the median percentage of total grant monies allocated by foundations in support of women and girls was 4.8 per cent, based on 2009 grants from sampled foundations. The study also showed that the vast majority of European foundations (90 per cent) expressed interest in at least one issue related to women and girls.

Of the foundations that expressed an interest in issues related to women and girls, particularly high levels were noted for violence against women (74 per cent), poverty (73 per cent) and access to education (71 per cent). Lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights generated the least interest (30 per cent). The study is the first of its kind on this topic, and the most comprehensive study to date on the philanthropic activities of European foundations in general. As such, the report establishes critical baseline data for measuring change in the future.

Untapped Potential was commissioned by Mama Cash and co-authored by the Foundation Center and Weisblatt & associés, in cooperation with the European Foundation Centre. Mama Cash, the world’s oldest international women’s fund, hopes that the findings will fuel increased action, leadership and resources in support of women and girls.

To download the report
http://www.mamacash.org
http://bit.ly/EuroFunding