Dare to Trust: the power of unconditional funding
In 2023, Both ENDS teamed up with the Dutch Postcode Lottery to show the power of trust-based partnership. In the project 'Dare to Trust', we distributed grants to 14 grassroot women's groups worldwide, no strings attached. We aim to show donors that a chain of trust is possible - from the back donor to the intermediary to the local partner.
Grants often come with onerous conditions and stringent accountability measures. Ironically, even funding mechanisms that are specifically intended to support local organisations may be loaded with administrative requirements, and fail to take into account the realities and capacities of local groups and their initiatives.
A chain of trust is possible
With Dare to Trust, for which we recieved a special project grant from the Dutch Postcode Lottery, we distributed grants to 14 grassroots women's groups worldwide, no strings attached.
The Dare to Trust grants support the women’s groups in implementing whatever actions they feel are needed to improve their lives, their communities, and/or their environment. There are no restrictions or formal reporting obligations. The groups can decide for themselves how they share back about their work and use of the funds.
By the end of 2024, many of the groups have used their own creativity to show the impact of the grant. It proves that this way of funding works. It is effective and efficient, and just as important: it changes the power relations between funder and receiver.
Learnings from the experiment
We are truely grateful for the support from the Dutch Postcode Lottery for this experimental funding mechanism. The trust between Both ENDS and its partners is mirrored in the relationship between Both ENDS and the Dutch Postcode Lottery.
Both ENDS plans to share its learnings with researchers, communicators, social impact investors and donors, and to rethink its own strategies and power position as well.
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Publication / 3 January 2025
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Video / 3 January 2025Dare to Trust: Jarai Women of Cambodia
With the Dare to Trust grant, the Taing Se Malu organization decided to purchase pigs that can be raised and increased in quantities by the women members of their organization. More importantly, through the grant, they formed a women’s group and a youth group to empower them in their pursuit of a more gender-just community.
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Video / 3 January 2025Dare to Trust: the Tumandok Women from the Philippines
With resources that the ATBBB women's group received for their Dare to Trust-project, they decided to move forward with growing, processing and selling what they have at their disposal: coffee. They created a production center for their community based enterprise.
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Video / 3 January 2025NTFP-EP Asia supports women's groups with Dare to Trust-grants
NTFP-EP Asia has given small grants to two grassroots women’s organisations in the Philippines and Cambodia. These grants are part of our Dare to Trust project, a pilot with unconditional funding supported by the Dutch Postcode Lottery.
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Publication / 23 December 2024
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Video / 23 December 2024Dare to Trust: LILAK supports women to start sustainable agriculture
Indigenous women in Didipio, Philippines, grew close to each other when confronting the mining corporation OceanaGold. Now they continue their struggle collectively in the women's group "Bileg Daggiti Babbai". With the help of LILAK they started a sustainable farming project, which helps them make a living to support their day to day needs and afford their children's education.
The project was made possible in Both ENDS's Dare to Trust project, supported by the Dutch Postcode Lottery.
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Publication / 23 December 2024
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News / 9 July 2024‘Dare to Trust’: Both ENDS and the Dutch Postcode Lottery team up to show the power of trust-based partnership
For more than thirty years, Both ENDS has collaborated with partner organisations around the world to advance environmental justice. Our relationships with partners, many of which span decades, are based on shared values, respect and trust. Together, we are strengthening knowledge, networks and movements, and engaging in joint advocacy aimed at bringing about a more just and sustainable world.
