Feminist Grants in Germany

With its RISE program, filia supports self-organized FLINTA groups in Germany that are committed to empowerment, freedom from violence, and the participation of women, girls, and LBTIQ people.

Grants: intersectional, supportive, empowering

The funding supports FLINTA who face multiple discrimination and organize themselves in grassroots groups, without a lot of bureaucracy. All projects have in common that FLINTA make the decisions and the target group of the offers and activities is always involved in the planning. That is how empowerment works, and no other way!

Currently, 42 grantee partners in Germany are supported by filia.

The Program RISE (short for: Ressources for Intersectional Solidarity and Empowerment) is supported by the Crespo Foundation.

Current Grantee Partners in Germany

Bildung von Unten

Political education by and for
Latin American migrants

Bildung von Unten e.V. – FLINTA Arbeitsgruppe

Racism, sexism, classism – migrant FLINTA experience interwoven forms of discrimination that manifest themselves structurally in precarious working conditions or sexualised violence. The queer-feminist working group in Berlin develops formats for collective learning and organising in order to counteract this on a daily and structural basis. filia's funding supports, among other things, room rental and fees.

Queer Niederbayern

Youth services in rural Lower Bavaria

Queer Youth Lower Bavaria

More queer spaces in the countryside! Empowering and sensitive to discrimination, the association runs several safe spaces for everyone between the ages of 14 and 27 who want to meet up to chat, ask questions, or play games without any prior knowledge. filia's funding supports travel costs, further training, and a cross-group weekend, among other things.

Reversed Magazine

Diverse journalism – primarily from
rural eastern Germany

Reversed Magazine

Enabling FLINTA* with multiple marginalization to enter the (photo)journalism industry and making their voices heard—that's what the impressive team at the magazine is working toward. Because there should be ways to do this without unpaid internships. filia's funding supports aspiring journalists with fees to help them get their first foot in the door of the editorial industry.

Arca

Learning space rooted in Black history

ARCA - Afrikanisches Bildungszentrum e.V.

At the heart of the Hamburg-based association is the Fasiathek – a ‘community living room’ named after queer Afro-German activist Fasia Jansen. The Afrocentric library is also a venue for intersectional encounters and intergenerational events. filia's funding covers room rental and subsidizes literature and training courses, among other things.

FEM

Empowered into the professional future

FEM – Forum des Empowerments und Teilhabe für Migranten e.V.

The path to a professional future is easier with real role models who share their experiences and also their obstacles. This association in Potsdam organises this personal exchange between young women and mentors from sub-Saharan Africa. filia's structural support covers the rental costs, among other things.

Ref. Emancipation

Not a guest, but a host

Refugees Emancipation e.V.

The Refugee Emancipation Community Centre in Brandenburg is Germany's first self-organised housing project owned exclusively by refugees from a wide variety of backgrounds. More than 10 years of commitment has resulted in the creation of an own safe space. filia's funding is used to finance, among other things, an additional room, more mobile information services and interpreting for workshops.

Heart and Threads

It began as a small sewing project

Heart and Threads

A room with three sewing machines at the foot of the Swabian Alb. Now, a lively upcycling group of dedicated women with refugee and migrant backgrounds has emerged. A woman from Syria leads the group, a woman from Paraguay is responsible for design, and a seamstress from Iraq contributes her expertise—learning from each other has become a central element. filia's funding supports equipment, training, and more.

Ex Patriates

Black community in Thuringia

De Expatriates

This growing group is responding to isolation and the normalization of right-wing ideologies in rural areas by building a strong community. Guided by principles such as resilience and shared decision-making power, the intersectional community organizes celebrations, cultural workshops, language cafés, or youth programs. filia's funding subsidizes gatherings, workshop materials, childcare, and other activities.

lila_bunt

Collectively managed educational institution

lila_bunt – Feministische Bildung, Praxis & Utopie e.V.

Whether it's a Krav Maga workshop in sign language, a queer Ramadan retreat or a rejuvenating weekend for single parents – many education centres could learn a thing or two from the annual programme offered by this queer institution in the Eifel region. The funding supports programme planning, reduces seminar costs and works to make them more accessible, among other things.

trans*Göttingen

Socializing, security, fun among trans* women

Trans*women's group in Göttingen

In 2017, a volunteer-run safe space was created for this purpose at the Queer Center Göttingen. filia's funding supports the maintenance of these important structures and fulfills a special wish of the group: a professional makeup course, because for many, this is precisely one way to feel comfortable with their own gender identity.

Hami

Women’s rights – from Afghanistan
with solidarity

Hami e.V. - Women Empowerment Organization

Regardless of political, ethnic and religious affiliation, the association provides migrant women and girls with legal, health and psychosocial support. The thirty activists, including recent evacuees from Afghanistan, have come together in the Rhine-Main to advocate for women’s rights and received the 2024 Human Rights award by Baum Stiftung. filia's funding supports, among other work, law & culturally sensitive counselling for at least 45 women with migration and survivors of gender-based violence.

Theaterhaus Ost

Queer feminist theatre in Saxony-Anhalt

Theaterhaus Ost

Here, performing arts become feminist and participatory. The association creates a professional platform for theatre, dance, music, literature and performance, with a particular focus on empowering FLINTA* artists who are affected by multiple discrimination. filia's funding supports childcare and accessibility to rehearsal rooms, among other things.

Abortion Buddy

Support for unwanted pregnancies

Abortion Buddy Tübingen

Whether there are specific questions or a desire for someone to talk to, this new initiative from Tübingen offers sensitive, supportive, and open-minded assistance in case of unwanted pregnancy. filia's start-up assistance enables the establishment of structures by providing financial support for public relations work and training, as well as covering travel and abortion costs for those affected.

Fight like a Girl*

Queerfeminist fighting sports hall

Feeling how loud your voice can be, how powerful a punch can be, how decisive a ‘no’ can sound, can bring about lasting changes in self-confidence and prevent violence. FLINTA* in Jena experience these positive effects every week in their community. With filia's support, the aim is now to create a permanent venue for various target groups, such as young people or FLINTA* with experiences of displacement.

Frauenzentrum Augsburg

Queer counselling, encounters and alliances in Swabia

Frauenzentrum Augsburg e.V.

For almost 50 years, numerous strands of political and community activity in the region have converged at the Augsburg Women's Centre. filia's funding now supports volunteers in developing the concept for a new queer, feminist centre, covers the rent for a barrier-free and consumption-free space for the over-50s group and supports the peer counselling for trans people.

Hüller Medienwerkstatt

Creative empowerment for
marginalized young FLINTA*

Hüller Medienwerkstatt e.V.

Writing and shooting your own film about the experience of being a young FLINTA* with a disability, an art workshop for young BIPoC—the association in Lower Saxony makes cultural projects like these possible. Acting, hip hop, or circus arts serve as a catalyst for addressing discrimination and healing. filia's free funding supports committed individuals with care responsibilities, among others.

sonti*

Financial support for non-binary, trans
and inter* individuals

Sonti* - Solidarkasse nichtbinär trans inter e.V.

At a time when healthcare for tin* persons is not legally guaranteed, Sonti* is closing acute gaps in financial care. The association covers medical and legal costs and provides assistance in emergencies related to discrimination such as flight, loss of housing, or experiences of violence. filia's funding supports, among other things, the association's ongoing expenses and public relations work.

Trans*support

Specialist centre for trans* counselling
and education

Trans*support

The peer counselling centre in Schleswig-Holstein not only offers free and anonymous appointments for trans, abinary, agender and genderfluid people, but also provides training nationwide. In addition, the support group collects anonymous reports of discrimination and hate crimes, as official statistics do not adequately reflect reality. filia's funding helps with room rental, training and supervision, among other things.

aktiv & selbstbestimmt

FLINTA with disabilties for a
self-determined life

aktiv und selbstbestimmt e.V.

This Berlin-based association has been campaigning for self-determination, participation and exchange since 2016. For example, with film evenings or a trip to a memorial site. Numerous leisure and counselling services provide opportunities to support each other in everyday life and in the fight against discrimination. filia's funding enables, among other things, fees for sign language interpreters and a barrier-free weekend for strategic development.

Wundermädchen

wb_sunny

Intersectional spaces in rural areas

Jugendforum Innovationsbündnis Havelland e.V./ Wundermädchen

The Wundermädchen group turns ideas from young FLINTA people who face multiple forms of discrimination into real participatory opportunities that are inclusive and sensitive to discrimination. For more safe spaces, contact points and self-determination in rural areas in Brandenburg. filia's funding supports room rentals, workshop fees and more.

Romnja Hochfeld

By Romnja for Romnja

Verein für die solidarische Gesellschaft der Vielen e.V./ Zentrum für Kultur

When many members of the Romnja community experienced homelessness, arbitrary treatment by the authorities and discrimination, there was an urgent need to create a supportive, accessible community for all generations. In the district of Duisburg Hochfeld, the association focuses on safe spaces for pragmatic self-help and and strengthening the voices of its members. filia's funding helps children to stay in school longer and compensates older women who are financially dependent for their commitment.

Frieden jetzt

United for Peace

Feminist initiative “Peace Now”

From the Kurdish Women's Council to the Free Congo Collective to Palestinians and Jews for Peace, the Cologne-based initiative brings together FLINTA, diaspora, and queer people affected by war, displacement, and violence to unite their voices in a campaign. Here, there is space for collective grief, anger, analysis, political action, and visions for peace. filia's funding subsidizes, among other things, a series of events, a regulars' table, and creative PR work.

Hildahaus

Experts of their own experience

Hildashaus e.V.

The Berlin-based migrant non-profit works alongside FLINTA* 40+ with displacement experiences, primarily from hard-to-reach groups in socially underserved neighborhoods. Through an intersectional, low-threshold, culturally rooted and trauma-sensitive approach, they foster wellbeing, social cohesion and pathways toward sustainable livelihoods within the cultural field. filia’s funding supports their administration.

Who decides on grants in Germany?

filia promotes participation. This means that decisions about success and failure are not made by just anyone, but by an advisory board. Thirteen individuals with professional expertise and personal experience not only review and evaluate all applications, they also make the decisions. All of them are committed feminists and represent the perspectives of the program’s target group. By consciously distributing power in this way, the aim is to ensure that decisions are as fair as possible.

You can find out more about the Advisory Board for the RISE Program here.

Supporting feminist activism

On the one hand, we are delighted with the huge response (a new record with 387 applications!) to the last call for proposals for 2025. This shows that we have succeeded in reaching groups throughout Germany. On the other hand, we know that, unfortunately, due to limited funds, we can only support some of the applicants. For the future, this means that we would welcome even more donations and support so that we can continue to expand our dedicated network in Germany.

Your Contact Person

You want to know more about filia’s grants in Germany? We look forward to hearing from you.

Sina El Basiouni
Program Officer
s.elbasiouni@filia-frauenstiftung.de
+49 (0)40 380 381 997