Donor’s Guides to Inclusion

Reflecting a Movement’s Principles in Grantmaking Structure: Evidence on the Benefits of Participation from the Disability Rights Fund and the Disability Rights Advocacy Fund

Participation—and specifically participatory grantmaking—is a core approach to how we do our work. This report documents the why and how of our participatory approach, and shares insights about its benefits and challenges. It also offers suggestions for donors who aim to be more participatory. This report is part of a suite of research funded by the Ford Foundation to deepen knowledge about participatory grantmaking.

Download the report in PDF or Word.
Download the Executive Summary in PDF.

Deciding Together: Shifting Power and Resources Through Participatory Grantmaking

#ShiftthePower refers to a paradigm change in philanthropy and in development to ensure that populations being addressed are also those making the decisions. Until now, there have been few resources about how to do this as a grantmaker. DRF is part of a working group of participatory grantmakers who have provided input and shared best practices and lessons towards development of this new Foundation Center GrantCraft guide to participatory grantmaking. Learn from funders about strategies to consider, questions to ask, and how this approach is opening doors to greater impact.

Download the Guide in PDF or Word.

Supporting Inclusive Movements: Funding the Rights of Women with Disabilities

Leading advocates and women’s rights donors agree that much more can and needs to be done to include women with disabilities in women’s rights activism, agenda setting, and funding. This brief explores funding at the intersection of women’s rights and disability rights and offers steps donors can take to ensure that their grantmaking is more inclusive of women with disabilities and to support this emerging movement.

Download the brief in PDF or in an accessible Word document

Beyond Charity:  A Donor’s Guide to Inclusion

“Beyond Charity: A Donor’s Guide to Inclusion. Disability funding in the era of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities” is a response to the urgent need for guidance on promoting disability rights in international cooperation.  This useful and easy-to-read guide supports donors to address disability from a human rights perspective, in particular by supporting representative organizations of persons with disabilities or disabled persons organizations (DPOs).

Download the Guide in PDF or in an accessible Word document.