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Events

The events below are populated from several external sites that publicize grant events relevant to organizations like yours. We also have internal events from Kuja. Use the filters to explore the events that are interesting to you and apply to those that you want to attend!

Jun 3, 2025
Diversifying Funds and Mobilizing Communities for Justice and Progress: The Case of FEM Colombia

As international donors increasingly withdraw from global cooperation, grassroots organizations in the Global South are stepping up with bold, sustainable alternatives. One such organization is FEM Colombia, a community-driven initiative that’s transforming how Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities reclaim land, assert their rights, and shape their own futures.

On the 3rd of June, 2025, Kuja-hosted a webinar where we sat down with Ana Maria Gonzalez, Co-Founder of FEM, for a rich conversation on FEM’s model of inclusive development and their innovative approach to funding diversification. The webinar was a testament to how localized knowledge and community ownership are not just viable paths forward — they are essential.

Centering Land, Identity, and Rights

FEM’s work is deeply rooted in Colombia’s ethnically diverse and environmentally rich Pacific and Caribbean regions, where systemic inequalities persist. These areas experience higher rates of poverty, limited access to healthcare and education, and historic land dispossession. In response, FEM has helped over 20,000 people secure collective land titles, enabling communities to protect their territories and preserve cultural identity — a principle they call "Land Forever."

But FEM’s vision goes far beyond legal victories. They engage communities through ethno-education, ethno-health, and leadership training, especially targeting women and youth. Their work fuses legal advocacy with participatory planning, making development both inclusive and deeply rooted in local realities.

Turning Obstacles into Opportunities

FEM’s journey hasn’t been easy. Many traditional funders deemed the organization “too local,” financially unviable, or geographically inconvenient (being based in Cartagena rather than the capital, Bogotá). And the private sector wasn’t a likely ally, often due to conflicting interests around land ownership.

Rather than shrinking under this pressure, FEM got creative.

  • They monetized their own value — calculating the worth of their volunteer contributions, community-owned infrastructure, and unique cultural knowledge.

  • They launched social businesses, attracting angel investors and creating jobs for local vendors.

  • They secured a U.S.-based fiscal sponsor, crowdfunded within their networks, and pursued South-South grant partnerships with funders who understood their context.

  • FEM also transformed its governance, building a tiered support network of honorary members, associates, and friends to sustain community fundraising and outreach.

Lessons for the Global South — and the World

Ana Maria emphasized the importance of lean operations, continuous learning, and mission-aligned entrepreneurship. At FEM, building economic alternatives through community-based enterprises isn’t just about money — it’s about dignity, resilience, and justice.

Watch the recording of the session here

Speaker 

Ana Maria Gonzalez-Forero

Cofounder - FEM Colombia

www.femcolombia.org

Ana Maria is Colombian political scientist & mother of 2. Co-founded FEM (2007), securing land rights for 20,000 Afro-Colombians in 17 years via participatory models & social enterprises. Obama Scholar '18. Served Cartagena Gov't, tackling displacement & exploitation. Now with Voces Nuevas, advocating for Global South inclusion & a new world order. 

Community Development
--Kuja--
May 28, 2025
The Pledge Learning Series: AI and Authentic Storytelling

You are invited to join the next Pledge Learning Series: AI in NGO Fundraising & Communication

Date: 28 May 2025

Time: 9 AM ET / 2 PM Lisbon / 4 PM Nairobi / 2 PM WAT

The Pledge for Change Learning Series creates a space for strategic lesson-sharing and reflection on emerging issues within the Pledge community. In this session, we explore the opportunities, challenges, and ethical dilemmas of AI in NGO fundraising and communication, reflecting on potential bias in AI-generated imagery to authentic storytelling practices.

Facilitator: Isabella Jean

Featuring:

  • Tara Todras-Whitehill (CEO, TW Storytelling), expert in narratives shaping aid and a member of the Pledge for Change Authentic Storytelling Review Panel.
  • Laura Abad Guerrero (Fairpicture), advocate for ethical content production and local talent, and Pledge Supporter.
  • Arsenii Alenichev, researcher on bias in AI images and their humanitarian applications.

Whether you’re experimenting with AI or critiquing its implications, register for this event to share experiences, strategies and learn how this impacts authentic storytelling. 

NB: Facilitators of this event will remain online after the 1-hour recorded session for an additional 30 minutes (which will not be recorded) for any additional questions or feedback that participants wish to share. 

Time: May 28, 2025 04:00 PM Nairobi

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83747747666?pwd=oMu6QbYAPdVtrV1oR3smDQUM69Mo07.1

Meeting ID: 837 4774 7666

Passcode: 841780




Artificial Intelligence
--Kuja--