The Safe Abortion Action Fund (SAAF) Call for proposals

Source: http://www.ippf.org

The Safe Abortion Action Fund (SAAF) was launched in 2006 in response to the urgent need for funding to improve women’s access to safe abortion. SAAF provides grants to local NGOs to provide services to marginalized and vulnerable women and to work for policy and legal changes. As an international grant making mechanism, SAAF fills a critical gap for many local organizations, as it remains very difficult for them to find funding for abortion related activities. Equally, SAAF has proved itself to be an important vehicle for helping to destigmatize abortion work, motivating local and regional champions, and encouraging networking.

Following the success of first round of funding, which supported over 50 projects, SAAF is launching a second funding round in 2011. Building on the momentum and lessons learned from Round 1, it is important to keep access to safe abortion in the spotlight and to make sure that organizations worldwide can work to reduce maternal mortality and ensure that women’s rights are respected. SAAF is a key part of this effort.

SAAF is now organizing a new call for proposals to support activities in three broad areas: advocacy, research and service delivery.

SAAF will provide grants of a maximum of US$200,000 for a maximum of three years.

Hosted by the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), SAAF is a multi-donor funding mechanism, providing flexible grants to non-governmental organizations.
SAAF promotes innovative, discrete and sustainable approaches, funding NGOs which have demonstrated ability to improve access to safe abortion services, to advocate successfully for policy change or in conducting research to inform advocacy or improved service delivery.
SAAF focuses on the needs of the marginalized and most vulnerable women and girls, funding projects which provide abortion services within a comprehensive package of sexual and reproductive health services, including post-abortion family planning.
SAAF encourages abortion services to be provided to the fullest extent of any national law and at the highest possible standards of care, and for legal and policy reforms to be implemented in countries where abortion is restricted.
By visibly funding projects using an international funding mechanism, SAAF works to de-stigmatize abortion and to legitimize the abortion debate – creating and supporting a ‘network of champions’ who are more empowered to work at local and national levels.

The deadline for applications is 31 January 2011.

Please visit SAAF or email info@saafund.org for more information about SAAF, application guidelines and application form.