Women's Funds Around the World - Semillas, Mexico

Semillas is one of the oldest women's funds, founded in 1991 by prominent Mexican feminists with the encouragement and support of the Global Fund for Women. Since that time it has received funds and awarded 89 grants benefiting thousands of women throughout Mexico. Now Semillas is ready to consolidate and 'scale up'. In 1998, the process of Semillas 2000 began – institutional development for the long term.

As a bridge or intermediary between donors and projects in need of funds, Semillas accepts proposals, awards grants (following a strict process based on our guidelines and criteria) and provides oversight during funding periods and follow-up (as appropriate) at the termination of each project.

Semillas is now at a key transition moment. Our nine years of experience have convinced us that our organization, with its focus on women-centred development and philanthropy with a gender perspective, is of ever-increasing importance for Mexican women. 'Seeing the world through the eyes of women' – the majority of whom are poor and powerless – remains an essential task, and as a women's fund we are unique in our mission in this country.

To meet future challenges, we need to institutionalize and financially stabilize our organization, 'scale up' our efforts to reach more women, and make our model replicable so that others can benefit. The Semillas 2000 process includes strengthening board governance, staff development and professionalism, new guidelines for office procedures and administration, strategic planning towards a five-year plan, and a financial plan to develop sustainability based mainly on Mexican philanthropy. At present 75 per cent of Semillas funding comes from foreign donors, mainly US foundations. Next year we will initiate a campaign in order to increase our Mexican base of donors (companies and individuals).

One of the results of Semillas 2000 is the growth of our Seed Grant Program (SGP). In 1999 we raised more than $150,000, three times the amount we received in 1998. Thus far in 2000 Semillas has awarded grants of between $5,000 and $10,000 to 14 projects, and funds are available for seven more. A 15 per cent grant administration fee helps Semillas cover its own operating costs. A major effort in 2000 is an evaluation of the SGP, which we expect will make our grantmaking more effective and more streamlined, thus enabling us to award more grants without increasing our staff. The results of the evaluation will be published in January 2001 in Semillas’ first annual report – Women’s Empowerment in Mexico.

For more information, contact Executive Director Emilienne de Leon by email at semillas@laneta.apc.org