By Dr Beth Kitson, Research and Policy Analyst
At a time when demand is rising and funding is under pressure, organisations supporting women and girls are doing vital – but often overlooked – work to tackle deep-rooted inequalities.
Earlier this week, we hosted an event ‘Unlocking the power of the women and girls’ social sector’, to discuss the findings of our recent report, Underfunded, under resourced and under the radar: the state of the women and girls’ social sector.
Our research was commissioned by Rosa to deliver clear, up-to-date, insights into the women and girls’ sector’s operations, challenges, and aspirations. Our research found that, more than 9 in 10 respondents have seen an increase in demand, yet almost half (44%) expect to fall short of meeting it. Smaller organisations – particularly those working with minoritised women and girls – are feeling the strain the most.
Chaired by Rubina Ahmed, with thoughtful contributions from my fellow panellists, Lola Olaore (bloss.m), Cecily Mwaniki (Utulivu Women’s Group), and Rebecca Gill (Rosa), the discussion created space to reflect, challenge, and to connect different voices from across the sector.
Here are three reflections that stood out to me.
1. Small organisations hold deep expertise – but not the power
Many women and girls’ organisations are small, locally rooted, and led by people with lived experience. That is their strength: they understand the needs of the communities they serve and respond with care and creativity. That same closeness to the ground can also leave them shut out of funding and decision-making. Too often, funding goes to larger, generalist organisations. Small charities face barriers—short-term contracts, complex application processes, and a system that rewards scale over specialism.
“Not everything is built to be scaled. But it’s important that small organisations are able to thrive.”
2. Funding should follow impact
There was strong agreement that the current funding landscape isn’t working for women-led organisations—particularly those supporting marginalised groups. Despite delivering essential frontline services and shaping social change, they’re often overlooked. Commissioning bodies in particular were identified as needing to shift how they think about impact and where it happens. It’s not always in the biggest organisations—it’s often in those closest to the communities they serve. The government has made a commitment to half violence against women and girls in the next decade, and the social sector, especially women-led organisations, will play a central role in achieving this.
As Rebecca Gill reminded us: “If you do not invest in women and girls’ organisations, you will not halve violence against women and girls.”
3. Innovation is happening—but even frugal innovation comes with costs
Faced with shrinking resources, many organisations are finding new ways to survive—launching social enterprises, partnering with corporates, and considering mergers and different organisational models. Responses across the sector demonstrate true creativity and flexibility, particularly where organisations overlap in goals with other local groups. But they’re not without risk. Diversifying income can help, but it can’t replace the need for stable, long-term funding. When organisations are stretched thin, chasing new funding routes can mean mission drift, burnout, or missed opportunities to do what they do best.
What gave me hope was the spirit of the conversation. Despite the challenges, there was a real sense of unity—and a shared belief that collaboration, not competition, is the way forward. The women and girls’ sector isn’t just responding to crisis—it’s building change. What it needs now is to be seen, supported, and sustained.
For more, please do read the report. And join us at our upcoming events, where we are bringing the social sector and policymakers together, turning insight into action.