Funding

We are a remarkable funder and a participatory model that works. Since its inception in 2012, Robert Carr Fund has matured into a highly regarded, strong and trusted funder.

To date, we have raised and allocated over $125 mln., 91% of which has been distributed in funds to global and regional community-led and civil society networks in HIV response.

What makes RCF funding approach unique

We fund networks to build and sustain their organizational and programmatic capacity and develop strong regional and global collaborations.

RCF doesn’t just provide core funding, it also provides long-term funding, which is more constant than what individual funders are able to provide. Funders often have to be more time-bound, project focused, while RCF can take a longer-term view. – Siobhan Malone, Gates Foundation, ISC member

RCF is committed to provide core, long-term and flexible funding that enables community-led networks to be more resilient, agile and innovative. Our grant-making process is participatory and inclusive every step of the way. We are widely recognized as a model of good funding practice.

 

Participatory Grant Making

Participatory grant making cedes decision-making power about funding— including the strategy and criteria behind those decisions—to the very communities that funders aim to serve. — GrantCraft Foundation.

RCF ensures the participation of inadequately served populations in grant making decisions through our governance structure. Some see RCF’s approach as beyond ‘participatory’ and better described as ‘co-ownership’.

Funding priorities are agreed by the Program Advisory Panel (PAP) and International Steering Committee (ISC) through consultation and shared publicly with grantees and stakeholders. After grants are made, we regularly convene grantees to exchange ideas, develop strategies, and build solidarity and collaborations.

Read more in our Participatory Grantmaking Model Report

We have always engaged grantees and funders in our grantmaking process. Together they develop the Strategy, Theory of Change and MEL framework.

RCF Participatory Grantmaking Model Report
RCF 2025-2030 Strategy
RCF 2024 ToC and MEL Framework

How does our funding work?

• We raise funds from governments, foundations and international development agencies
• We engage civil society and funders in developing our strategy, Theory of Change and MEL frameworks, as well as grantmaking.
• There is a 3-year cycle of grants, providing core and flexible funding to networks.
• The International Steering Committee (ISC) is the governing board and sets RCF’s strategic direction including funding priorities.
• The Program Advisory Panel (PAP) makes funding recommendations to the ISC.
• The aim is to shift power towards the inadequately served populations.

Our funding cycles and Request for Proposals (RFP)

Through our previous grant cycle of 2022-2024 we provided 25 grants awarded to 71 global and regional networks, our largest cohort to date. Programs were implemented in 130 countries.

Through the RFP, the Robert Carr Fund invites global and regional civil society networks and consortia of networks led by, and/or serving inadequately served populations to apply for a grant to support their core funding and activity needs for a three-year period.

In May 2024 RCF announced Request for Proposals for the next 2025-2027 funding cycle. We invited global and regional civil society networks and consortia led by and/or serving inadequately served populations to apply for a multiyear grant. The grants are to advance the objectives of our Strategic Plan 2025-2030.

Request for Proposals 2024 is currently closed.

Request for Proposals 2024

Our Funders and Supporters

We receive funding from:

1. UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
2. Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad)
3. The Gates Foundation
4. Gilead Sciences

We are grateful for strategic support from:

1. UNAIDS
2. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund).

MEL Framework and how we measure impact

Our Monitoring Evaluation for Learning Framework is developed together with ISPs and funders. RCF measures progress across four critical outcome areas that together create positive change for inadequately served populations (ISPs).

Capacity Strengthening (all RCF partner networks work on this outcome area)

• Outcome Area 1: Network Strength and Influence, examines how organizations build their capacity to influence change.

Programmatic (Advocacy) Outcomes (RCF partner networks select and report on whichever area/s their work will focus on each year)

• Outcome Area 2: Human Rights, tracks influenced improvements in policies and protections.
• Outcome Area 3: Access to and Quality of Services, measuring influenced actions that have improved community access to and quality of HIV and SRHR-related services.
• Outcome Area 4: Resource Accountability, monitoring how funding and resources for HIV response are allocated and used effectively.

RCF Annual Report 2023
RCF Annual Report 2022
RCF Annual Report 2021

Earlier RCF Annual Reports can be requested by sending an email to: secretariat@robertcarrfund.org.

Read more about our definitions of in the Glossary.