Applications are now open for the Mama Cash Spark Fund 2026, a flexible grant programme supporting self-led feminist groups working for the rights of women, girls, trans people and intersex people in the Netherlands and the ABCSSS islands: Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten.

The Spark Fund is designed particularly for grassroots and structurally excluded communities working on urgent and contested political issues. Grants range from €5,000 to €12,000 per project and can support work for a period of up to two years. Mama Cash accepts applications from both formal organisations and informal groups, including newly established and volunteer-led initiatives that may have difficulty accessing conventional institutional funding.

The 2026 application period runs from:

20 August 2026 to 20 September 2026

The final deadline is:

20 September 2026 at 11:59 PM CEST.

Applicants can apply in several accessible formats, including:

• Written application
• Video application
• Audio application

Applications can be submitted in English or Dutch. Groups that would prefer to apply in another language are encouraged to contact Mama Cash at spark@mamacash.org to discuss possible support.

The Spark Fund is especially notable because applicants do not need to be formally registered, do not need an organisational bank account, and do not need a residence permit or official identification in order to apply.

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About the Mama Cash Spark Fund

Mama Cash is an international feminist fund with deep roots in feminist movements in the Netherlands.

Through the Spark Fund, the organisation honours its historical connection to the Dutch lesbian feminist activist movement while continuing to support communities working for the rights of:

• Women
• Girls
• Trans people
• Intersex people

The Fund is geographically focused on the Netherlands and the ABCSSS islands and is intended to help self-led groups pursue bold, grassroots work that challenges structural inequality.

Mama Cash describes the idea behind the programme simply:

A small amount of money can spark major, radical change.

The Fund therefore does not assume that transformative work must come from large, established NGOs.

Instead, it deliberately makes room for:

• Informal collectives
• New groups
• Volunteer-led initiatives
• Unregistered movements
• Small organisations
• Groups without paid staff
• Groups without offices
• Groups with limited access to flexible funding

This makes the Spark Fund particularly relevant to activists who may struggle to qualify for conventional institutional grants.

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How Much Funding Is Available?

Successful applicants can receive between:

€5,000 and €12,000

for a project lasting:

Up to two years.

The flexibility of this range means the Fund can support relatively small grassroots initiatives as well as longer projects that need sustained support.

Importantly, the programme is not structured only around established organisations with professional fundraising departments.

Mama Cash specifically recognises that some activist groups may:

• Be newly established
• Operate informally
• Lack formal organisational structures
• Have no long-term strategic plan
• Have limited financial infrastructure

but still have a strong idea, urgent political purpose and clear potential for structural change.

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What Is the Main Purpose of the Spark Fund?

The Spark Fund supports initiatives:

By and for structurally excluded communities

that work on:

Urgent and contested issues

in the Netherlands and the ABCSSS islands.

This means the Fund is not designed primarily for neutral service-delivery programmes.

It is particularly interested in groups challenging:

• Discrimination
• Patriarchal systems
• Sexism
• Gender inequality
• Exclusion
• Harmful norms
• Unequal access to rights
• Structural barriers affecting marginalised communities

Projects should therefore have a clear political or systemic dimension.

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The Four Core Eligibility Requirements

Mama Cash sets out four major eligibility criteria.

A group must:

1. Be self-led by the women, girls, trans people and/or intersex people it serves.
2. Work from a feminist perspective and/or focus on women’s, girls’, trans rights and/or intersex rights.
3. Work on urgent and contested political issues in the Netherlands or the ABCSSS islands.
4. Push for structural and systemic change.

Each of these criteria is important and deserves careful attention before submitting an application.

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1. The Group Must Be Self-Led

The people whose rights are at stake must be the people who make decisions about the project.

Mama Cash gives the example of a group supporting women with disabilities.

If the project is focused on the rights of women with disabilities, then women with disabilities should themselves have meaningful leadership over:

• Activities
• Decision-making
• Use of grant funds
• Public representation

People without disabilities may participate and provide support, but they should not lead the project.

This principle is central to the Spark Fund.

Mama Cash is not simply looking for organisations that work for marginalised groups.

It prioritises groups that are genuinely led by the communities directly affected by the issues.

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Why Self-Leadership Matters

The self-led requirement reflects a broader feminist grantmaking principle: people directly affected by injustice should have power over how solutions are designed.

This means a project may be less competitive if the intended beneficiaries have little influence over:

• Strategy
• Budget
• Leadership
• Project design
• Communications

Applicants should therefore show clearly who makes decisions inside the group.

A strong application should be able to answer questions such as:

• Who leads the group?
• Who decides how funds are used?
• Who determines project priorities?
• Are the affected communities represented in leadership?
• Who speaks publicly on behalf of the project?

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2. The Group Must Work From a Feminist Perspective

Mama Cash defines feminism broadly.

The organisation understands feminist work as efforts that challenge:

• Sexism
• Patriarchal gender norms
• Inequality
• Injustice

and defend the human rights of women, girls, trans and intersex people.

The Fund recognises that gender inequality intersects with many other forms of marginalisation, including:

• Race
• Ethnicity
• Sexuality
• Class
• Migration status
• Disability
• Economic status

The Spark Fund therefore supports intersectional approaches where these experiences are central to the project.

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What Counts as a Feminist Project?

A project does not need to be about a traditionally defined “women’s issue.”

For example, a project about housing may qualify if it specifically addresses barriers faced by women who are:

• Migrants
• Queer
• Sex workers
• Women with disabilities
• Rural women
• Low-income women

The key point is that their lived experiences and rights must be central to the project rather than included only as a secondary component.

This distinction is important.

A general community housing project that happens to include some women would not automatically meet the Fund’s feminist criteria.

A project designed and led by marginalised women challenging structural barriers to safe and affordable housing may be much more aligned.

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3. The Group Must Work on Urgent and Contested Political Issues

The Spark Fund is intended for groups working on issues that may be politically difficult, socially controversial or insufficiently addressed.

Mama Cash gives the example of Muslim women organising to defend their rights and express their concerns in a context where wearing the hijab, niqab or similar forms of religious covering faces criticism from government or public opinion.

Other relevant themes might potentially include:

• Reproductive rights
• Trans rights
• Migrant rights
• Disability justice
• Sex workers’ rights
• Racial justice
• Religious discrimination
• LGBTQI+ rights
• Gender-based violence
• Housing inequality
• Economic exclusion

These are examples rather than a closed list.

The central requirement is that the issue is politically significant and that the project is rooted in feminist rights-based action.

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4. The Project Must Push for Structural and Systemic Change

The Spark Fund is not focused only on helping individual people cope with immediate needs.

Mama Cash wants projects that also challenge the systems creating those needs.

For example, a group of migrant women might offer temporary shelter to other migrant women.

Providing shelter addresses an immediate need.

But to fit the Spark Fund’s structural-change orientation, the same group might also challenge barriers preventing migrant women from accessing:

• Housing
• Healthcare
• Social services
• Legal protection

This broader work can create benefits even for people the project cannot support directly.

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What Does Structural Change Mean?

Structural change may include efforts to:

• Change policy
• Challenge discriminatory systems
• Shift public attitudes
• Improve institutional practices
• Expand rights
• Strengthen movement power
• Reform harmful procedures
• Increase representation
• Build collective organising capacity

The project does not need to transform an entire national system within one grant period.

But it should have a credible ambition to address causes, not merely symptoms.

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Who Gets Priority?

Although many eligible groups can apply, Mama Cash gives particular priority to groups facing barriers to conventional flexible funding.

These include:

• Informal groups
• Unregistered groups
• Newly established groups
• Volunteer-led groups
• Organisations with limited organisational resources
• Groups with no paid staff
• Groups without office space

Mama Cash explicitly states that particular consideration is given to groups with limited organisational resources.

This is important because being a small or informal organisation is not automatically a weakness in this competition.

In fact, it may align closely with the Fund’s priorities.

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Do Applicants Need to Be Registered Organisations?

No.

The Spark Fund can support:

Informal and unregistered groups.

Your group does not need to be formally registered as a Dutch foundation or other legal organisation in order to apply.

This removes an important barrier faced by grassroots movements.

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Do Applicants Need an Organisational Bank Account?

No.

Mama Cash explicitly states that applicants do not need an organisational bank account to submit an application.

Groups should therefore not exclude themselves simply because they have not yet established formal banking arrangements.

If selected, Mama Cash can presumably discuss appropriate payment arrangements directly with the group.

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Do Applicants Need a Residence Permit?

No.

The Spark Fund states that applicants do not need a residence permit to apply.

This can be especially important for migrant-led and undocumented communities that may otherwise be excluded from conventional grant programmes.

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Do Applicants Need Official Identification?

No.

Mama Cash also states that official identification is not required simply in order to submit an application.

Together, these rules make the Fund particularly accessible to grassroots communities that may lack conventional administrative documentation.

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Geographic Eligibility

The Spark Fund is geographically limited.

Projects must operate in:

• The Netherlands
• Aruba
• Bonaire
• Curaçao
• Saba
• Sint Eustatius
• Sint Maarten

These islands are collectively referred to by Mama Cash as the ABCSSS islands.

The Spark Fund should therefore not be presented as a global feminist grant.

Groups based elsewhere cannot simply apply for projects in unrelated countries.

The geographic focus is specifically the Netherlands and the six named Caribbean islands.

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Can Groups From the Caribbean Apply?

Yes, but only groups working in the specified territories:

• Aruba
• Bonaire
• Curaçao
• Saba
• Sint Eustatius
• Sint Maarten

The Fund does not automatically cover the entire Caribbean.

For example, a group based in Jamaica, Barbados or Trinidad and Tobago would not be eligible simply because it is located in the Caribbean unless it has an eligible structure or programme meeting the specific geographic criteria published by Mama Cash.

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Types of Projects That May Fit the Spark Fund

Based on Mama Cash’s criteria, potentially relevant projects might include initiatives addressing:

Migrant Women’s Rights

Projects challenging structural barriers affecting migrant women’s access to housing, healthcare or legal rights.

Disability Justice

Self-led initiatives by women, girls, trans or intersex people with disabilities challenging discrimination or exclusion.

LGBTQI+ Rights

Grassroots organising around the rights and safety of queer, trans or intersex communities.

Anti-Racism and Gender Justice

Initiatives examining how racism and gender inequality intersect.

Sex Workers’ Rights

Self-led organising addressing rights, safety, legal barriers or stigma affecting sex workers.

Religious Freedom and Gender

Projects led by women affected by discrimination linked to religion, clothing or cultural identity.

Housing Rights

Feminist initiatives challenging structural housing barriers experienced by marginalised communities.

Reproductive Justice

Grassroots work defending bodily autonomy, reproductive rights or access to services.

These examples should not be interpreted as guaranteed funding areas. Projects must still meet all Spark Fund criteria.

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How to Apply

The 2026 Spark Fund application window is:

20 August to 20 September 2026 at 11:59 PM CEST.

Mama Cash provides three application formats.

Option 1: Written Application

Applicants can complete the official written form online.

Written Application Form

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Option 2: Video Application

Applicants who prefer to speak rather than write can submit through the video recording application.

Video Application Form

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Option 3: Audio Application

Applicants can also submit an audio-recorded application.

Audio Application Form

Providing multiple formats reflects Mama Cash’s effort to make the funding process accessible to grassroots activists who may not be comfortable with traditional written grant applications.

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What Languages Can Be Used?

Applications can be submitted in:

• English
• Dutch

Groups that would prefer another language can contact:

spark@mamacash.org

Mama Cash states that it will explore possible support or accommodations where another language would be more suitable.

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How Applications Are Reviewed

Mama Cash uses a participatory grantmaking approach.

The process begins with staff reviewing applications against the Spark Fund’s:

• Eligibility criteria
• Priority areas

Eligible applications then move into a participatory review process involving feminist activists connected to the Mama Cash network and former Spark grantee-partners.

This means decisions are not made solely by professional grant managers detached from activist movements.

People with direct movement experience are involved in deciding which initiatives receive funding.

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Who Makes the Final Decision?

According to Mama Cash’s 2026 information, final decisions are made through its participatory grantmaking structure, involving members of the Mama Cash Advisory Network and, in the detailed FAQ, a steering committee of former Spark grantee-partners drawn from feminist activist communities in the Netherlands and the ABCSSS islands.

This is consistent with Mama Cash’s broader commitment to:

Sharing power and putting decisions in the hands of activists.

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When Will Applicants Hear Back?

Mama Cash states in its FAQ that grant decisions are usually announced in:

October.

Applicants should therefore monitor the contact details they provide after submission.

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How to Prepare a Strong Spark Fund Application

1. Show That the Group Is Truly Self-Led

Explain clearly:

• Who founded the group
• Who leads it
• Who makes decisions
• Who controls the project budget
• Who represents the group publicly

Do not merely state that the project “supports women.”

Show that the women, girls, trans or intersex people affected by the issue hold real power.

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2. Explain the Structural Problem

A strong application should identify more than an immediate need.

Instead of saying:

“Women in our community struggle to find housing,”

explain:

• What barriers cause the problem
• How discrimination operates
• Which systems reproduce inequality
• What the group wants to change

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3. Show Why the Issue Is Urgent or Contested

Explain why the issue requires action now.

For example:

• Has policy changed?
• Is public hostility increasing?
• Is a community losing rights?
• Is an overlooked group experiencing exclusion?
• Is there a new opportunity for movement-building?

Urgency should be concrete.

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4. Centre the Community’s Own Priorities

Do not design a project externally and then add marginalised communities afterward.

The people affected should be able to explain:

• What they need
• What they want changed
• How they will organise
• What success would look like

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5. Explain the Feminist Dimension

Make clear how the project challenges:

• Sexism
• Patriarchal structures
• Gender inequality
• Intersectional discrimination

The feminist perspective should be integrated into the project rather than appearing only in one paragraph of the application.

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6. Do Not Worry About Being a Small Group

The Fund deliberately prioritises grassroots groups.

If your initiative is:

• Volunteer-led
• Unregistered
• New
• Small
• Without paid staff

do not hide this.

Explain how flexible funding could help the group strengthen its work.

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7. Choose the Application Format That Works Best

A sophisticated written grant proposal is not automatically better than a clear video or audio submission.

Use the format that enables the group to communicate:

• Its story
• Its purpose
• Its leadership
• The problem
• The proposed change

most effectively.

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Key Information at a Glance

Fund: Mama Cash Spark Fund

Grant size: €5,000–€12,000

Funding period: Up to two years

Applications open: 20 August 2026

Deadline: 20 September 2026 at 11:59 PM CEST

Eligible locations: Netherlands, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten

Target groups: Self-led groups of women, girls, trans people and/or intersex people

Formal registration required: No

Organisational bank account required to apply: No

Residence permit required: No

Official ID required to apply: No

Application formats: Written, video or audio

Application languages: English or Dutch; contact Mama Cash about other language needs

Priority applicants: Informal, newly established, volunteer-led and resource-limited groups

Selection model: Participatory grantmaking

Contact: spark@mamacash.org

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Why the Spark Fund Is Different From Many Conventional Grants

Many funding programmes expect applicants to have:

• Legal registration
• Professional grant-writing capacity
• A dedicated bank account
• Formal governance structures
• Paid staff
• Large annual budgets

The Spark Fund deliberately reduces several of these barriers.

That makes it particularly valuable for activist groups whose political relevance may be high even though their institutional infrastructure is small.

Mama Cash’s model recognises that movements often begin as:

• Informal collectives
• Volunteer networks
• Community initiatives
• Newly organised campaigns

rather than formal NGOs.

The Fund is therefore designed to support activism at a stage when conventional donors may overlook it.

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Conclusion

The Mama Cash Spark Fund 2026 offers grassroots feminist groups in the Netherlands and the ABCSSS islands an opportunity to receive between €5,000 and €12,000 for projects lasting up to two years.

The programme is particularly intended for self-led groups of women, girls, trans and intersex people working on urgent and contested political issues while pursuing structural and systemic change.

Mama Cash gives particular priority to organisations and collectives that have limited access to flexible funding, including informal or unregistered groups, newly established initiatives, volunteer-led groups and organisations with limited resources.

The Fund is especially accessible because applicants do not need to have an organisational bank account, official identification, a residence permit or formal registration as a foundation in order to apply.

Applications can be submitted in writing, by video or by audio, and can be completed in English or Dutch. Applicants needing another language can contact Mama Cash for possible accommodations.

Applications opened on 20 August 2026 and close on:

20 September 2026 at 11:59 PM CEST.

For grassroots groups led directly by communities affected by gender-based and intersectional inequality, the Spark Fund provides an unusually flexible pathway to fund bold feminist activism without requiring the conventional institutional structures expected by many grantmakers.

To know more about this opportunity, visit the official Mama Cash Spark Fund page.

To explore more global grant opportunity, VISIT HERE.