Field Initiatives > Lift Up Philanthropy Fund

Directing resources to the
organisations strengthening
philanthropy from the ground up

Philanthropy support organisations are chronically underfunded, despite the critical role they play in enabling philanthropy to function, grow, and respond effectively. The Lift Up Philanthropy Fund directs resources directly to WINGS members doing the locally rooted work that strengthens philanthropy, through research, advocacy, convening, collaboration, and new approaches to strengthening philanthropy support ecosystems.

By investing in these organisations, the Lift Up Philanthropy Fund helps resources flow more effectively, strengthens coordination, and supports capacity building and peer learning among grantees. Designed around ecosystem principles, the Fund also brings grantees together, elevates local innovations, and creates opportunities for promising ideas and approaches to gain visibility across the wider philanthropy field.

Launched in 2024, the Lift Up Philanthropy Fund has already invested $1.5 million USD in projects across Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America & the Caribbean. Since its launch, the Fund has supported ecosystem builders across Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America & the Caribbean, helping strengthen philanthropy infrastructure, seed new collaborations, advance policy and advocacy efforts, and test innovative approaches to ecosystem building.

The Lift Up Philanthropy Fund has supported member-led work across Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America & the Caribbean. There is no current funding call.

What the Fund supports

The Lift Up Philanthropy Fund grants support to WINGS member organisations in good standing working to:

Strengthen local, national or regional philanthropy support ecosystems.

Improve the regulatory and enabling environment for philanthropy.

Build multi-stakeholder partnerships that advance the Sustainable Development Goals.


Generate evidence, tools or learning that benefit the wider field.

Together, these investments strengthen the systems that enable philanthropy to operate more effectively across contexts.

The Lift Up Philanthropy Fund puts the principles of the Philanthropy Transformation Initiative into practice by investing directly in the organisations and systems that philanthropy depends on.

Who can apply

Applications are open to organisations in good standing as WINGS members, based in eligible regions for the current call. Each applicant must meet the eligibility criteria below.

Eligibility criteria

  • The applicant organisation must be a current WINGS member.
  • The organisation must be legally registered in its country of operation.
  • The organisation must not have received total Lift Up Philanthropy Fund grants exceeding €60,000 across prior cycles.
  • Each organisation may submit only one application as the lead applicant per call. Organisations may participate as partners on additional proposals.

Funding guidelines

Funding range: EUR 5,000 minimum to EUR 50,000 maximum per project.

Project duration: Up to 14 months.

Co-funding: Not compulsory but positively evaluated in scoring.
In-kind contributions do not count. Co-funding cannot come
from other EU-funded sources.

Partnerships: Permitted. The lead applicant is
responsible for all funds and all reporting.

Sub-granting: Not permitted.

Project focus: Must align with one or more of the Fund’s 
priority areas, including ecosystem strengthening, enabling
environment, multi-stakeholder partnerships for SDGs.

Full terms, reporting requirements and evaluation criteria
are available in the current call document.

Download the full call document

Selection process

Applications are reviewed in five stages.

1. Eligibility and administrative check.

WINGS staff verify that applications meet the basic criteria.

2. Technical assessment and scoring.

Eligible applications are scored against the Fund’s evaluation criteria.

3. Final evaluation and selection.
The Lift Up Philanthropy Fund Peer-to-Peer Selection Committee reviews shortlisted proposals and selects the final cohort.

4. Pre-notification and due diligence.
Pre-selected applicants are contacted for due diligence checks.

5. Confirmation and announcement.
Awards are confirmed and the cohort is announced publicly.

The Peer-to-Peer Selection Committee

Final grant decisions are made by the Lift Up Philanthropy Fund Peer-to-Peer Selection Committee, a group of WINGS members and external experts convened for each call. Committee composition rotates across cycles and reflects regional and thematic diversity within the field. This peer-led model ensures funding decisions are grounded in the realities of the work and reflect the diversity of the field.

For funders

The Lift Up Philanthropy Fund is co-funded by the European Union and by partners who believe locally rooted philanthropy support organisations deserve direct, trust-based investment.

Join us in expanding the Fund’s reach so more organisations can strengthen the systems philanthropy depends on.

Partner with us

Explore related initiatives

Next field initiative

Enabling and Partnering with Philanthropy Initiative

Strengthening the external conditions that shape how philanthropy operates, complementing the Philanthropy Transformation Initiative’s focus on transformation from within.

READ MORE

Philanthropy Transformation Initiative

The global framework the Fund puts into action through direct investment.

READ MORE

Building the Philanthropy Support Ecosystem

Why philanthropy support ecosystems are foundational to philanthropy’s effectiveness.

READ MORE

Press ESC to close