Getting Ready to Stand
Fund Her
If you’re from an underrepresented background or experience and are contesting an election, a Fund Her grant can support the personal costs of standing - from childcare, to coats and shoes, to disability-related costs and more.
Since our grant-making started, nearly £60,000 of grants have been made to women standing for election. In 2024 we supported 21 women, including 10 women standing in the snap General Election, and 24% of those supported were elected!
Why Fund Her?
We need a new generation of women - who represent the lived experience of people in the communities they represent, and are who looking to build dynamic, positive solutions for the future.
But until financial barriers are removed, standing for election remains a dream that is out of reach for many women.
On average, women have less access to finances than men, and so these costs present a greater barrier to women's participation in democracy.
That's why we work across the political spectrum to fund, train and lift up the voices of underrepresented women as they stand for election.
That’s why we need to Fund Her!
We offer grants which go to women directly to cover personal expenses necessary to engage in the democratic process.
Due to our limited resources, this fund is targeted at those who face the biggest barriers - those who are already on a low income or facing other financial challenges, and are from groups, backgrounds or experiences that are underrepresented in our political system.
You can donate to help us give out more Fund Her Grants here:
Our Fund Her Grants for 2026 are now Open!
If you are a candidate in our community, and you fit the following criteria, we would love you to apply.
To be eligible to apply for a grant, applicants must be:
A woman selected or preparing to be a candidate in an election in 2026 in England, Wales or Scotland
On a low income or experiencing other financial barriers
Actively advocating for and addressing the needs of their community in collaboration with others, and able to evidence this
Passionate about strengthening democracy, governance and representation
The grant can not be awarded to cover costs that could be covered elsewhere - for example disability related costs that could be claimed through the Access to Elected Office Fund in Scotland and Wales.
Applications from women from a group, background or life experience that is currently underrepresented in politics will be prioritised in how we will award the grants. This includes but is not limited to, women from a minoritised ethnic group or religion, women with disabilities/long-term health conditions, women carers and LGBTQIA+ women.
If you would like to support Fund Her and directly fund women from underrepresented backgrounds to stand in upcoming elections, please donate to Fund Her today.
Through Equip Her, we train and support women in their diversity to stand for election.
Fund Her is part of our wider programme of support for candidates, which any woman in Britain is welcome to join. We provide candidates with bespoke skills-training, self-led resources and a supportive community to ensure they run the best election campaign they can.
Over the past few years, we have given grants to over 89 women candidates and campaigners
Activate developed and managed this grant-giving work between 2020-2022, before joining forces with Elect Her to continue the work, under the banner of Fund Her ahead of the 2023 local elections This work continued into 2024 local and general elections. Below are some of our grantees from 2024!
Read why some of our previous grantees put themselves forward for election, and how they used their Fund Her grant to support their election campaign…
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Juliet champions the neurodiverse as a Councillor, cabinet member and will continue in Parliament. Her fundamental view is that everyone deserves the best start in life and should not be held back because of neurodiversity.
Her varied career collided with her personal life to shape her activism and political voice. She worked her way up from a lowest grade in the Civil Service to a senior manager in the NHS, to running a not-for-profit organisation providing support for families affected by dyslexia. Juliet trained teaching assistants, families and parents on how to recognise, teach and support their children and themselves about dyslexia.As an MP Juliet’s aspiration is to update the teacher training curriculum to increase the amount of time trainee teachers have on how to teach, support, and recognise neurodiversity in the classroom. Being an MP will allow her to influence the influencers that can transform the education we provide, allowing opportunities for learning to be fair and inclusive for the neurodiverse – aiming to ensure that no one is left behind.
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Selena's interest in politics stemmed from her experience of starting the Residents Association for the apartment building she had moved to. After working with the local council to tackle the buildings issues, Selena was approached by some local Councillors to ask if she would be interested in turning her efforts to the wider community and running in the 2021 Local Elections.
Over the last 3 years, Selena has established herself as a responsive and committed Councillor, fully engaged with local issues. Selena is highly active in the community, keeping residents up to date both in person and via her informative and educational social media posts. Selena firmly believes that you can’t complain about something if you’re not prepared to throw your hat in the ring to help drive positive change. In addition, Selena genuinely enjoys helping people and working for the good of the community.
Selena has been on maternity leave since the start of 2024. Selena applied for the Fund Her grant to help with finances whilst on a reduced income, in particular for digital equipment, software and childcare.