Development Ratings

Since the CEO launched a voluntary fundraising initiative in 2008, there has been some limited success in raising unrestricted funds, partly from UK trusts and partly through trustee contacts coupled with the support of WCF Patrons Baroness Massey of Darwen and Baroness Afshar of Heslington.

Two Big Lottery funded programmes drew to a close in 2008 in Malawi and Bangladesh, but a new £5m strategic programme spanning Bangladesh and India commenced, funded by the Big Lottery Fund. This strategic programme will scale up the work already established in Bangladesh and will develop a similar approach working with tribal groups in North-East India. In order to deliver on this contract, WCF has expanded and developed its management and core structures and engaged part-time administration and finance support as well as a full time programme manager. Work on the MaiKhanda programme will continue to be funded by the Health Foundation until early 2012. WCFR also wants to hire a full-time fundraiser.

New partners are being researched for programmes in Ethiopia, Malawi, India, Uganda and Sierra Leone and WCF hopes to launch at least one new country programme in the next two years.

£15,000 would enable WCF to research and establish a new programme for which 3-year funding of approximately £500,000 in total would subsequently be secured from an institutional donor.