The new grants will be awarded to grassroots organizations based in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, South Africa, Argentina and Brazil. They support workers across sectors including agriculture, fisheries, construction, transport, manufacturing, sex work, healthcare, academia, media and care work. Initiatives range from supporting community health workers in Bangladesh to protecting journalists in Argentina to advancing the rights of women app drivers in Kenya. A full list of selected initiatives can be found here. 

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“We are pleased to partner with these 15 exceptional organizations working at the frontlines of workers’ rights, gender and racial justice,  climate action and technological transitions,” said Jana Morgan, Executive Director of FORGE. “The Democracy at Work Fund will provide critical support, helping them increase worker power, especially among informal workers, women, and underrepresented groups.”

 

Following a call for proposals launched in September last year, FORGE received nearly 700 applications. A competitive review and interview process, guided by a Fund Advisory Committee of contextual experts and individuals with lived experience, determined the final selection.

 

The selection prioritized worker-led and worker-representing organizations focused on informal workers, gender justice, the rights of migrants and other marginalized communities, and climate justice. Other key considerations included track record, strong governance systems, scale of activities, organization size, and country eligibility.

 

This is the second iteration of the Democracy at Work Fund and the first that will be managed directly by the FORGE secretariat. The inaugural round of the fund featured 19 grantee partners and was coordinated by Fundación Avina.